What is R638? A Practical Guide for South African Food Businesses

What is Regulation R638?

R638 is the Regulations Governing General Hygiene Requirements for Food Premises, the Transport of Food and Related Matters, published on 22 June 2018 under the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act, 1972.

The regulation was published in the Government Gazette and replaced earlier general hygiene regulations. It provides the national framework for general hygiene on food premises, the handling of food, and the transport of food, and it is administered with the involvement of environmental health services at local-authority level. Because the full text is the authoritative source, we recommend reading it directly.

Why does R638 matter?

R638 matters because it sets shared hygiene standards that support the safe, hygienic handling of food and help protect consumers who rely on food businesses every day.

Consistent hygiene requirements give food businesses a clear, common reference point for how food should be handled and how premises should be kept. For owners and staff, understanding R638 helps build good everyday practices — from clean workspaces to well-trained teams — that support both the quality of the food served and the confidence of the people who buy it.

Who does R638 apply to?

R638 applies broadly to food premises and to persons who handle food. In practice, that includes a wide range of businesses across the food sector.

Examples of businesses that typically handle food include:

It is important to note that not every business has identical requirements. What applies to a particular premises depends on the nature of the operation and the food handled. Businesses should read R638 and confirm the specific requirements for their situation with the relevant local authority.

What is a food premises?

Under R638, a food premises is, broadly, a place or structure used in connection with the handling of food.

This concept covers the physical spaces where food is prepared, processed, stored, packed, served or sold. The regulation sets general hygiene expectations for such premises. For the precise definition and the requirements that attach to it, refer to the official R638 text, and confirm how it applies to your premises with your local authority's environmental health services.

Who is a food handler?

A food handler is, in accessible terms, any person who works with or handles food — whether preparing, cooking, serving, packing or otherwise dealing with food on the premises.

Food handlers play a central role in day-to-day food safety, because the way food is handled directly affects its hygiene. This is why training and good practice among food handlers are such an important part of running a food business responsibly.

Who is the Person in Charge?

The Person in Charge is the individual responsible for a food premises at a given time. This role is distinct from that of an ordinary food handler.

While a food handler works directly with food, the Person in Charge carries broader responsibility for how the premises operates — including oversight of hygiene and food-safety practices. In many businesses this is an owner, manager or supervisor. Identifying who the Person in Charge is helps a business make sure someone is accountable for meeting its food-safety responsibilities.

What does R638 say about food-safety training?

R638 addresses food-safety training in Regulation 10, which deals with the training of food handlers and related responsibilities.

At a high level, Regulation 10 concerns making sure food handlers receive appropriate training so that food is handled hygienically. Rather than reproducing the full regulation here, we recommend reading Regulation 10 directly and considering how it applies to your specific premises and roles.

Who can provide food-handler training?

R638 refers to training being provided by “an inspector or any other suitable person”.

This phrase is often the source of questions about who may train food handlers. We explore what it means — and what it does and does not imply — in detail on a dedicated page, rather than over-interpreting it here.

Training assessments and records

Regulation 10 addresses not only training itself, but also routine assessment and follow-up, and keeping training programmes and records available.

In practical terms, this means a food business should be able to show that its food handlers have received appropriate training, that training is followed up over time, and that relevant training programmes and records are kept and available. Good record-keeping makes it much easier to demonstrate what training has taken place.

What is a Certificate of Acceptability?

A Certificate of Acceptability (CoA) relates to the food premises. Application is made to the relevant local authority, and the premises is considered and inspected in accordance with the applicable requirements.

A CoA is about the acceptability of the premises where food is handled — not about whether an individual has completed training. The two are separate matters, handled in different ways and, in the case of a CoA, by the relevant local authority.

Does completing food-safety training automatically give a business a CoA?

No. Completing food-safety training does not itself constitute or guarantee a Certificate of Acceptability.

Training is only one aspect of a food business's wider food-premises food-safety responsibilities. A Certificate of Acceptability relates to the premises and is dealt with by the relevant local authority. In other words, training helps equip your people, but it is separate from, and does not replace, the CoA process for your premises.

What should a food business do?

A practical starting point is to understand the requirements that apply to your premises, put the right people and training in place, keep good records, and confirm local requirements with your local authority.

• Understand the applicable R638 requirements for your premises.
• Identify the Person in Charge.
• Ensure food handlers receive appropriate food-safety training.
• Maintain training records.
• Conduct or facilitate appropriate follow-up.
• Maintain hygienic food premises and practices.
• Contact the relevant local authority regarding a Certificate of Acceptability and local requirements.

Food-safety training

Foodologists provides online R638-aligned Basic Food Safety Training for food handlers in South Africa.

The training is designed to build practical, everyday food-safety knowledge for people who handle food, and to make it simpler for businesses to keep clear training records for their teams. Completing training is one part of a food business's wider food-safety responsibilities — it does not, on its own, address the separate matter of a Certificate of Acceptability for the premises.

Frequently asked questions