Introduction The main objective of the HACCP system is to provide a high degree (close to 100%) of assurance that a food ready to be consumed will be free of pathogenic organisms or their toxins. The traditional method of examining microbiological safety, storage stability, and sanitary quality of a food is to test representative portions or samples of the final product for the presence of some pathogens such as Salmonella or the number or level of certain pathogens (e.g., S.aureus and V. parahaemolyticus), different microbial groups(e.g.,aerobic plate count, yeast and mold Counts), and indicator bacteria(e.g., coliforms and enterococci) per gram or milliliter of product.

The major disadvantage with these types of end- product testings is that they do not provide Close to 100% assurance about the safety, stability, and sanitary quality of the products. This aspect is particularly important with respect to pathogenic bacteria, especially those that are highly potent. By analyzing samples from a batch of a product, according to sampling plan and testing methods recommended by regulatory agencies, it is not possible to give a high degree of assurance(close to 100%) that the untested portion of the end product is free of pathogens.

Under certain circumstances, such as foods consumed by the crew in a space mission or by military personnel engaged in an important mission, close to 100% assurance of safety of a food is required. HACCP was originally developed to produce foods with high assurance of safety for use in the space program. It has two components: To identify the hazards associated with the production and processing of a specific type of food, and To identify critical control points(CCP)I.e., the places during processing of a food where proper control measures need to be implemented in order to prevent any risk to consumers.

Principles Of HACCP HACCP Involves Seven Principles: Principle 1 Conduct a hazard analysis to determine risks associated at all stages, from growing raw materials and ingredients to final product ready for consumption. The possible hazards that exist for a specific food or ingredient from pathogenic microorganisms and their toxins are determined. This is performed in two segments: *By ranking the specific food into six categories and *by assigning each a risk category on the basis of ranking for hazard categories.

Ranking of food for six hazard categories is based on the following characteristics: Hazard A. A nonsterile food intended for consumption by high risk consumers(infants, elderly, sick, and immunocompromised individuals). Hazard B. The product contains sensitive ingredients in terms of microbial hazard. Hazard C. The process does not contain a step to destroy harmful microorganisms.

Hazard D. The product is subject to recontamination after processing and before packaging. Hazard E. The possibility exists for abuse before consumption that can render the product harmful if consumed. Hazard F. The product is not given a terminal heat treatment following packaging and before consumption.

A food is ranked according to hazards A through F by using a plus(+) for each potential hazard. The risk category is determined from the number of pluses. Category VI. A special category that applies to nonsterile food to be consumed by high-risk consumers. Category V. A food that have five hazard characteristics: B,C,D,E,F. Category IV. A food that has a total of four hazard characteristics in B through F.

Category III. A food that has a total of three hazard characteristics in B through F. Category II. A food that has a total of two hazard characteristics in B through F. Category I. A food that has a total of one hazard characteristic in B through F. Category 0. No hazard.

Principle 2 To control microbiological hazards in a food production system, it is necessary to determine a CCP. A CCP is any point or procedure in a specific food system where effective control must be implemented in order to prevent hazards. All hazards in a food production sequence, from growing and harvesting to final consumption, must be controlled at some point(s) to ensure safety. The CCP includes heat treatment, chilling, sanitation, formulation control(pH, Aw, preservatives), prevention of recontamination and cross-contamination, employee hygiene, and environmental hygiene. Application of CCP will destroy hazardous microorganisms or prevent their growth and toxin formation in the product.

Principle 3 To control microbiological hazard at each identified CCP, it is necessary to set up critical limits such as temperature, time, Aw, pH, preservatives, and in some cases aroma, texture, and appearance. One or more critical limit may be necessary at each CCP, and all of them should be present to ensure that the hazards are under control.

Principle 4 The CCP used for a specific food production must be monitored to determine whether the system is effective in controlling the hazards. The monitoring can be continuous, such as in the case of heat treatment(temperature and time) of a product. If continuous monitoring cannot be adopted for a processing condition, it can be done at reliable intervals which has to be developed on a statistical basis to ensure that the potential hazards are under control. Monitoring is done by rapid chemical and physical methods as microbiological methods require long time. Bioluminescence could be effective. All results of monitoring must be documented.\\\\

Principle 5 In case a deviation from the present HACCP plan is identified from the monitoring system in a food production operation, effective corrective actions must be taken to assure product safety. The corrective actions must demonstrate that it is effective in controlling the potential hazards resulting from the deviation of CCP. The deviations as well as the corrective measures must be documented in the HACCP plan and agreed on by the regulatory agency before applying the plan. The product produced by the new plan should be placed on hold until its safety has been ensured by proper testing.

Principle 6 Records of HACCP plan developed for a specific food production should be kept in the plant. In addition,, documents of CCP monitoring and any deviation and corrective procedures taken should be kept at the establishment. The records must be made available to the regulatory agencies.

Principle 7 Verification systems should be established to ensure that the HACCP system developed for a specific food production system is working effectively to ensure safety to the consumers. Both the food producer and the regulatory agency have to be involved in the verification of the effectiveness of the HACCP in place. Verification methods include testing samples for physical, chemical, sensory, and microbiological criteria as established in the HACCP plan.

The end of Food Microbiology Course The main Reference(available online) Bibek Ray Fundamental Food Microbiology CRC Press ISBN Third Edition, 2005