Blog

Quality assurance programs are designed today with particular emphasis on the use of hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) techniques, an approach that the food industry developed and has voluntarily adopted on a broad scale for the past 20 years. This approach consists of several elements:

· conducting a hazard analysis to identify hazards and the needed controls;
· identifying the critical control points;
· establishing critical limits for each control point;
· establishing monitoring procedures;
· establishing corrective action procedures;
· establishing verification procedures to ensure that corrective steps have been taken;
· establishing appropriate documentation procedures to ensure that the control system is defined and that records will be maintained to permit auditing and verification that the system is properly applied.

Training is an essential element of HACCP and of all the operating activities involved in producing safe, high-quality food. All those employed in food production must be thoroughly trained in their responsibilities to achieve this result. Indeed, manufacturers are providing extensive employee training, as no HACCP program could function without it.