571
Appendix C: Hazard Analysis
Critical Control Points
introduction
The traditional method of examining microbiological safety, storage stability, and sanitary quality
of a food is to test representative portions (or samples) of the final product for the presence of some
pathogens (such as Salmonella) or the number or level of certain pathogens (e.g., Staphylococcus
aureus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus), different microbial groups (e.g., aerobic plate counts, psychrotrophic counts, thermoduric counts, and yeasts and molds), and indicator bacteria (e.g., coliforms
and enterococci) per gram or milliliter of product. The major disadvantage with these types of
end-product testing is that they do not provide close to 100% assurance about the safety, stability, and sanitary quality of the products. This aspect is particularly important with respect to
pathogenic bacteria, especially those that are highly potent. By analyzing samples from a batch
of a product, according to the sampling plan and testing methods recommended by regulatory
agencies (see Chapter 42), it is not possible to give a high degree of assurance (close to 100%) that
the untested portion of the end product is free of pathogens. Under certain circumstances, such as
foods consumed by the crew in a space mission or by military personnel engaged in an important
mission, close to 100% assurance of safety of a food is required.
Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) was originally developed jointly by the
Pillsbury Company, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and the U.S.
Army Natick Laboratories to produce foods with a high assurance of safety for use in the space
program. It has two components: (i) to identify or analyze the hazards (HA) associated with the
production and processing of a specific type of food (i.e., which pathogens can be expected to be
present in a food) and (ii) to identify critical control points (CCP) (i.e., the places during processing of a food where proper control measures need to be implemented in order to prevent any risk
to consumers). It is regarded as a systemic approach to assure safety and as a better method than
end-product testing.
Since the introduction of the concept in 1971, HACCP has undergone several changes according to specific needs. In 1980, the National Academy of Science suggested that food industries in
the United States could use the HACCP principles to produce safer foods, and regulatory agencies
could help develop programs suitable for a particular processing operation. Currently, the Food
Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) of the USDA advocates the use of HACCP in meat and poultry inspection programs during both the slaughtering and processing of carcasses for products.
Appendix C: Hazard Analysis
Critical Control Points
introduction
The traditional method of examining microbiological safety, storage stability, and sanitary quality
of a food is to test representative portions (or samples) of the final product for the presence of some
pathogens (such as Salmonella) or the number or level of certain pathogens (e.g., Staphylococcus
aureus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus), different microbial groups (e.g., aerobic plate counts, psychrotrophic counts, thermoduric counts, and yeasts and molds), and indicator bacteria (e.g., coliforms
and enterococci) per gram or milliliter of product. The major disadvantage with these types of
end-product testing is that they do not provide close to 100% assurance about the safety, stability, and sanitary quality of the products. This aspect is particularly important with respect to
pathogenic bacteria, especially those that are highly potent. By analyzing samples from a batch
of a product, according to the sampling plan and testing methods recommended by regulatory
agencies (see Chapter 42), it is not possible to give a high degree of assurance (close to 100%) that
the untested portion of the end product is free of pathogens. Under certain circumstances, such as
foods consumed by the crew in a space mission or by military personnel engaged in an important
mission, close to 100% assurance of safety of a food is required.
Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) was originally developed jointly by the
Pillsbury Company, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and the U.S.
Army Natick Laboratories to produce foods with a high assurance of safety for use in the space
program. It has two components: (i) to identify or analyze the hazards (HA) associated with the
production and processing of a specific type of food (i.e., which pathogens can be expected to be
present in a food) and (ii) to identify critical control points (CCP) (i.e., the places during processing of a food where proper control measures need to be implemented in order to prevent any risk
to consumers). It is regarded as a systemic approach to assure safety and as a better method than
end-product testing.
Since the introduction of the concept in 1971, HACCP has undergone several changes according to specific needs. In 1980, the National Academy of Science suggested that food industries in
the United States could use the HACCP principles to produce safer foods, and regulatory agencies
could help develop programs suitable for a particular processing operation. Currently, the Food
Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) of the USDA advocates the use of HACCP in meat and poultry inspection programs during both the slaughtering and processing of carcasses for products.