HACCP and factory auditing

Abstract

Food is a risk industry, one which, while economically providing the safe, staple foods necessary to sustain and enhance life, very occasionally is the cause of illness or death. The former is rarely remembered in the aftermath of an incident, and, aside from the effect on the affected consumer, litigation or the resulting adverse media attention can have serious repercussions on the continuing health of the companies involved. All responsible food manufacturers and retailers work towards managing the risks in their business to ensure that the hazards inherent in processing and handling food are controlled, and that the risks involved are eliminated or minimised to an acceptable level. Over the last 25 years, techniques and practices in the food industry have been evolved to help this process, through formal quality systems to meet International Standards, or individualised company standards to fulfil the needs of Total Quality Management Systems or customer demands. Central to all effective quality systems is a thorough and complete assessment of the risks inherent in the product and process, covering all aspects from raw materials, through processing, packaging, and distribution, to the final use by the consumer. The formalised process of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) has gained increasing importance in risk management, taking over from the more reactive quality control systems based on end product testing. This chapter covers the principles involved in HACCP, and the effective auditing of factories using such systems.