cal steps in the processing operations are
addressed in specific detail, including time-
and-temperature relationships, storage con-
ditions, use of additives, cleaning and
sanitizing, testing procedures, and special-
ized employee training.
According to Marriott et al. (1991),
inspections are used by regulatory agencies
to assure compliance with food safety regu-
lations. However, this approach has limita-
tions because laws that are supposed to be
enforced by inspectors are frequently not
clearly written, and what constitutes compli-
ance is questionable. Furthermore, it is
sometimes difficult to distinguish between
requirements critical to safety and those
related to aesthetics. In recent years, regula-
tory agencies have recognized these problems
and revised their inspection procedures and
forms. Now, many agencies have two major
categories to differentiate between food
safety items and aesthetic issues. There are
critical deficiencies that address items that
when left unattended could lead to food-
borne illness and general deficiencies related
to aesthetic items.
In 1995, the FDA issued the procedures
for the Safe and Sanitary Processing and
Import of Fish and Fishery Products;
Final Rule, which is the Seafood HACCP
regulation. This first HACCP regulation
in the United States requires processors of
fish and fishery products to develop and
implement HACCP systems for their oper-
ations.
As a consequence of several large food-
borne outbreaks related to raw juices
processed in commercial facilities, the FDA
published a final rule in 2001 mandating that
all juices processed for inter- or intrastate
sale be produced under an HACCP plan.
This rule was designed to improve the safety
of fruit and vegetable juice and juice prod-
ucts and is known as the Juice HACCP
regulation.
U.S. Department of Agriculture Regulations
The U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) has jurisdiction over three areas of
food processing, based on the following laws:
the Federal Meat Inspection Act, the Poultry
Products Inspection Act, and the Egg Products
Inspection Act. The agency that administers
the area of inspection is the Food Safety and
Inspection Service (FSIS), established in
1981.
By design, federal jurisdiction usually
involves only interstate commerce. However,
the three statutes on meat, poultry, and eggs
have extended USDA jurisdiction to the
intrastate level if state inspection programs
are unable to provide proper enforcement as
required by federal law. Products shipped
from official USDA-inspected plants into
distribution channels and subsequently iden-
tified as adulterated or misbranded come
under the jurisdiction of the Food, Drug,
and Cosmetic Act. The FDA can take legal
steps to remove this product from the mar-
ket. Normally, the product is referred back
to the USDA for disposition.
In 1994, the FSIS began an evaluation,
review, and revision of existing food safety
regulations for meat and poultry. This review
led to the 1996 publication of the Pathogen
Reduction; Hazard Analysis and Critical
Control Points (PR/HACCP) Final Rule.
The objective of this new regulation was to
reduce foodborne illnesses associated with
meat and poultry products. The meat and
poultry HACCP regulation requires all meat
and poultry slaughter and processing estab-
lishments to design and implement an
HACCP system for their operations.
As a consequence of several large food-
borne outbreaks related to raw juices
processed in commercial facilities, FDA pub-
lished a final rule in 2001 mandating that all
juices processed for inter- or intrastate sale
be produced under an HACCP plan. This
rule was designed to improve the safety ofSanitation and the Food Industry 11