A preventive system
HACCP is a preventive system which is required to be carried out by companies themselves. By tracing and managing the health risks in the food preparation and treatment processes, the safety of the product is increased. HACCP stands for:
Hazard
A 'hazard' means any potential danger or risk present in the food or preparation process that could pose a threat to the health of consumers. These are all possible risks; microbial (bacteria, viruses and fungi), chemicals (eg. pesticides) or physical hazards (such as stones, wood, glass, etc.) that may be present in the raw material, or that could arise during the preparation, handling, packaging and transportation of foodstuffs.
Analysis
'Analysis' stands for analysing the identified risks (hazards). An assessment must be made as to what the result would be to the health of the consumer if the risk were to materialise in the final product. It is also important to consider the frequency (how often does the problem occur) and severity (what and how major are the health consequences) of the relevant risk.
Critical Control Points
This systematic analysis gives insight into all the real dangers that could result in health risks for consumers. These risks must then be excluded or reduced such that they pose no real danger to consumers. The control is achieved by the monitoring and surveillance of specific points in the treatment process.
