HACCP

Huzurd Anulysls und Crltlcul Control Polnt

- Food productlon, storuge, und und dlstrlbutlon monltorlng system for ldentlflcutlon
und control of ussocluted heulth huzurds. It ls ulmed ut preventlon of contumlnutlon,
lnsteud of end-product evuluutlon. In pluce of relylng on food lnspectors to detect
food sufety problems, HACCP shlfts the responslblllty to the food producer to ensure thut
the product ls sufely consumuble. Proposed by the Codex Allmenturlus Commlsslon for
the food lndustry ln generul, und meut, poultry, und seufood lndustry ln purtlculur, lt hus
been udopted by some 150 countrles.

Prlnclples of HACCP
(1) Identlfy the potentlul consumer heulth huzurds
(2) Identlfy the control polnts where the ldentlfled huzurds muy occur
(3) Estubllsh crltlcul llmlts for the potentlul huzurds und sufety meusures
(4) Estubllsh monltorlng routlnes to ensure sufety meusures ure worklng
(5) Estubllsh upproprlute responses lf monltorlng lndlcutes u problem
(6) Estubllsh uccurute und detulled recordkeeplng system thut documents problems und
the remedlul steps to be tuken
(7) Estubllsh u verlflcutlon system thut ensures the ubove steps ure belng followed

THE THREE HAZARDS TO FOOD

There ure three types of huzurds to food. They ure
blologlcul
chemlcul
physlcul.

Of the three, blologlcul huzurds cuuse the most food borne lllness outbreuks und ure of the
greutest concern to food servlce munugers und Heulth Inspectors. Exumples of blologlcul huzurds
ure: dlseuse-cuuslng bucterlu, vlruses, purusltes, molds, yeusts, und nuturully occurrlng toxlns.
Some rod-shuped bucterlu chunge lnto u hurd shelled form culled u bucterlul spore. Spores muy
survlve cooklng temperutures, freezlng, und drylng, und they muy reslst some sunltlzlng solutlons
to cuuse food borne lllness. Some bucterlu muke polsons, ulso known us toxlns, whlch cunnot be
destroyed by cooklng. A vlrus ls much smuller thun the smullest bucterlum und needs u llvlng
host to muke more of ltself. Purusltes ulso need llvlng hosts to reproduce or complete thelr llfe
cycles. Exumples of purusltes ure Anlsuklds, roundworms found ln ruw or undercooked flsh und
seufood, und Trlchlnellu splrulls, the roundworm found ln lnfested pork or gume unlmuls. Food
borne vlruses und purusltes cuuse lnfectlons.

Chemlcul huzurds ure hurmful substunces such us pestlcl des, muchlne olls, cleunsers und
cleunlng solutlons, sunltlzers, dlssolved metuls und un excesslve umount of u food uddltlve.



Physlcul huzurds ure ob|ects whlch ure not u purt of food, never wus meunt to be food, but
somehow got lnto the food. Exumples ure pleces of gluss or metul, toothplcks, clgurette butts,
pebbles, hulr, stuples, |ewelry. Eutlng these cun cuuse ln|ury.

Sunltury meuns thut u surfuce ls free from hurmful umounts of dlseuse-cuuslng germs or other
contumlnunts. You cunnot see, smell or tuste hurmful contumlnunts ln food. Estubllshlng sufe
food hundllng pructlces lncreuses profltublllty, reduces legul llublllty, und
promotes goodwlll to customers. An eutlng estubllshment - thut hus developed wrltten stundurds
to ensure sufe food und thut follows documented procedures to prevent food borne lllness - cun
use the reusonuble cure defense ln cuse lt ls sued for un ulleged food polsonlng outbreuk.

Ther e ar e s ever al fact ors t hat i nfl uence t h e gr owt h of mi cr oor gani s ms: nut ri t i on,
ox ygen, p H, t emper at ur e, a n d moi s t ur e. Lack of f ood r et ar ds bact eri al gr owt h, a n d
gr owt h is favor ed by a suffi ci ent quant i t y of t h e pr oper ki nd of food. Moi st ur e is requi r ed
to car r y foods in s ol ut i on i nt o t h e cel l , to car r y was t es in s ol ut i on a wa y f r om t h e cel l , a n d
to mai nt ai n t h e moi s t ur e cont ent of t h e cyt opl as m. Temper at ur e h a s a pr of ound
i nfl uence on t h e gr owt h r at e of mi cr oorgani sms. Mi cr oor gani s ms s ubj ect ed to adver s e
t emper at ur es ar e ei t her dest r oyed or ar e n ot abl e to mul t i pl y. The opt i mum t emper at ur e
of a mi cr oor gani s m is t h e t emper at ur e t hat pr ovi des f or t h e mos t rapi d gr owt h of t hat
mi cr oor gani s m. The pH of t h e medi um in whi c h mi cr oor gani s ms gr ow exer t s a
consi derabl e i nfl uence on t hei r r at e of gr owt h. Al l mi cr oor gani s ms ha v e an opt i mum pH
at whi ch t h e y gr ow best . Mos t speci es of bact eri a ha v e an opt i mum pH bet ween 6. 0
a n d 8. 5. Mol ds wi l l gr ow in a pH r ange bet ween 2. 0 to 8. 5. Yeas t s ha v e an opt i mum
pH r ange f r om 5. 5 to 6. 5.

Food
The foods in which pathogens like to multiply are normally nutritious foods. These include meat,
poultry, fish (particularly shellfish), cooked rice and pasta, milk products and eggs and also any
foods which contain these as an ingredient such as meat pies, sandwiches, gravy, salads, etc.
Pathogens will grow in both raw and cooked foods. Many raw foods, particularly meat and
poultry, will contain pathogens. Most such foods are cooked before consumption and thorough
cooking will kill pathogens, making the food safe to eat. The consumption of foods which have
not been cooked or heat-treated, however, may lead to food-poisoning.
The following foods have often been implicated in outbreaks:
y unpasteurised dairy products such as milk and cheese;
y foods containing raw eggs such as mayonnaise and certain desserts;*
y uncooked shellfish such as oysters and mussels.
It is, of course, possible to find bacteria in cooked food. Pathogens may be re-introduced to
cooked foods by cross-contamination after cooking. There is also the opportunity for those
bacteria which are able to produce spores when foods are cooked to become active bacteria again
if the cooked food is kept in warm temperatures (within the growth zone). Cooked foods must
therefore be protected from contamination and kept at the right temperature (either hot or cold).
* Note: Since raw eggs may sometimes contain food-poisoning bacteria, they should not be used
as an ingredient in foods such as mousses and cold desserts which will not be cooked. It is now
possible to buy and use pasteurised egg instead. This has been heat-treated to kill any
pathogens. The Government advises that people vulnerable to infection such as babies, toddlers,
older people, those who are already ill and pregnant women should only eat eggs that are
thoroughly cooked until both the yolk and white are solid. They suggest that for other people
there is little risk from eating cooked eggs.
Moisture
Most foods naturally contain sufficient moisture to provide bacteria with the water they need in
order to grow. Where moisture has been deliberately removed (e.g. in dehydrated foods such as
milk powder, soup mixes, etc.), then bacteria will not grow whilst the food remains dry, but once
water is added then bacterial growth may occur once more.
Warmth / Temperature
Bacteria have varying requirements in terms of the range of temperatures in which they will
grow. Those which grow at low temperatures (usually below 20C) are called psychrophilesand
at high temperatures (above 45C) are thermophiles. Some spoilage bacteria fall into these
categories.
Most pathogens, however, like warmth and are known as mesophiles. They will grow at
temperatures between 5C and 63C, commonly referred to as the growth or
'danger' zone and have an optimum temperature for growth of about 37C. Listeria bacteria will
grow very slowly below 5C, but most pathogens become inactive (dormant) at low
temperatures. They start to multiply more rapidly as the temperature rises.
At a temperature of about 37C (human body temperature) pathogens multiply most quickly but
as the temperature continues to rise, their rate slows down and they will stop growing altogether
above 63C. However, in order to destroy bacteria, temperatures must rise further. A
temperature of 70C for 2 minutes is recommended as a means of killing pathogens during the
normal cooking process.
Time
In ideal conditions (i.e. in moist foods at 37C) bacteria will grow and multiply by dividing into
two every 20 minutes. After 6 hours, in ideal conditions, one bacterial cell could become 131,072
bacteria.
Other Factors Affecting Growth
pH Level
The acidity or alkalinity of foods will affect bacterial growth. Most bacteria like neutral conditions
(pH value of 7) and will not grow in foods with a pH below 4.5, although if pathogens are
introduced into an acid food, they may not necessarily die off immediately and could still cause
illness.
Oxygen
Pathogens vary in their oxygen requirements. Those which require oxygen are called aerobes,
e.g. Bacillus cereus. Those which do not need oxygen are called anaerobes, e.g. Clostridium
perfringens and Clostridium botulinum. Those which will grow or survive with or without oxygen
are known as facultative anaerobes and include Salmonella species and Staphylococcus aureus.
Competition
Where there are a number of different bacteria present in food, they compete for the same
nutrients. Pathogens are often not as competitive as spoilage bacteria and unless present in high
numbers, will usually die.