HACCP

Food hygiene
All conditions and measures necessary to ensure the safety and suitability of food at all stages of the food chain


Food safety
Assurance that food will not cause harm to the consumer when it is prepared and / or eaten according to its intended use.


Food safety assurance
HACCP is a method of food safety assurance
it identifies what we need to do to make food safe
it makes sure that what is planned is correctly implemented

(HACCP is a method of food safety assurance that complements the Codes of General Principles of Food Hygiene.
Today, HACCP is part of food hygiene, or the food safety assurance system. Food hygiene can itself be placed in the context of food quality assurance programmes.
To understand this, let us define quality and food quality assurance programmes.)


QUALITY
Several types of quality can be distinguished :
• organoleptic quality
• functional quality (e.g. convenience, shelf-life or “keepability”)
• nutritional quality
• hygienic quality (safety)

(As applied to food, there are several types of food quality such as: organoleptic (involving the senses), functional, nutritional and hygienic quality. )



From a consumer: industry point of view:
organoleptic quality hygienic quality (safety)
functional properties nutritional quality
keepability compliance with regulations
"freshness"
nutritional quality
safety
Value for money



From a public health point of view
hygienic quality (safety)
nutritional quality
compliance with regulations

(From the consumer's point of view, all these features of the food as well as the price/quality relationship are important. Industry tries to meet the consumers' demands. However, from the public health point of view, the hygienic quality and nutritional quality of the food are of primary importance. Other qualities of food are important only to the extent that they affect acceptance of the food by consumers.)



(Among the different qualities, safety is most important for all parties i.e. industry, consumer and public health authorities. Nevertheless, it is this feature of the food which is most often overlooked. This is because one is aware of safety only when it is no longer there. It is only after a succession of important and sometimes fatal foodborne disease outbreaks in the industrialized countries, as well as a raising awareness campaign of the WHO during recent years, that food safety has gained importance among consumers, public health authorities and industry. )


Quality assurance
All planned and systematic actions
necessary to provide adequate confidence
that a product or service will satisfy given
requirements for quality


Traditional food production
Shelf life (“keepability”) and organoleptic quality oriented
Production methods based on experience
Safety taken for granted, later reliance on end - product testing
(Early food production concentrated on keepability (shelf life) and organoleptic quality because preserving food was essential to survival. Production methods were based upon domestic experience; household methods were scaled up without any scientific experimentation to validate the safety of the product thus obtained. Safety was often taken for granted (cause and effect were not known, especially with regard to foodborne diseases caused by microorganisms)

“Snap-Shot” Inspection for compliance with GHP / GMP + End - product testing

(Food control authorities also inspected the premises for compliance with GHP/GMP and carried out an independent testing of the end-products.
The inspection system has many weaknesses. Among others it is based on snap-shot inspection, and not on what happened during a longer period of time.
End-product testing performed by the industry itself as a means of auto-control or by food inspectors is costly, time consuming and not reliable as a food safety assurance tool.)


Traditional food control
“Flash” observation of hygiene
Checking compliance with regulations
Regulations on GMP used often vague terms such as: “as appropriate” or “when necessary”
Little distinction between trivial and important matters concerning safety

(Inspection of premises was an important aspect of traditional food control. Such an inspection observed the hygiene status at a particular moment. No information could be obtained concerning the hygiene during other periods of food production or preparation. Often, the procedure checked only compliance with regulations. These regulations on Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) or Good Hygienic Practices (GHP) frequently employed vague terms such as “as appropriate”, “when necessary”, etc. thus leaving many decisions to the judgement of the inspector. Another matter of concern for industries was that little distinction was made between trivial and important aspects of the production, especially those concerning safety.)


Traditional regulatory measures “Food Control”
 Based on :
 observation and “testing” of samples
 detection of spoilage (“unhealthy”) and fraud
 The system was:
 retroactive, and
 provided little health protection, particularly regarding pathogenic organisms

(Traditionally, governmental food inspectors checked samples on the market to determine if the goods were spoiled (regarded as “unhealthy”), and to detect fraud. The control system was usually retroactive. Often, foods were consumed before irregularities were detected. Punishment was regarded as an effective control measure, because it would prevent reoccurrence. In reality, this system offered little health protection, particularly in terms of preventing foodborne diseases.)


Food safety assurance
Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)
and
Good Hygienic Practice (GHP)
are necessary
but not always sufficient

(In recent decades, food industries and public health authorities realised the limitations of this approach. GMP and GHP provide necessary and basic guidance for producing safe food; but by themselves, they are not always sufficient.
First, the codes give only general guidelines, and cannot be specific to a food or process. Thus, there is a risk of leaving out measures essential for food safety. The provisions of the codes are based on past experience and do not accommodate new product or process development. They often provide guidance of qualitative nature only, making it difficult to monitor compliance.
Also, an approach based on compliance with a code does not provide a mechanism for identifying those control measures which were essential for product safety. In addition, the effectiveness of the quality assurance system depends heavily on the probability, often remote, that sampling for end-product analysis allows timely detection of a hazard in the food.)




(To achieve food safety, three levels of hygienic measures can be implemented. First, the General Principles of Food Hygiene, as stipulated by the Codex Code with this name, can be applied. These principles lay the foundation for food safety. Additional hygienic requirements for particular food sectors are described in specific Codes of Manufacturing or Hygienic Practices (GMP/GHP). These two types of requirements, often prescribed in codes by food law or regulations, form the basis for Good Manufacturing/Hygienic Practice. Usually, these codes also cover requirements for nutritional and other properties of food. Finally, HACCP can be applied to achieve a greater assurance that the produced, processed or manufactured food is safe.)




WHY HACCP:

Reason 1
Foodborne diseases are a widespread public health problem
The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Safety reported in 1983 that “Illness due to contaminated food is perhaps the most widespread health problem in the contemporary world and an important cause of reduced economic productivity”

(First, public health authorities have come to realize that foodborne diseases are a much more widespread public health problem than previously believed).


Reason 2
• Increased knowledge and awareness of the serious and chronic health effects
• Reactive arthritis
• Meningitis
• Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS)
• Septicemia
• Cancer (liver)
• Congenital blindness
• Abortion
• Malnutrition
• Death



Reason 3
New food technologies and processing methods which cause a need for predicting potential health risk associated with new technologies and their application consequences due to inappropriate handling during preparation

(In the contemporary world, new food processing and handling techniques are emerging. This means that it is increasingly important to have techniques to predict potential health risks which may be associated with the technology itself as well as later in appropriate food handling in households).


Reason 4
Increased awareness of the economic consequences of foodborne diseases
medical care costs
loss of productivity
loss of food
reduced food trade
decrease in tourism

(There are also economic costs associated with food contamination, for treatment and loss of productivity. The economic costs are also tremendous for the food industry because food contamination may lead to recalls and loss of contaminated food. It may also jeopardize the reputation of the company and lead to reduction in food trade. Finally, the tourism industry may also be affected).


Reason 5
Increase in the number of vulnerable people
immunocompromised individuals
elderly
pregnant women
infants and young children
undernourished individuals

(Public health authorities are also realizing that some groups of the population are more susceptible to foodborne diseases and may acquire the diseases more easily or may suffer more severely from the diseases.
Again, the traditional method of food safety assurance did not provide a mechanism to consider the increased risk or health consequence of foodborne diseases for this group of the population).


Reason 6
Urbanization
A longer and more complex food chain; thus greater opportunities for food contamination

(Another factor contributing to foodborne disease outbreaks is the fact that the food chain has become longer and more complex.
Each of the steps from food production to consumption is an opportunity for contamination or growth of microorganisms. A large foodborne disease outbreak in the USA affecting over 224 000 people resulted from the contamination of ice cream during transport. An outbreak of E. coli O157;H7 which occurred in Scotland during December 1996, showed that the food chain can be even more complex than indicated here as the butcher was selling meat to other butchers.
The traditional method of control at various stages of the food chain is costly and ineffective. The application of HACCP from production to consumption provides a mechanism to examine the entire food chain and implement measures which are necessary for ensuring food safety.
Examples of urbanization: Intensive farming, imported products, reduction in use of preservatives)


Reason 7
Changing lifestyles
increase in food service and mass catering establishments (including street food vendors)
travel
role of women
migration

(The change in lifestyle is another factor with an impact on foodborne illness. More meals are being eaten outside the home because of travel and change in the role of women. The dietary habits are also changing partly due to migration or travel. As a consequence restaurants, fast food, street food outlets etc. have increased significantly.
Traditional inspection and control methods are not only inefficient, but cannot provide the increased resources which are required for controlling the increasing number of food businesses.
Changes in preparation and cooking methods at home: ready to eat, incorrect use of microwaves
People in general are negligent when it comes to preparing food for others)


Reason 8
Increased tourism and international trade
increase in foodstuffs in travel - related foodborne diseases
foodborne disease outbreaks due to contaminated foods

(There is also increased tourism and international trade of food. It is estimated that 20-50% of travellers are at risk of foodborne diseases. The problem is so important that in some places such as Scandinavia it is estimated that 80-90% of cases of salmonellosis are imported cases.
Many countries where tourism is an important source of revenue have realized the importance of food safety and have taken steps to improve the safety of foods served in restaurants and hotels.
Numerous outbreaks have also occurred as a result of import of contaminated food. Traditional approaches to food control are no longer satisfactory to importing countries as a guarantee of food safety. As a result many countries, even in developing areas, are applying HACCP in the production of food destined for export. The cholera outbreak in Peru and the blockade of their food exports have, for instance, promoted the application of HACCP in the fishery industries of this country.
In short, people are traveling and eating out more).


Reason 9
Increased consumer awareness of food safety
education
media
consumer organizations

(In addition to the increase in public health problems, consumers today are better educated, informed through media and interested in food safety and demand a greater assurance to food safety.
Industry relies on inspection, testing, and consumer complaint to detect loss of control in the safety of the food but consumers are better informed and are more aware of what is food poisoning).


Reason 10
Lack of or decreasing resources for food safety
insufficient awareness on the part of public health authorities
competition with other health programmes

(The increase in problems related to foodborne disease, and the demand of consumers for better control over the safety of the food supply comes at a time when resources are decreasing. In some countries, public health authorities do not appreciate the importance of food safety. As a consequence, other health programmes compete with food safety and receive priority, so that those responsible for food safety have to do more, often with lesser resources. This has led public health authorities to look for a more efficient system of food safety assurance .
Managers are too busy to look at food safety and hygiene without having it part of their duty- a HACCP program becomes part of their duty)