between significant and non-significant hazards.Thosethatare realistically
unavoidableand requireactivecontrolat all times are subsequentlymanaged
withinHACCP. The function of a hygiene programme is to helplimitthe list of
manufacturing equipment and food productionenvironment-related hazards
throughrelatively(in comparisonwithHACCP) simplemethodsthat are still
sufficiently robust to be consistently effective. Sperber et al. note that:
occasionaldeviationfroma prerequisiteprogram requirement wouldnot by itselfbe expected to create a foodsafetyhazardor concern'.^2 The position of good manufacturing/good hygiene practice (GMP/GHP) within an overall qualitymanagementapproach is illustrated in the ILSIreporton FoodSafety ManagementTools^3 (Fig.40.1).For the purposes of this chapter, we will not dealwithHACCP itself,whichis an entirely separate subject. A secondpart of the HMS job description is that it should provideadequate protection against negative influences related to the same sources (manufacturing equipment and food productionenvironment)that are not hazards' in the strictsense of the word, but do impair quality(spoilage
organisms,non-toxictaints, non-hazardous foreign matter including hairs,etc).
The success of an HMScan thereforebe evaluated on the basisof its:
∑ relevance (have all relevant hygiene concerns and potential routes of
contaminationbeenidentified and addressed and is therea mechanism to
keepthe systemup to date?);
∑ effectiveness(canthe successof the systembe demonstrated?);
∑ robustness against irregularitiesand disturbances;
∑ efficiency in terms of time,resources and costsinvolved.
This chapter will provide some fundamental and practical considerations
regarding audits for hygieneimprovement,but doesnot intendto introduceany
newhygienestandards or requirements per se.
Fig. 40.1 The elementsof a foodsafetymanagementsystemas part of a quality
managementsystem(QMS).Improvinghygieneauditing 685