HACCP-based food safety management systems: great in theory but can we really make them work in practice?

Abstract

Food safety remains a key public health challenge in the 21st century, both in developed and developing countries. Although our food supply in the developed world has probably never been safer,1 consumer perception of food safety continues to be problematic, and data tell us that there are still weaknesses in the way that food safety is managed, even in large food businesses.2The hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) system is the internationally agreed approach to food safety management, through the identification and control of hazards to public health that might occur in foods.3,4 HACCP was developed as part of the food supply project for the US manned space programme, and the concept was launched publicly to the food industry in 1971.5 The evolution of HACCP throughout the food industry and beyond can be seen in Figure 1 and, although the principles of HACCP were further developed to become the internationally agreed approach published by Codex in the 1990s, the methods for HACCP principle application using multidisciplinary HACCP teams are still based on the original approach taken by the space programme pioneers. However, although the principles of HACCP have been defined for many years, food companies still struggle with making it work in practice.HACCP systems cannot work in isolation to protect the consumer, but a HACCP system that is effectively planned and designed, built on sound prerequisite programme foundations, and fully implemented and maintained in the food operations should theoretically prevent food safety problems from occurring. However, the range of elements that need to be in place for this to work effectively (Figure 2) means that what at first may seem a simple system is actually quite complex to develop and manage.Although use of HACCP has grown markedly in the last 20 years, paradoxically, there are still food safety failures, even in companies who would be expected to have HACCP systems in place.2 Many of the problems seen are not failures of the HACCP system per se, but failures in the way it is being applied and/or in its supporting systems (Figure 2).Recent developments in the field of HACCP and food safety management systems have included the growth in 3rd party auditing to verify food safety management system operation throughout the global food supply chain. This initially led to a plethora of different audit standards but, through the auspices of bodies such as the Global Food Safety Initiative and the International Organization for Standardization, common core criteria form the basis for 3rd party food safety audits around the world.8,9 Data published by one of the biggest 3rd party audit scheme operators show that HACCP was one of the top 10 non- conformities in a sample of 6,500 audits analysed from 2012.10 This confirms research findings that suggest there are weaknesses in HACCP application.11,12 Critics might say that HACCP has become a 'box-ticker' on audits and that companies are given credit for the presence of a system rather than having their system's effectiveness fully challenged. The British Retail Consortium's10 evidence would seem to refute this suggestion, at least in part, but there is more that could be done to give confidence in the effective operation of systems in food companies.The HACCP approach has also become enshrined into legislation in many countries, including the EC Regulation on the Hygiene of Foodstuffs (EC No. 852/2004)13 and is now automatically built into any new or revised food safety legislation, for example, the US Food Safety Modernisation Act14 and the Safe Food for Canadians Act.15 This might mean further strengthening of systems through enforcement, but only if the officials charged with enforcement have the necessary resources, skills and expertise at their disposal.The articles in this issue consider some of the challenges of HACCP- based food safety management systems and propose solutions to make them more effective in controlling food hazards and protecting public health. …