Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (Haccp)

HACCP, or Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points, is a methodical preventative approach to food safety that looks for biological, chemical, and physical risks in manufacturing processes that might lead to dangerous final products and develops countermeasures to lower these risks to a safe level. By doing so, HACCP focuses on preventing risks rather than checking for their impact after the fact on final goods. The HACCP system may be applied at all points throughout the food supply chain, from food preparation and manufacturing to packaging and distribution. In order to ensure the safety of food and safeguard public health, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) mandate HACCP systems for juice and meat. While the FDA regulates juice and seafood, the USDA is in charge of overseeing HACCP procedures for meat. Hazard analysis and risk-based preventive controls (HARPC) plans are becoming mandatory for all other US food businesses that must register with the FDA in accordance with the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002, as well as for businesses outside the US that export food to the US.