and use of the HACCP conceptis the managerialtoolthat ensures that the
criteria will be met in practice.
In a reviewof the historical background,Barendsz(1995)and Untermannet
al. (1996)described the development of the HACCP approach, which beganin
the 1960s. Theconcept arose from a collaboration between the Pillsbury
Company, the US ArmyNatick Researchand DevelopmentLaboratoriesand the
US NationalAeronautics and SpaceAdministration.The original purposewas to
establisha systemof safe foodproductionfor use in human spacetravel.At that
time, the limitationsof end-product testing were already appreciated and
therefore moreattention was given to controllingthe processes involved in food
production and handling. Whenfirst introduced at a congresson foodprotection
(Departmentof Health,Education and Welfare,1972),the conceptinvolved
three principles:(i) hazardidentification and characterisation;(ii) identification
of criticalcontrolpoints(CCPs);and (iii) monitoring of the CCPs.
Many large food companies started to apply HACCP principles on a
voluntarybasisand,in 1985,the US NationalAcademy of Sciencerecom-
mended that the systemshould be used.Furthersupportcamefromthe ICMSF
(1988), whichextendedthe concept to six principles. Theyaddedspecification
of criteria, corrective action and verification. In 1989,the US National Advisory
Committeeon Microbiological Criteria for Foodsaddeda furtherprinciple: the
establishment of documentation concerning all procedures and records
appropriateto the principles and theirapplication.Use of the HACCP system
was given an internationaldimensionby the Codex AlimentariusCommission
(CAC), which published detailsof the principlesinvolvedand theirpractical
application(CAC,Committeeon FoodHygiene (1991).In 1997,the CAClaid
downthe `final'set of principlesand clarified the precisemeaning of the
differentterms(CAC,Committeeon FoodHygiene, 1997):
∑ General principles of foodhygiene (Alinorm97/13.Appendix II).
∑ HACCP system and guidelines for its application (Alinorm 97/13A,
AppendixII).
∑ Principlesfor the establishment and applicationof microbiological criteria
for foods(Alinorm97/13A,AppendixIII).
The full HACCP system,as describedin Alinorm97/13, is shown in Table
1.4. The documentalso gives guidelinesfor practicalapplicationof the HACCP
system. By 1973, the Foodand DrugAdministration(FDA)had made the use of
HACCP principles mandatoryfor the production of low-acid canned foods
(FDA, 1973)and,in 1993,the systembecamea legalrequirement for all food
products in the European Union (Directive93/43).
It was Notermanset al. (1995)whofirst madea pleafor the principlesof
quantitativerisk assessmentto be usedin settingcritical limitsat the critical
control points(CCPs) (process performance,product and storage criteria). It was
theiropinionthat onlywhenthe critical limits are definedin quantitative terms
can the levelof control at CCPsbe expressed realistically. At the International
Associationof FoodProtection(IAFP)meetingin 2001,Buchananet al.(2001)
20 Handbookof hygiene controlin the foodindustry