How much information about HACCP and ISO is Enough?

A person with a mop will not always be able to be present when water is forming. The establishment is accountable to ensure the prevention of food safety and sanitary deficiencies as well as correcting them when deficiencies occur. Establishments are also responsible for demonstrating control once these measures are in place and that requires transparency. The results of the lack of transparency can be demonstrated with the Franconia recall due to detection of Listeria monocytogenes. In the Houston Chronicle, the USDA and Pilgrim’s Pride came to the agreement that more testing was going to be done and that the establishment would be open about its testing. In the Morning Call, it was reported that was one of the major problems in the Pilgrim’s Pride plant, that it was not open with its information.

Openness is so important in maintaining the safety and sanitation of the food supply, as for example with genetically modified organisms. Because of their usefulness, GMOs are becoming more and more important globally. Clearly without transparency on either side then it could be disastrous to pursue use of GMOs in terms of potential public health difficulties that may not have been made apparent, and those very real public heath problems that exist in allergies. Recordkeeping, research, regulatory factors will all be important in considering the future course not only of GMOs but other food products and processes. As well, how well HACCP works in ensuring safe food, along with quality that is sought after by using ISO, is dependent on transparency. Without transparency, none of the goals of the USDA or of industry can be fully met. With transparency, public safety can be secured.

Lydia Guillot is a veterinary medical officer/public health veterinarian for USDA. Reach her at [email protected].