Handbook of Hygiene Control in the Food Industry

also favoured the use of these principles and suggested that food safety
objectivesshould encompassend-productcriteria, whichare related to the
criteria usedin processing.Newdevelopmentsin the HACCP system concern
the verification process.Theseinvolveverifyingthe criteria and/orfoodsafety
objectivesset and use of a probabilisticapproachto assessing risk reduction,
thusproviding informationon the degree of control obtained.

1.5 Futuretrends

1.5.1 Improvinginformation on foodborne diseases
As indicatedearlier, presentinformationis far fromcomplete and, in 50±60%of
casesof acuteenteritis,a causative agentis not detected (de Witet al., 2001)In
orderto definebetterthe burden of suchdiseases, noveltechniquesshould be
developedto test for unsuspectedpathogens. For this purpose,a multifactorial
approach is advocated and should include a study of the aetiology of
unsuspectedfoodborneagentsand theirepidemiology,the risk factors involved,
identificationof virulence genes, demographicfactors, clinicalcharacteristics,
etc. Knowledgeof the relevant risk factors and theircontributionto the problem
is particularly important for the development of appropriate intervention
strategies, and this aspect also needsto havean international dimension.

Table1.4 Thesevenprinciplesof the HACCPsystem(CAC,Committeeon Food
Hygiene,1997)

Principle Activity

1. Conducta hazardanalysis List all potentialhazardsassociatedwith
   eachstep,conducta hazardanalysis,and
   considerany measuresto control
   identifiedhazards


2. Determinethe criticalcontrolpoints Determinecriticalcontrolpoints(CCPs)
   (CCPs)


3. Establishcriticallimit(s) Establishcriticallimitsfor eachCCP


4. Monitoring Establisha systemof monitoringfor each
   CCP


5. Establishcorrectiveactions Establishthe correctiveactionto be taken
   whenmonitoringindicatesthat a
   particularCCPis not undercontrol


6. Establishverificationprocedures Establishproceduresfor verificationto
   confirmthat the HACCPsystemis
   workingeffectively


7. Establishdocumentationand record Establishdocumentationconcerningall
   keeping proceduresand recordsappropriateto
   theseprinciplesand theirapplication

Introduction 21