The Evolution of HACCP

One major contribution of these newer standards is the separation of validation and verification. Traditionally, HACCP classified validation under verification. Validation is now seen as a separate function. The following definitions can be used to clarify the differences among validation, verification, and monitoring.

Validation: Obtaining evidence that the control measures managed by the HACCP plan and the operational PRPs are effective. This is an assessment conducted prior to starting operations.

Verification: Confirming through the provision of objective evidence that the specified requirements have been fulfilled. This is an assessment carried out during and after operations.

Monitoring: Conducting a planned sequence of observations or measurements to assess whether control measures are operating as intended. This is an activity undertaken during operations.

Recent Changes

Food safety is still evolving. The American Society for Quality (ASQ) has developed HACCP Auditor Certification (ASQ 2008), training designed to ensure that professionals understand the HACCP standards and the principles of auditing a HACCP-based FSMS.

Recently, the British Standards Institution issued a publicly available specification known as PAS 220:2008. Non-governmental organizations, ISO 22000 certification bodies, and food manufacturers developed this specification to provide additional detailed requirements for PRPs defined in ISO 22000, clause 7.2. Part of the reason for the development of this standard is to allow for the approval of the ISO 22000 scheme by the Global Food Safety Initiative. There are a number of elements for this standard (see “Elements of PAS 220:2008 …,” above). The working group that will revise ISO 22000 will consider the elevation of PAS 220 to an ISO standard.

In the future, we expect to see further improvement that will allow the U.S. food processing industry to deliver safe food products to their consumers anywhere in the global marketplace. n

Dr. Surak is the principal of Surak and Associates. Reach him at [email protected].

Resources

1. American Society for Quality (ASQ). HACCP Auditor Certification – CHA [ASQ Store Web site]. Available at: www.asq.org/certification/haccp-auditor/. Accessed January 23, 2009.
2. British Standards Institution (BSI). PAS 220:2008. Prerequisite programmes on food safety for food manufacturing. London, U.K.; 2008.
3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Update on Multi-State Outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 Infections from Fresh Spinach, October 6, 2006 [CDC Web site]. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/foodborne/ecolispinach/ 100606.htm. Accessed January 23, 2009.
4. Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC). CAC/GL 69-2008. Proposed draft guidelines for the validation of food safety control measures. Rome, Italy; 2008.
5. International Commission on Microbiological Specifications for Foods (ICMSF). Microorganisms in Foods 4: Application of the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) System to Ensure Microbiological Safety and Quality. Boston: Blackwell Scientific Publications, Ltd.; 1989.
6. International Organization for Standardization (ISO). ISO 9001:1994. Quality systems – Model for quality assurance in design, development, production, installation and servicing. Geneva, Switzerland; 1994.
7. International Organization for Standardization (ISO). ISO 9001:2000. Quality management systems—requirements. Geneva, Switzerland; 2000.
8. International Organization for Standardization (ISO). ISO 22000:2005. Food safety management systems—requirements for any organization in the food chain. Geneva, Switzerland; 2005.
9. International Organization for Standardization (ISO). ISO/TS 22003:2007. Food safety management systems—requirements for bodies providing audit and certification of food safety management systems. Geneva, Switzerland; 2007.
10. National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF). Hazard analysis and critical control point principles and application guidelines. August 14, 1997. Available at: www.cfsan.fda.gov/~comm/nacmcfp.html. Accessed January 23, 2009.
11. National Research Council (NRC). An Evaluation of the Role of Microbiological Criteria for Foods and Food Ingredients. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press; 1985.
12. Sperber W H, Stevenson KE, Bernard DT, et al. The role of prerequisite programs in managing a HACCP system. Dairy Food Environ Sanit. 1998;18(7):418-423.