Food Safety Hazards Analysis

Study Notes

Principle 1: Hazard Analysis

Identify steps in food processing where hazards may arise.
List all associated hazards for each step to ensure comprehensive analysis.
Preventive measures should be outlined for each identified hazard.

Types of Hazards

Biological Hazard:
- Disease-causing organisms in food that can lead to illness.
Chemical Hazard:
- Any substances that may cause illness, including natural toxins and chemicals used in food processing.
Physical Hazard:
- Foreign materials that are not typically present in food, posing risk of injury or illness.

Chemical Hazard Sources

Naturally Occurring Chemicals:
- Natural toxins such as mycotoxins.
Added Chemicals:
- Agricultural chemicals like pesticides and antibiotics.
- Food additives, which can be classified as:
  - Permitted Additives: Preservatives, coating agents, anti-caking agents.
  - Indirect Additives: Substances that may come from lubricants, detergents, sanitizers, and paint.

Principle 2: Determine Critical Control Points (CCPs)

Critical Control Point defined as a step where control measures can be implemented to prevent, eliminate, or reduce food-safety hazards to acceptable levels.

Principle 3: Establish Critical Limits

Critical Limit:
- A defined maximum or minimum value that must be maintained at a CCP to control food-safety hazards.
Essential monitoring tools include calibrated thermometers.

Principle 4: Monitoring Procedures

Monitoring involves systematic observation of CCPs and critical limits.
Procedures must be reliable and frequent enough to ensure hazards remain controlled.
Must define monitoring criteria, methodology, schedule, and personnel responsible for monitoring.

Principle 5: Corrective Actions

Immediate corrective actions are required if a deviation from CCP occurs to ensure safety before it reaches consumers.
Corrective measures must identify the problem, restore control, and place affected products on hold until safety is evaluated.
Documentation of corrective actions is essential for accountability.

Example of Corrective Action

Salmonella hazard in raw chicken:
- Cooking identified as the critical control point.
- Critical limit is 165°F for at least 15 seconds to eliminate the hazard.
- If not achieved, continue cooking until the required temperature is met.

Principle 6: Verification Procedures

Verification includes activities apart from monitoring that ensure the HACCP plan's effectiveness.
Regular verification procedures should be established to confirm that all measures are functioning as intended.

Principle 7: Record Keeping

HACCP records are vital for documenting compliance with the plan at each CCP.
Four main types of HACCP records include:
- HACCP plan and associated support documentation.
- Monitoring records for CCPs.
- Records of any corrective actions taken.
- Records of verification activities to confirm system compliance.

Description

This quiz focuses on identifying biological and chemical hazards in food safety processes. It covers the steps where hazards may occur and preventive measures to control them. Understanding these concepts is crucial for ensuring food safety and preventing illnesses.