Questions And Answers
Control of Chemical Hazards -Use safe levels of approved and legal chemicals (cleaners,
sanitizers, hormones, pesticides)
-Proper rinsing
-Proper storage of feed (aflatoxin)
-Proper storage and labeling for ingredients and raw materials
Control of Physical Hazards -Separate and remove physical objects
-Filter or sieve (meat grinder), Water bath (vegetables)
-Metal detector, x-rays (all foods)
-Good employee practices (jewelry)
Control of Biological Hazards -Start with low pathogen loads
-Reduce or kill pathogens in foods during processing
-Control post-processing contamination
, Food Safety and HACCP Programs
Questions And Answers
Traditional methods of examining microbiological safety/quality of foods -Routine testing
final product or line samples
---Test for indicator microorganisms
-Test for pathogens of concern
Beef/Pork
Poultry
Dairy
Produce
Ready-to-Eat Products
Methods of testing foods for pathogens
[Classical Microbiology] -Sample food product
-Enrich for pathogen (because numbers may be low, M/O may be stressed)
-Grow on microbiological media
Methods of testing foods for pathogens
[Rapid Methods] -Sample and enrich
, Food Safety and HACCP Programs
Questions And Answers
-Molecular methods: Detect DNA, Protein, Toxin
Problems with relying only on product testing -Time consuming - several days +
-Often outsourced
-A problem may be detected too late, leading to recalls
-A need for greater control - Limit pathogen contamination of foods at all stages of production
Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points -A preventive approach to consistent, safe food
production
-Documentation (Verifying that hazards have been/are controlled)
HACCP History -1950s product of Nat'l Aeronautics and Space Admin (NASA) & Army
Natick Laboratories
"Failure Mode Effect Analysis"
-1971 Pillsbury Co., Natick Labs, and NASA developed formal approach
GOAL: Zero-defects; Food used in U.S. space program would be free of pathogens