∑ Transportation. Requirements should be established for the use and
maintenance of transportvehicles,includingtheircleaning and disinfection.
Vehicleusageshouldbe managedand supervised.
∑ Productinformationand consumer awareness.It is importantthat the final
product is suitablylabelledand thatthe consumer is providedwithall
relevant informationon producthandlingand storage,including a `use-by'
date.Labelling should also indicatethe batchand origin of the product, so
that full traceability is possible.
∑ Stafftraining.In relation to foodhygieneand safety,all personnelshould
receiveappropriatetrainingand be made fullyaware of theirindividual
responsibilities.Suchtraining should be repeatedand updatedas required.
The GHPconceptis largelysubjectiveand its benefits tendto be qualitative
ratherthanquantitative. It has no directrelationship to the safetystatusof the
product, but its applicationis considered to be a necessary preventivemeasure in
producing safe food.Thosehygienemeasures that havea predictableoutcome
and are subjectto controlcan be incorporated in the HazardAnalysis Critical
Control Point(HACCP)concept. Thisconceptseeks,among otherthings,to
avoidreliance on microbiologicaltestingof the end-product as a meansof
controlling foodsafety. Suchtesting mayfail to distinguish betweensafe and
unsafe batches of foodand is bothtime-consuming andrelatively costly.
However, effective applicationof the HACCPconcept depends upon GHPbeing
used.
1.4.2 HACCP
The HACCP conceptis a systematicapproachto the identification, assessment
and control of hazardsin a particularfoodoperation.It aimsto identifyproblems
beforethey occurand establishmeasures for theircontrolat stagesin production
that are criticalto ensuringthe safetyof food.Control is basedon scientific
knowledgeand is proactive, sinceremedialaction is taken in advance of
problems occurring.The key aspectsfall into fourmaincategories:
∑ qualityof the raw materials used;
∑ the type of process used,whichmay includeheat treatment,irradiation,high-
pressuretechnology,etc.;
∑ product composition, including addition of, e.g., salt, acids or other
preservatives;
∑ storageconditions, involvingstoragetemperature and time,gas packaging
etc.
The effectsof the last threecategorieson the hygienicconditionof the end-
product are predictable and relativelyeasyto determine. Effectivemanagement
of thesecategories allowsall foodsafetyrequirements to be met.In doingso, it
is necessary to definecriteria for processperformance,product composition and
storageconditions.The settingof suchcriteriais the task of the risk manager,
Introduction 19