New Zealand approaches to HACCP systems

HACCP is becoming an increasingly important component of food safety assurances for international trade and this includes the expectation that the exporting country will meet similar or equivalent HACCP requirements to those of the importing country. The influence of market access requirements and the existing legislative requirements and infrastructure of New Zealand determine the government’s role in assessing HACCP systems. Recent structural changes in New Zealand has introduced flexibility in this role. The importance of building blocks for HACCP such as prerequisite programmes, food safety objectives, generic HACCP plans, HACCP specifications, and audit competency requirements are emphasised. Government role in assessment is discussed, including the initial “recognition” of a validated HACCP plan followed by performance-based compliance audits.     

Feed for Food: HACCP in the animal feed industry

In this paper, a brief presentation is given a presentation of the quality programme for the Dutch animal feed Industry. The goal of this program is to produce and supply animal feeds which are safe for consumers of animal products, for the animals and for the environment; in a trustworthy way for all stakeholders––the partners in the chain, the consumers and the legislators––which means to do so demonstrably and transparently. An important part of this program is the GMP standard Animal Feed, which was set up in 1992. This GMP standard contains requirements for the quality system (comparable with ISO 9002) and a number of additional generic control measures for production, trade and transport of animal feed materials focussed on additives, undesirable substances and microbiological aspects.The recent feed and food-related safety crises (BSE, dioxin affairs) were particularly important impulses to enhance the quality programme, which has resulted in (i) the integration of HACCP in the GMP standard and (ii) upstream extension of the quality assurance to all suppliers of feed ingredients. By this way the quality system of the food processing industry has been adopted in the animal feed industry. This underlines that the animal feed is part of the food chain, expressed in the slogan ‘Feed for Food’.The main points are:

• •Food safety has a high priority world wide.
• •The animal feed industry, including the ingredient suppliers, is part of the food chain and responsible for the safety of its products.
• •Demonstrable and transparent quality assurance is a ‘licence to produce’.
• •HACCP is a proactive approach which links the feed chain to the food chain.
• •Quality control of raw materials is a mutual concern for suppliers and the animal feed industry.
• •Trade and industry are assuming their responsibility for product safety.

     

The HACCP system implementation in small businesses of Madrid’s community

The main goal of this paper is addressed to evaluate the HACCP system implementation in small food industries of Madrid’s autonomous community. Important practical barriers about HACCP development have been identified. There were investigated the manufacturing food industries of animal origin during 5 years, between 1999 and 2003. The research analyzed areas concerning business demand, legal requirements and quality management systems, food industry size, human resources, technical support and assessors, prerequisites, time scale and HACCP implementation official assessment. Conclusions have met the beginning of HACCP system implementation by food industries following the application of a strategic plan and public health program, as well as several difficulties in small food industries with regard to HACCP system applying, and the fundamental influence of prerequisites implementation and management commitment on effective HACCP system. To overcome such barriers, it is proposed a strategy, which includes all different stakeholders.     

Quality and food safety issues revealed in certified food companies in three Western Balkans countries

Certification of quality and food safety management system is increasing, with various business drivers that demand third party audits. A survey was undertaken where audit reports and revealed findings (nonconformities and/or improvement opportunities) were analyzed from 123 quality and/or food safety audits performed in 60 food companies. The results showed that QMS audits revealed most of the findings in the management process (21.8%), followed by control (14.5%). Findings related to documentation and control of records increase as the system evolves. Food safety audits showed that the majority of findings are related to managing food safety issues (17.5%) and various aspects of food safety control (15.5%). Further analysis showed that the majority of findings (59.6%) are related to prerequisite programs including GHP requirements. These audits generated twice as much nonconformities than quality management system audits. The survey recognized that in the sampled companies, managing quality and food safety as well as control of quality and food safety represent a problem which should be addressed by most of the companies.     

Audits and inspections are never enough: A critique to enhance food safety

Internal and external food safety audits are conducted to assess the safety and quality of food including on-farm production, manufacturing practices, sanitation, and hygiene. Some auditors are direct stakeholders that are employed by food establishments to conduct internal audits, while other auditors may represent the interests of a second-party purchaser or a third-party auditing agency. Some buyers conduct their own audits or additional testing, while some buyers trust the results of third-party audits or inspections. Third-party auditors, however, use various food safety audit standards and most do not have a vested interest in the products being sold. Audits are conducted under a proprietary standard, while food safety inspections are generally conducted within a legal framework. There have been many foodborne illness outbreaks linked to food processors that have passed third-party audits and inspections, raising questions about the utility of both. Supporters argue third-party audits are a way to ensure food safety in an era of dwindling economic resources. Critics contend that while external audits and inspections can be a valuable tool to help ensure safe food, such activities represent only a snapshot in time. This paper identifies limitations of food safety inspections and audits and provides recommendations for strengthening the system, based on developing a strong food safety culture, including risk-based verification steps, throughout the food safety system.     

HACCP in the United Kingdom

Formal UK Government initiatives to encourage the implementation of HACCP based control systems began in the early 1990s. Early consideration was given to HACCP training activities for both industry and food control officials.In the early 1990s HACCP systems were increasingly introduced by the UK food industry through supplier specification requirements. From 1993 onward, legal requirements for HACCP based controls were progressively introduced through European single market legislation. Subsequently a range of central UK guidance has been produced to encourage and assess HACCP based control systems in UK food businesses.     

HACCP development and regulatory assessment in the United States of America

Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) is internationally recognized as the best method of assuring product safety by controlling foodborne safety hazards. Currently, within the USA, the FDA has mandated HACCP for fish and fishery products and is proposing mandating HACCP for fruit and vegetable juices. The USDA has mandated Pathogen Reduction/HACCP requirements for meat and poultry processing, and the NMFS Seafood Inspection Program operates a voluntary HACCP program for seafood plants. The requirements for mandatory implementation and proposed regulations represent a significant change in the manner in which foods are regulated for food safety and necessitate a new understanding of the different roles and responsibilities between the food industries and the regulatory agencies within the USA. Each agency will approach the evaluation process differently given their unique legislative authorities and programmatic operations. Nevertheless, each agency agrees that HACCP is the best food control system of choice and is committed to improve food safety requirements.     

Implementation and effectiveness of the HACCP and pre-requisites in food establishments

The aim of this paper was to identify the most important weaknesses in the implementation and effectiveness of the pre-requisites and HACCP found in food establishments. To cover these objectives, official control audits of the manuals and their implementation in 1350 small and 66 medium size organizations: restaurants, hotels and cafeterias in one area of the Valencian region (Spain) were carried out from 2007 to 2010. The microbiological quality of 1054 ready-to-consume dishes was also evaluated as an indicator of the effectiveness of the control at Critical Control Points. The results showed that the main deficiencies in the implementation of the pre-requisites and HACCP were found in conditions and structural design followed by hygiene & cleaning. Moreover, the analysis of Listeria monocytogenes in dishes at the time of consumption shows that 99.6% were of good microbiological quality. This indicates that in relation to this hazard, the implementation of safety management systems in the majority of the food establishments was effective. These results demonstrate the crucial role played by official control to ensure the welfare of consumers and how it facilitates continuous improvement in the safety management of these businesses.     

Embedding Islamic dietary requirements into HACCP approach

Many researches into food safety systems have focused on the private standards created by private firms including companies and NGOs. They mirror the increasing importance of food safety, regulation and also apply HACCP in regulating matters related to food hygiene. This paper discusses on the applicability and embedment of Islamic dietary requirements along with HACCP approach. Coalition of Islamic dietary law and HACCP principles in relating to matters such hygienic, wholesome and halal food have become increasingly important in global food value chain. It gives the advantages for many organizations to adopt and create a dynamic interchange environment to implement, conform and enforce standard-setting for haram substance free products.     

Seafood safety and quality: An analysis of the supply chain in the Sultanate of Oman

The globalization of trade in fish has created many challenges for the developing world specifically with regard to food safety and quality. International organisations have established a good basis for standards in international trade. Whilst these requirements are frequently embraced by the major importers (such as Japan, the EU and the USA), they often impose additional safety requirements and regularly identify batches which fail to meet their strict standards. Creating an effective national seafood control system which meets both the internal national needs as well the requirements for the export market can be challenging. Many countries adopt a dual system where seafood products for the major export markets are subject to tight control whilst the majority of the products (whether for the local market or for more regional trade) are less tightly controlled. With regional liberalization also occurring, deciding on appropriate controls is complex. In the Sultanate of Oman, fisheries production is one of the countries' chief sources of economic revenue after oil production and is a major source of the national food supply. In this paper the structure of the fish supply chain has been analysed and highlighted the different routes operating for the different markets. Although much of the fish are consumed within Oman, there is a major export trade to the local regional markets. Much smaller quantities meet the more stringent standards imposed by the major importing countries and exports to these are limited. The paper has considered the development of the Omani fish control system including the key legislative documents and the administrative structures that have been developed. Establishing modern controls which satisfy the demands of the major importers is possible but places additional costs on businesses. Enhanced controls such as HACCP and other management standards are required but can be difficult to justify when alternative markets do not specify these. These enhanced controls do however provide additional consumer protection and can bring benefits to local consumers. The Omani government is attempting to upgrade the system of controls and has made tremendous progress toward the implementation of HACCP and introducing enhanced management systems into its industrial sector. The existence of strengthened legislative and government support, including subsidies, has encouraged some businesses to implement HACCP. The current control systems have been reviewed and an SWOT analysis approach used to identify key factors for their future development. The study shows that seafood products in the supply chain are often exposed to lengthy handling and distribution process before reaching the consumers, a typical issue faced by many developing countries. As seafood products are often perishable, they safety is compromised if not adequately controlled. The enforcement of current food safety laws in the Sultanate of Oman is shared across various government agencies. Consequently, there is a need to harmonize all regulatory requirements, enhancing the domestic food protection and to continue to work towards a fully risk-based approach in order to compete successfully in the global market.     

HACCP implementation in the Thai fisheries industry

As the implementation of HACCP is making headways in food safety management systems of fishery industry in Thailand, the role of the department of Fisheries is also changing. In addition to the inspection for compliance to GMPs, other regulatory requirements, the fish inspectors have to assume new responsibilities and these include validation and verification of the HACCP plan and implementation of the HACCP system.     

Comparison of implementing HACCP systems of exporter Mexican and Chinese meat enterprises

International trade scrutinises food safety practices and procedures, and food businesses have to review their safety procedures more rigorously. HACCP is increasingly relied on to ensure food safety in both meat-producing and meat-processing enterprises. The objective of this study was to compare incentives, costs, difficulties and benefits of Chinese and Mexican meat-exporting enterprises related to food safety management systems implementation. A questionnaire was applied to identify the main factors involved in HACCP implementation. Data were collected among 32 Chinese and 42 Mexican companies, and analysed using the SAS package. The implementation of the HACCP system was filled out in all exporting meat industries. The results indicated that the major incentives were related to improving product quality for both countries, whilst improving control of the process was the first motivation in the Chinese industry and access to new foreign markets was the first motivation in the Mexican one. In addition, both countries' industries reported that staff training was the most important implementing cost, while product testing was the major operating cost. The difficulties found during HACCP implementation and operation activities were associated with availability of personnel for other tasks for China and costs of certification for Mexico. The reported benefits were relevant for the two countries, due to the ability to reduce microbial counts and increased access to foreign and domestic markets. A better understanding of the costs and benefits associated with HACCP systems could be helpful and is necessary in every segment of the food chain in every sector of domestic and international markets in order to assure food quality and safety.     

Critical factors,food quality management and organizational performance

This paper proposes a model for measuring the effectiveness of quality (ISO 9001) and food safety (HACCP) systems, based on their stated objectives, when these systems are jointly implemented in a food company. In addition, it investigates the critical factors for effective implementation (CFEI) of the ISO 9001 and HACCP systems; and examines the degree to which the combined implementation of ISO 9001 and HACCP influences the overall performance of the certified firms. To achieve these objectives, primary field data was collected through an empirical survey that was conducted among 347 food companies in Greece, which were certified to ISO 9001, HACCP and/or ISO 22000 systems. Initially, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and then Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) were applied. The connections among the non observed model factors were verified through Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) inspection. The findings suggest that “employee attributes”, “organizations' attributes” and “internal business motives” make a significant contribution to the effective implementation of the ISO 9001 and HACCP systems. In addition, the effective implementation of the ISO 9001 and HACCP systems contribute to the business performance of companies in the Greek food industry. The evidence provided in this study helps managers to realize the importance of CFEI and the effective combined implementation of these systems in order to provide the necessary resources and support and develop the necessary policies, practices and procedures.     

Survey on typology,PRPs and HACCP plan in dry fermented sausage sector of Northern Italy

One hundred and fifty four dry fermented sausage small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) were visited in Northern Italy, to collect information on building and facilities, production technology and marketing organization. Five businesses, out of 154, were then selected with the aim of analysing their prerequisite programmes (PRPs) and the level of hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) system implementation. The results of this survey acknowledge the importance of small enterprises in the dry fermented sausage production sector. This study shows that fully compliance with PRPs and HACCP is far from complete, especially in micro-sized businesses, in spite of derogations for small establishments provided by Italian and European rules. In order to help SMEs to comply with food safety objectives, collaboration with Local Health Unit officers always proves positive for the businesses because they can inform and support enterprises, particularly small food premises.     

Trapping the food safety performance of a small or medium-sized food company using a risk-based model. The HYGRAM system

The requirements of implementing Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) principles in food production are increasing. A practical risk quantification model, HYGRAM, was developed for small and medium-sized enterprises to meet this challenge. The model makes the user familiar with the HACCP principles by software-assisted guidance through the procedure, connecting special microbiological hazards, good hygiene practice, and other prerequisite programs to HACCP. HYGRAM is a tool to analyze and quantify risks of different processes, and to compare them. It is developed to relieve enterprises with limited resources in confirming the food safety of their production.     

Reducing the burden of HACCP on SMEs

Despite the acknowledged contribution of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to the food industry there is increasing evidence that Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) implementation is limited in this sector, with the burden of implementation perceived as potentially insurmountable. Using an action research methodology, this in-depth, government funded research project took the form of a two stage, 18 month investigation into methods of reducing burdens of HACCP on SMEs. Stage one indicted that SMEs see HACCP as a difficult, complex set of activities requiring great amounts of time effort and with few, if any, perceived benefits. In stage two, however, with the help of research tools developed, a number of SMEs completed HACCP and many made good progress on a tight timescale. This research thus concludes that SMEs can achieve HACCP if they are provided with sufficient guidance and support in a context of general consensus of HACCP terminology and requirements. Recommendations are made, many of which have been subsequently adopted by the UK Food Standards Agency.     

HACCP-based food quality control and rapid detection methods for microorganisms

Foodborne disease is one of the most widespread problems of the contemporary world. Numerous microbiological hazards and risks are associated with different areas of the food industry. The Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) concept is a systematic approach to ensuring food safety. The implementation of an HACCP system is closely connected with microbiological quality control. Rapid microbiological methods are being extensively developed. The methods are based on several different principles of direct or indirect detection of microbes. In the HACCP system, these methods can be used when the system is developed, implemented and maintained. Successful combination of the HACCP programme and rapid microbiological methods may help the industry to find new ways of obtaining reliable results more efficiently and of ensuring food safety.     

HACCP – The difficulty with Hazard Analysis

HACCP is a key element of modern food safety management practice such that design, implementation, control and management of HACCP systems are crucial to the production of safe food products. Whilst it is widely accepted that food companies should apply HACCP, understanding of the factors impacting successful HACCP application is limited and this knowledge is important to the delivery of systems that will control all relevant food safety hazards. HACCP principle 1, Conduct a Hazard Analysis, forms a central pillar of any HACCP plan since hazards need to be identified, analysed and understood before effective control measures can be specified. However limited guidance is available to HACCP teams on exactly how to approach the application of this principle. This paper discusses an investigation into the application of HACCP principle 1 by HACCP teams operating within manufacturing sites of a multinational food company. Using a combination of HACCP knowledge testing and HACCP plan assessment, the study identified weaknesses in knowledge of significant hazard identification and errors in the hazard analysis process, including errors in application of structured risk evaluation methods. Findings suggest that this is an area of difficulty for HACCP teams and that further detailed guidance in the application of this HACCP principle is urgently needed.     

Implementation of HACCP and prerequisite programs in food businesses in Turkey

The objectives of this study was to determine food safety practices and procedures related to the hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP) programme and prerequisite programme implementation in food businesses. One hundred and nine food businesses in Turkey were assessed for HACCP-prerequisite programmes and food safety practices. Only eight food businesses had implemented the HACCP system in food businesses. Directors and employees often have insufficient knowledge regarding the basics of food hygiene. Results indicated that proper food safety practices and prerequisite food safety programmes for HACCP were often not being followed in many food businesses. Time and temperature errors and inadequate handwashing practices were wide in the most food businesses. Emphasis on implementing prerequisite programmes in preparation for HACCP is needed in food businesses. The problems of implementing HACCP in food businesses have been namely a low level of food hygiene management training, high staff turnover rate, lack of motivation, lack of financial resources, inadequate equipment and physical conditions of the facility and failure of government.