Potential Application of Risk Assessment Techniques to Microbiological Issues Related to International Trade in Food and Food Products

1998 ◽  
Vol 61 (8) ◽  
pp. 1075-1086 ◽  
Author(s):  

One of the components of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement that will have far-reaching effects on International trade in foods and food products is the requirement for countries to provide risk assessments as part of the process of resolving disputes that involve food safety issues. Risk assessment is a means of evaluating the likelihood and impact of hazards. It provides a framework for systematically considering available data, providing rationales for assumptions, and identifying areas where additional information is needed. While the application of quantitative risk assessment techniques to microbial food safety has been limited, recent studies have increasingly demonstrated its feasibility. Quantitative risk assessment is particularly well suited for use with the hazard analysis critical control point and appears to have potential as an approach for comparing the equivalence of international food safety programs and inspection systems.

2005 ◽  
Vol 68 (6) ◽  
pp. 1302-1305 ◽  
Author(s):  
DANIEL ELAD

Throughout the last decades of the 20th century, the biological threat evolved from primarily a government-controlled weapon to a tool of terrorism. One of the consequences of this trend is the near impossibility of foreseeing when and how an act of bioterrorism will occur. The suitability of food products for such an act stems from the multitude of microorganisms that may be used for contamination and the vulnerability of the products during and after processing. Tests that would enable the detection of a large variety of microorganisms quickly, reliably, and economically should also provide satisfactory means to prevent acts of malicious biocontamination of food products. Until such means become available, a priority-based approach to the problem is probably the most practical. Priorities should be determined based on a systematic risk assessment to define the relative likelihood of a certain microorganism being used in an act of malicious food contamination. Criteria to be evaluated are availability, weaponization processes, delivery of an effective dose, probability of early detection, and the microorganism's resistance to the conditions to which it will be exposed. Because the results of such an assessment may vary according to prevailing conditions, the assessment must be based on the existing circumstances. The results of the assessment should then be applied to the various procedures of food processing, which should further reduce the number of potential microbial threats. Existing methods of screening food for contaminating microorganisms and existing food safety and security procedures such as hazard analysis and critical control point programs may have to be modified to become suitable for the detection of acts of bioterrorism.


Author(s):  
Mayra Díaz Ramírez ◽  
José Mariano García Garibay ◽  
Judith Jiménez Guzmán ◽  
Adriana Villanueva Carbajal

ResumenLa variabilidad de los alimentos tradicionales producidos de manera artesanal es admisible, pero su inocuidad debe garantizarse. La ejecución de Buenas Prácticas de Manufactura (BPM) es fundamental para la construcción de sistemas de gestión de la inocuidad como el Análisis de Riesgos y Puntos Críticos de Control (HACCP) e ISO-22000-Food Safety Management System. El cumplimiento de este tipo de prácticas en la producción de alimentos tradicionales en México es escaso. Tomando al queso de Poro, como ejemplo de este tipo de alimentos, el presente documento describe las condiciones y controles de su proceso de producción. Ello como el primer paso para documentar la factibilidad de implementar sistemas de gestión de la inocuidad. Esto es dado que la legislación en México permite la comercialización de este tipo de quesos si su producción cumple con controles basados en BPM.AbstractThe variability of hand-made traditional food products is admissible, but food safety must be guaranteed. The accomplishment of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) is essential to implement food safety management systems as the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system and the ISO-22000-Food Safety Management System. The fulfillment of these practices in the manufacture of traditional food products in Mexico is limited so, taking Poro cheese as an example of this kind of food products, the present document is intended to describe Poro cheese’s production controls and conditions as the first step to evaluate the feasibility to implement a food safety management system, since Mexico’s regulation allows the commercialization of these kind of cheeses if their production process complies with GMP.


2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (Suppl.1) ◽  
pp. 307-309
Author(s):  
Teodor Stamov

The HACCP system, which is science based and systematic, identifies specific hazards and measures for their control to ensure the safety of food. HACCP is a tool to assess hazards and establish control systems that focus on prevention rather than relying mainly on end-product testing. Any HACCP system is capable of accommodating change, such as advances in equipment design, processing procedures or technological developments.HACCP can be applied throughout the food chain from primary production to final consumption and its implementation should be guided by scientific evidence of risks to human health. As well as enhancing food safety, implementation of HACCP can provide other significant benefits. In addition, the application of HACCP systems can aid inspection by regulatory authorities and promote international trade by increasing confidence in food safety. (1)


1998 ◽  
Vol 61 (9) ◽  
pp. 1216-1228 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. BRUCE McNAB

Hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP), risk assessment, predictive microbiology, and dose-response modeling have been recognized as important tools for the assessment and management of health risks posed by food-borne pathogens. Unfortunately, the biology of both the food chain and food poisoning is complex and dynamic. Therefore, mathematical modeling of microbial risk from food production through to consumption and illness is difficult. Nevertheless, previous authors have made impressive progress in modeling specific pathogen-food-consumer combinations. In this study a framework for a Monte Carlo model of a generic food system was developed. It links together food ingredients, batch processing, cross contamination, microbial growth, cooking, recontamination, consumption, human exposure to pathogens, the dose-response relationship, and the biologic and economic impact components of such risks. This framework is presented to illustrate one potential approach to quantitative risk assessment for microbial food safety. It requires refinement with appropriate distributions and mathematical relationships before it can be applied to a specific pathogen-food-consumer situation.


2008 ◽  
Vol 71 (8) ◽  
pp. 1632-1640 ◽  
Author(s):  
CHRISTOS HADJICHRISTODOULOU ◽  
VARVARA MOUCHTOURI ◽  
THEODOROS VARZAKAS ◽  
IOANNIS ARVANITOYANNIS ◽  
JENNY KREMASTINOU

Standardized inspections of food premises are part of environmental health systems implemented worldwide. The food safety strategy for the 2004 Olympic Games included standardized inspections to ensure uniformity and consistency of procedures and effective electronic management of data. Inspections were carried out by 196 inspectors in the five Olympic cities: Athens, Thessalonica, Volos, Iraklio, and Patra. From January 2003 to September 2004, a total of 1,249 food premises were inspected. An unsatisfactory inspection result (C grade) was received by 347 (27.8%) food premises, a relatively satisfactory result (B grade) was received by 332 (26.6%), and a satisfactory result (A grade) was received by 570 (45.6%). About 16% of inspected premises did not hold a valid permit. Unsatisfactory inspection results were more frequent for premises located in the two largest Greek cities in comparison with the other smaller cities (relative risk = 1.95, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.36 to 2.80). Based on logistic regression analysis, unsatisfactory inspection results were positively associated with food premises that were not located on a ground floor (odds ratio [OR] = 2.56, 95% CI = 1.39 to 4.73) and negatively associated with application of hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP) principles (OR = 0.27, 95% CI = 0.10 to 0.71). Food hygiene education through formal training programs should be encouraged to improve compliance of food premises. Food premises located on hotel floors and serving buffet meals are at higher risk for unsatisfactory conditions. Businesses that implemented a HACCP system within their operations to ensure food safety operated under more hygienic conditions. Future inspections by Public Health Authorities should involve elements of audit after the legislation for the application of HACCP principles.


Author(s):  
Rajneesh Mahajan ◽  
Suresh Garg ◽  
P. B. Sharma

The modern food safety management comprises of ISO 22000:2005. It has modified the hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP) by embedding food safety management. It has created a standardized management system. The objective of current chapter is to endow a systematic approach for the ground level implementation of ISO 22000 in Indian pure curd supply chain management. The chapter is prepared utilizing combination of qualitative research and case study method. A case of Milsh Dairy Ltd. (MDL, organisation's name is disguised) was discussed to shed light on ISO 22000 features, comparative analysis between HACCP and ISO 22000. The research is limited to professional pure curd manufacturing sector. Authors have adopted the research methodology which can be applied to other sectors also.


2009 ◽  
Vol 72 (1) ◽  
pp. 6-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
MARY K. MUTH ◽  
MANSOUR FAHIMI ◽  
SHAWN A. KARNS

In the 1996 U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service's (FSIS) “Pathogen Reduction; Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (PR/HACCP) Systems, Final Rule,” Salmonella was selected for microbiological testing and monitoring. Using data from an FSIS-sponsored survey of meat and poultry slaughter establishments, inspection results, and other establishment characteristics, potential variables affecting pathogen control, as measured by Salmonella test results, were investigated. The analysis data sets included 153 federally inspected young chicken slaughter establishments, of which 111 exceeded half the Salmonella performance standard at least once from 2003 through 2005, and 121 federally inspected pork slaughter establishments, of which 28 exceeded half the Salmonella performance standard. Logistic regression results for young chicken slaughter establishments indicate they were more likely to exceed half the standard if they had higher inspection noncompliance rates (P = 0.10) and older production space (P = 0.10), and were less likely to exceed it if they used a higher percentage of raw poultry inputs purchased from outside sources (P = 0.10). Results for pork slaughter establishments indicate they were more likely to exceed half the standard if they had a higher rate of voluntary microbiological testing (P = 0.08), and were less likely to exceed it if they were larger (P = 0.08) and used a higher percentage of raw pork inputs purchased from outside sources (P = 0.02). In general, indicators of plant characteristics, food safety practices, and management philosophy are associated with different levels of pathogen control performance that vary by species slaughtered.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document