Importance of the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point System in Food Safety Evaluation and Planning

The Hazard Analysis And Critical Control Point (HACCP) system was updated and standardized in 1989 by the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria For Foods (NACMCF) ( 1 ). The broad utility of HACCP was recognized by the NACMCF, although by nature of the committee the risk assessment portion was developed only for microbiological hazards. Recent extension of the NACMCF microbiological risk assessment procedures to potential chemical and physical hazard analysis was suggested by Corlett and Stier ( 2 ). The combined hazard analysis for microbiological, chemical and physical food hazards provides a powerful tool for food safety evaluation and planning guided by HACCP principles and the blueprint for direct application of the specific HACCP system for preventive food safety in a commercial manufacturing operation.