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PREFACE
The book "An Introduction to HACCP" has been written to provide general guidance and information regarding the food safety issues being faced by the food industry in the western world and catching speedy momentum in the developing world. The book brings you the two-decade experience of the author with the food safety issues, its evolution, and transformation on to a concept, which is now a necessity to safe food consumption and safeguarding human health.
The traditional food practices, nature, and extent of information utilised, safety, education initiatives, and scope of food regulation guide the decision-making with relation to the quality and food safety. The food supply of Canada and the United States is among the worlds safest and most wholesome, however, significant food safety problems can cause human illness, long-term squeal, death and severe economic losses that threaten the competitiveness of Canadian and U.S. Agriculture. This book introduces Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) from the basic overview to overall acceptance by the food industry. Then taken down to each of the most prevalent food products with their criticality where the danger lies for food spoilage and human illness.
The discussion starts with the concept of food safety covering bakery, beverage, dairy, and meat, seafood with respect to existing concerns with relation to food manufacturing and catering businesses. To enable the food operators and consumers understand the safety matters in food business, valuing the different segments of food industry, the need for a food safety system, the benefit measurement its legal implications have been discussed in Chapter: 02. The critics label HACCP system as a costly expense with no significant benefit in real economic terms. An attempt to counter that labelling has been made in Chapter: 03 where different elements of HACCP costs have been discussed to justify the utmost importance of the food safety system. Further, down the line, text on the evolution of HACCP provides an opportunity to upheld reasons and importance of HACCP safety system in the food industry. The identification of risks, its characterization, communication, and responsibilities shared by the manufacturers, regulatory agencies and consumers are discussed.
Since the book has been written in Canada, a special attention was granted to elaborate The Canadian Food Safety System with affiliated discussion on United States Food Safety System although copyright constraints did not allow detailed elaborations. Though both systems have a long history of collaboration, a detailed study by visiting their respective food safety official sites would enhance the knowledge.
Chapter: 05 have been exclusively allocated to the basis of HACCP system on which the whole system has been based. The seven principles of HACCP applications have been convoluted so that its application in practical situations becomes easier. The current state of food safety situation in North America and need of the future is the most needed piece of investigative literature to keep the continual momentum of food safety drive in the industry. Whole book has been devoted for that purpose.
HACCP as a scientifically sound standard with international uniformity and acceptance has given hope to consumers. Recent advances by Codex Alimentarius and its acceptance by Canada, USA, UK, Japan, and few other trading partners of Canada have been discussed in Chapter: 09.
Chapter: 10 is a section of the book categorically devoted for food operators to develop their HACCP system for different segments of the food industry any where in the world. Effective management of GMPs, SSOPs, QAP, state of art technology available with adequately trained staff can make a positive difference in the confidence of any country’s manufactured foods. HACCP audits and documentations have been discussed in Chapter: 11 & 12 but its coverage will provide information for any food operator who would find it compatible for international applications and different regional needs.
By reading each chapter of this book, a food operator, technologist, coordinator and manager would be in a position to independently manage a HACCP system based on legal, scientific and consumers demand. This book is intended to provide a detailed discussion of diverse subjects with relation to food safety related to bakery, beverage, dairy, fish, and meat industries. It is well suited for under-graduate, post-graduate university students who are in dairy or food technology fields needing education in food safety and the HACCP system. This book will equally serve the food processing courses, industry sponsored courses and in plant HACCP training courses for the staff.
The author expresses profound gratitude to Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Agri-Canada, Environment Canada, United States Food Safety Inspection System (US-FSIS), and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for providing assistance in up to date technical information and continual support. The references provided at the end of this book would guide you to reach the knowledge areas, which not necessarily contributed to this book due to copyright constraints.
I express deep appreciation of some authors; Dr. Douglas Powell, Katherine Ralston, Victoria Salin, Sheila A. Martin and Donald W. Anderson and many other renowned scientists whose work has been referenced with gratitude and who gave permission to reproduce and take excerpts to add value to this book. I appreciate the guidance of my family physician Dr Nadeem Ashraf Khan and Cardiologist Dr El Zhawi in keeping my health under control during the writing of this book.
Qamrul A. Khanson June 01 - 2010
The Author
