Food safety is a global concern. Not only because of the continuing importance for public health, but also because of its impact on international trade. Effective Food Safety Systems shall therefore manage and ensure the safety and suitability of foodstuffs.
In many countries world-wide, legislation on the safety and suitability of foodstuffs requires “HACCP" to be put in place by any food business or organisation, carrying out any or all of the following activities: preparation, processing, manufacturing, packaging, storage, transportation, distribution, handling or offering for sale or supply of foodstuffs.
According to EU Directive 93/43/EEC on Food Hygiene all food business operators in the European Union shall implement HACCP.
They shall ensure that adequate safety procedures are identified, documented, maintained and reviewed on the basis of the principles used to develop the system of HACCP (“Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point").
The Joint FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission describes a series of steps, including the 7 HACCP principles giving guidance for the application of the HACCP system . The General Principles of Food Hygiene , as recommended by Codex, form an intrinsic part of this document “Requirements for a HACCP based Food Safety System".
The 7 principles and the guidelines for the application of HACCP have been combined with basic elements of quality management systems (ISO 9000) to establish the Requirements for a HACCP based Food Safety System.
The food business operators shall have identified any step in their activities which is critical to ensure food safety and shall have developed, implemented, maintained and reviewed adequate safety procedures, applying the principles of HACCP, including the general principles of food hygiene, and where appropriate the relevant codes of practice and the food safety legislation.
HACCP “Requirements" are not intended for application by suppliers and / or service companies to food businesses, like suppliers of packaging, food equipment, industrial cleaning services, etc..
Food Safety :
Assurance that food will not cause
harm to the
consumer when it is prepared and/or eaten according to its
intended use.
Food Safety Hazard:
A biological, chemical or physical agent that is reasonably likely to cause illness or injury in the absence of its control
