∑ HCA: an area to processcomponents,someof whichhavebeenheat treated
to70 ÎC for 2 min,and in whichthereis a risk of contaminationbetween
heattreatmentand packsealing that maypresenta foodsafety hazard.In
practice,the definitionof HCAhas beenextendedto includean areato
further process components that have undergone a decontamination
treatment,e.g. fruitand vegetablesafterwashingin chlorinatedwateror
fish afterlow temperature smokingand salting.
∑ GMP: an area to process components,noneof whichhavebeenheat treated
to70 ÎC for 2 min,and in whichthereis a risk of contaminationprior to
packsealing that may present a food safetyhazard. In practice, GMP
operationsare carried out in the secondbarrier levelof processing.
Manyof the requirementsfor the designof HRAand HCAoperations are the
same, with the emphasisonpreventingcontaminationin HRAandminimising
contamination in HCAoperations(Anon,1997).In considering whether high
risk or highcareis requiredand,therefore, whatspecificationsshouldbe met,
foodmanufacturers needto carefullyconsidertheirexistingand futureproduct
ranges, the hazards and risksassociatedwiththemand possible developments in
the nearfuture.If budgets allow, it is alwaysmoreeconomic to buildto the
highest standardsfromthe onsetof construction ratherthantry to retrofitor
refurbishat a laterstage.
The requirements for third barrier level high-care/risk segregation for
appropriatefoodstuffsis nowrecognisedby the majorfoodretailers worldwide
and is a requirement in theBRCGlobalFoodStandard(Anon,2003)and the
GlobalFood SafetyInitiative, http://www.globalfoodsafety.com.
In general, high-care/risk areas should be as smallas possible as their
maintenance and control can be veryexpensive. If thereis morethanone high-
care/riskarea in a factory,they shouldbe arrangedtogether or linkedas muchas
possible by closed corridors of the same class.Thisis to ensurethat normal
workingprocedurescan be carriedout witha minimumof differenthygienic
proceduresapplying.
Somefoodmanufacturersdesignareas between the second low-risk'and thirdbarrierhigh-risk' level zonesand use theseas transition areas.These are
often termed medium-care' ormedium-risk' areas. These areas are not
separate areasin theirownright as theyare freelyaccessedfromlow risk
without the needfor the protective clothing and personnelhygienebarriersas
required at the low/high-risk areainterface. By restricting activitiesand access
to the medium-riskareafrom lowrisk, however, these areascan be kept
relatively`clean'and thusrestrict the levelof microbiological contamination
immediatelyadjacentto the thirdlevel barrier.
The buildingstructure,facilitiesand practicesassociatedwiththe high-care/
risk (referredto simplyas highrisk in the following text)productionand
assemblyareasprovidethe thirdbarrierlevel.Thisbarrierhas beenunder
constantdevelopmentsincethe late 1980s/early1990sas part of a three-fold
philosophydesignedto helpreducethe incidenceof pathogens,particularlyL.
156 Handbookof hygiene controlin the foodindustry