HACCP

HACCP

Food safety is a major issue for all companies in the food industry. To meet the industry’s needs in this regard, the Codex Alimentarius Commission developed the HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) as a food code used as a global benchmark. The system is used to identify, evaluate and control hazards that threaten food safety. The HACCP system can be applied to every sector in the food trade provided that the sector adopts the prerequisite programs, such as proper hygiene practices in accordance with the general principles of food hygiene, the corresponding applicable codes and the appropriate food safety requirements.

Considered a necessity for managing and controlling food hazards, the HACCP system is a method that has proven and continues to prove its worth in the food sector. It also serves as the basis for all food product safety standards (for example: standards recognized under the GFSI—Global Food Safety Initiative program) and constitutes the first step in implementing such a standard.

The effectiveness of any HACCP system requires that management and employees have the necessary knowledge and abilities. This requirement means that training for the employees and managers of every organization is vital. In return, the establishment of a HACCP system offers a number of advantages, specifically:

• Fewer losses resulting from product recalls with better internal control of risk situations;
• Greater employee accountability for food product safety;
• Greater consumer and buyer confidence;
• Increased knowledge among employees assigned to food product manufacturing.