HACCP

The HACCP concept was first developed in the 1960s by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), working with Pillsbury, to ensure crumb- and pathogen-free food that had extensive shelf-life properties for space travel. Over time, the success and effectiveness of HACCP in ensuring food safety became evident, and it was subsequently adopted and adapted by various industries, especially in the food sector. The concept gained international recognition, and organizations such as the Codex Alimentarius Commission, a joint program of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO), endorsed HACCP as a key component of food safety standards.

Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) is widely used to manage the food safety risks in production and supply chain. Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) was initially established by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to bring together international food standards, guidelines and codes of practice to ensure fair trade.  A system based on HACCP allows to identify the hazards and to put the controls to manage these during production and or supply. In this management system, food safety is considered by analysing and controlling of biological, chemical, and physical hazards from raw material production, procurement and handling, to manufacturing, distribution and consumption of the finished product. It identifies 7 critical points to achieve the food safety. The 7 main principles of HACCP are hazard analysis, CCP identification, establishing critical limits, monitoring procedures, corrective actions, verification procedures, and record-keeping and documentation.

Overall, HACCP has become a cornerstone of modern food safety management, providing a systematic and science-based approach to identifying and controlling potential hazards in the food production process. Its successful implementation contributes to the production of safe, high-quality food products for consumers worldwide.