What is HACCP

HACCP is the acronym for Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point. As per definition of Codex Alimentarius, it is a system which identifies, evaluates and controls hazards which are significant for food safety. Due to outbreaks of foodborne illness that damages trade and tourism, international food trade and foreign travels have been greatly affected. Effective hygiene control is essential to prevent adverse human health and economic consequences brought about by foodborne illness, foodborne injury and food spoilage. Everyone has the right to expect that the food they eat always remains safe to eat and suitable for consumption. Great responsibility towards assurance of food being safe and suitable for consumption now lies on farmers and growers, manufacturers, processors, food handlers and consumers.

Codex Alimentarius sets out general principles that lay a firm foundation for ensuring food hygiene to be used in concurrence with specific code of hygiene practice and guidelines. The General Principles of Food Hygiene (CAC/RCP 1-1969) follows the food chain from primary production through to final consumption bringing out key hygiene controls at each stage. This document recommends a HACCP-based approach to enhance food safety where controls described herewith are internationally recognized as being essential to ensure food safety and suitability for consumption.

As defined above, HACCP system identifies, evaluates and controls hazards which are significant for food safety. What are these hazards? They are biological, chemical or physical agent in food with the potential to cause an adverse health effect, i.e., it can make you feel discomfort, ill or sick, may lead to hospitalization and fatality. As to being significant, they are identified through the hazard assessment and needed to be controlled by control measures. Hazard assessment is done through defining and describing hazards by characterizing their probability of occurrence and severity of its adverse health effect. That is why control measures are indeed essential. They are actions or activities to be in place to prevent significant food safety hazard or reduce them to an acceptable level.

1. Conduct hazard analysis
2. Determine Critical Control Point (CCP)
3. Establish critical limit
4. Establish monitoring procedure
5. Establish corrective action
6. Establish verification procedure
7. Documentation and record-keeping