538735
research-article2014
RSH0010.1177/1757913914538735Guest EditorialGuest Editorial
Guest Editorial
HACCP-based food safety management systems: great in theory but
can we really make them work in practice?
Food safety remains a key public
health challenge in the 21st century,
both in developed and developing
countries. Although our food supply in
the developed world has probably
never been safer,1 consumer
perception of food safety continues to
be problematic, and data tell us that
there are still weaknesses in the way
that food safety is managed, even in
large food businesses.2
The hazard analysis and critical
control point (HACCP) system is the
internationally agreed approach to
food safety management, through the
identification and control of hazards to
public health that might occur in
foods.3,4 HACCP was developed as
part of the food supply project for the
US manned space programme, and
the concept was launched publicly to
the food industry in 1971.5 The
evolution of HACCP throughout the
food industry and beyond can be seen
in Figure 1 and, although the
principles of HACCP were further
developed to become the
internationally agreed approach
Figure 1
Evolution of HACCP
Source: Adapted from Griffith.6
HACCP: hazard analysis and critical control point.
188 Perspectives in Public Health l July 2014 Vol 134 No 4
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published by Codex in the 1990s, the be expected to have HACCP systems
methods for HACCP principle in place.2 Many of the problems seen
application using multidisciplinary are not failures of the HACCP system
HACCP teams are still based on the per se, but failures in the way it is being
original approach taken by the space applied and/or in its supporting
programme pioneers. However, systems (Figure 2).
although the principles of HACCP Recent developments in the field of
have been defined for many years, HACCP and food safety management
food companies still struggle with systems have included the growth in 3rd
making it work in practice. party auditing to verify food safety
HACCP systems cannot work in management system operation
isolation to protect the consumer, but a throughout the global food supply chain.
HACCP system that is effectively This initially led to a plethora of different
planned and designed, built on sound audit standards but, through the
prerequisite programme foundations, auspices of bodies such as the Global
and fully implemented and maintained Food Safety Initiative and the
in the food operations should International Organization for
theoretically prevent food safety Standardization, common core criteria
problems from occurring. However, the form the basis for 3rd party food safety
range of elements that need to be in audits around the world.8,9 Data
place for this to work effectively (Figure published by one of the biggest 3rd party
2) means that what at first may seem a audit scheme operators show that
simple system is actually quite complex HACCP was one of the top 10 non-
to develop and manage. conformities in a sample of 6,500 audits
Although use of HACCP has grown analysed from 2012.10 This confirms
markedly in the last 20 years, research findings that suggest there are
paradoxically, there are still food safety weaknesses in HACCP application.11,12
failures, even in companies who would Critics might say that HACCP has
become a ‘box-ticker’ on audits and
that companies are given credit for the
presence of a system rather than having
their system’s effectiveness fully
challenged. The British Retail
Consortium’s10 evidence would seem to
refute this suggestion, at least in part,
but there is more that could be done to
give confidence in the effective operation
of systems in food companies.
The HACCP approach has also
become enshrined into legislation in
many countries, including the EC
Regulation on the Hygiene of
Foodstuffs (EC No. 852/2004)13 and is
now automatically built into any new or
revised food safety legislation, for
example, the US Food Safety
Modernisation Act14 and the Safe Food
for Canadians Act.15 This might mean
further strengthening of systems

Figure 2
Food safety management system structure
Source: Adapted from Wallace et al.7
through enforcement, but only if the
officials charged with enforcement
have the necessary resources, skills
and expertise at their disposal.
The articles in this issue consider
some of the challenges of HACCP-
based food safety management
systems and propose solutions to
make them more effective in controlling
food hazards and protecting public
health. Ramsingh16 discusses the
development of international food
safety standards and guidelines, using
a historical approach to help
understand the current food safety
standards landscape.
Mortimore and Warren17 consider
prerequisite programmes, an essential
element of food safety management
systems but one that is often not given
enough attention. They consider some
of the detailed requirements to do this
effectively and beneficially in practice
and share some perspectives on how
this is achieved in a large, multi-site
company.
Hayburn18 then considers issues of
competency and consistency in
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Guest Editorial
auditing that need to be addressed to Powell23 discuss the need for engaging
assure food safety standards with the consumer through social
internationally, and this clearly links media and for the food industry to
with initiatives such as the learn how to use social media for food
developments of professional safety risk communication and as a
registration of auditors and food safety potential tool to combat foodborne
professionals, as discussed by illness.
Kiiveri.19 Looking at the area of Overall, this issue clearly
product design safety, Christopher and demonstrates that we do have systems
Wallace20 identify the need for caution that can, in theory, assure safe food
and detailed risk assessment when production. However, the authors
reformulating food products, even identify that there is still more work
when this is being done to improve needed to ensure systems are working
public health from another perspective. effectively in practice and not just a tick
We also hear about the tragedy of in the box approach. It can be done,
foodborne disease outbreaks21 and but it does need more focus within
how this can involve large food companies at each link in the
manufacturers as well as smaller global food supply chain, as well as
businesses. The key point here is that independent oversight by independent
we learn from outbreaks and and competent individuals and
strengthen food safety management organisations.
systems but, in a letter to the editor,
the International Association for Food Carol A Wallace
Protection’s HACCP professional Principal Lecturer, Food Safety
development group22 suggests that Management, and Co-Director,
there are still problems with HACCP Institute of Nutritional Sciences and
application and that more work is Applied Food Safety Studies,
needed here. Chapman, Raymond and University of Central Lancashire, UK.
July 2014 Vol 134 No 4 l Perspectives in Public Health 189
 Guest Editorial
References
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