Preventing food-borne hazards means preventing the public from consuming products containing dangers such as E.coli and salmonella. Processes and standards in place to identify these hazards and remove their entry into the food production process include a management practice called HACCP. Implementing HACCP can be a long, arduous process involving a detailed analysis of food processes. The end result, though, is a much safer food network.
Defining HACCP
HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points. HACCP is a management system used in the food industry to prevent chemical, biological or physical hazards from making their way through to the final product. The Critical Control Points (CCPs) within the HACCP approach are designated places in a production process where actions can be taken to reduce the possibility of hazards. HACCP is used in the pharmaceutical industry and also by the FDA and USDA in the areas of juice, seafood, poultry and meat.
History of HACCP
The origination of HACCP appears to have taken place in the establishment of similar ideas during World War II. Finding out that an artillery shell would not explode when it was selected for use in battle prompted the military to create a way to identify the hazard while it was being made. The first time this type of process was identified as being useful in other areas was the creation of similar standards by NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) when it asked Pillsbury to design and manufacture food to be used in flight by the astronauts. The seven principles of HACCP were developed by the U.S. National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods.
Seven Principles of HACCP
HACCP is based on seven ideas or principles that assist a manufacturing plant in preventing the development of a crisis. These seven principles include hazard analysis, established control points, critical limits for each control point, monitoring requirements for each control point, corrective actions, record keeping procedures and procedures for ensuring the HACCP system works as intended. The final principle, ensuring the HACCP system is working properly, is broken down into two parts---validation and verification.
Mandatory Programs
The principles of HACCP were not introduced as mandatory in food safety law until the mid 1990s. As of the year 2000, all manufacturing plants, regardless of size, must use HACCP in establishing food safety programs. The FDA identifies the HACCP system as the framework for making food safety improvements in combination with performance standards that help reduce pathogenic microorganisms. The use of HACCP is verified when federal inspections take place in a processing plant.
International HACCP Alliance
Established in 1994 and located in College Station, Texas, the International HACCP Alliance strives to further establish and define the concepts of HACCP within the food industry. A recent event hosted by the Alliance pertained to assisting small and very small food establishments in implementing food safety programs using HACCP. The Alliance is a good source of information, documents and updates on the use and implementation of HACCP.
Tags: food safety, HACCP Alliance, HACCP system, control point, Critical Control, Critical Control Points