The World Health Organization brings global food safety concerns under the following headings:
- Microbiological hazards
- Chemical hazards
- Screening and monitoring of foodborne diseases
- New technologies
- Building capacities
Food safety is the systematic identification of the hazards at which critical points can occur during the preparation and cooking of foods, how to eliminate these hazards and the methods by which control procedures will be carried out.
The most important point in food safety is the presence of food-related hazards during or during consumption of food. In this way, the meaning of food safety is expanding a little. Hazards that may arise can occur at any stage of the food chain. In other words, it is necessary to start the business from procuring the raw material to be used in food production and keep it under control until the food comes to the consumer's salary. Therefore, it is important to establish an effective control mechanism throughout the food chain. Thus, food security will be possible with the contribution of all elements in the food chain.
Food chain means all the processes in the food production activities from the collection of products from the field to the consumer. In short, in the production of foodstuffs, all stages of procurement of raw materials, preparation, processing, production, packaging, storage, storage, transportation, distribution and placing of food form the food chain.
In order to talk about healthy life, it is necessary to become conscious. This is necessary in all areas, from cleaning conditions to food intake. This is also a precautionary measure for today's health and everyone should feel this responsibility. Foods are one of the most important factors that directly and easily affect human health. The provision of reliable foods is a matter that needs to be taken seriously as a consumer. Unfortunately, there is still demand for unlabeled, unlicensed and unlicensed products.
What is Reliable Food?
Reliable food is a food that is free from spoilage and contamination factors, made suitable for consumption, has not lost its nutritional value and will not create a health problem.
Reliable foods do not carry any chemical, physical and biological risks as long as they are kept on shelves. If such a risk is involved it cannot be said to be reliable for food. Then it is necessary to recognize the possible risks in order to choose the right food.
Chemical risks in food include improper and unconsciously used pesticide residues, heavy metals from environmental conditions, harmful additives used in food production, or chemical contamination from food packaging material to achieve higher yields in plant production and animal husbandry.
Physical risks in foodstuffs include foreign substances such as sand, stone, metal, bone, glass, wood, hair and hair, which should never be present in foodstuffs.
Microbiological risks in foodstuffs include food, mold, bacteria, parasites or virus-like microorganisms and their toxic substances.
In order to be able to talk about a reliable food, food needs to be free from these three main risks.
Ensuring Food Safety Requires Discipline
Food safety refers to the totality of the measures taken to eliminate the aforementioned risks. In other words, food safety is a system cycle that enables food to be prepared, stored, stored and delivered to the consumer in such a way as to eliminate chemical, physical and biological factors that cause food degradation and cause people to become ill.
More simply, food safety is a chain that extends from the field to the consumer's table. Raw materials are supplied in the first ring of the chain. At this stage, there are people and organizations engaged in agricultural or animal production. In the following ring of the chain, the raw material is processed and packaged. At this stage, there are companies operating in food dector. The packaged products then arrive at the distributor and then the vendor. Finally, in the last stage, the processed product reaches the consumer for consumption. A weak link on this chain will adversely affect food safety. Therefore, in order to be able to talk about food safety, it is necessary to have joint participation and healthy functioning of all individuals and organizations operating in this chain.
Food Problems
Food-related problems threaten human health. These problems are a serious danger, especially in children, elderly and pregnant groups with weak immune systems. Every year, around 2,2 million people die worldwide due to food-borne diseases. Children constitute the majority of this figure. In developed countries, on average annually, about 15 percent of people are struggling with food-borne diseases. In the United States, an average of 30 million people suffer from food-borne diseases every year. In developing and underdeveloped countries, these figures are much more frightening.
The situation is not very good for our country.
How was the HACCP Standard Developed?
The HACCP standard defines the hygiene (cleaning) conditions (such as personnel, equipment, raw materials, environment and similar elements) that are necessary for the production of healthy foods in companies operating in the food sector, providing these conditions and determining the reasons that will create health risks for the consumer in production and service works. and to eliminate these reasons.
HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points and consists of the initials of the English Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points. The HACCP standard is a systematic approach to identifying and controlling risks that endanger product safety.
In fact, the HACCP standard was laid for a different purpose. Within the scope of American space studies, a number of principles and criteria have been established in order to ensure that food is produced accurately and safely by American astronauts for healthy and proper nutrition. These standards, which were prepared by NASA in 1970 years, emerged as HACCP standards. The HACCP standard establishes a system for identifying possible risks in food production and taking timely measures.
Since this system was found to be useful and effective, this standard was later used as a reference for subsequent audits by the US Food and Drug Administration.
In the European Union, work on this aspect started with the Food Hygiene Directive, issued in 1993. This directive, based on the HACCP standard, has made it compulsory to comply with this standard in food production.
As for our country. In the year 2003, the Turkish Standards Institute published the TS 13001 Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) Management System standard, which is based on the HACCP standard.
However, over time, the HACCP standard has become insufficient due to new technologies and new production techniques. In addition, this standard did not meet the new requirements, as it only covers manufacturing enterprises, whereas production activities should cover all the companies responsible for a chain. For this reason, the ISO 2005 Food Safety System standard, again based on the HACCP standard, was published in 22000.
In this case, the HACCP standard and TS 13001 standard have been abolished and ISO 2006 Certificate has been issued since 22000. This new standard covers not only the manufacturing companies, but also all the companies involved in the food chain that are involved in any kind of food production.
What are the Basic Principles of the HACCP Standard?
HACCP standard is based on the following principles:
- Risk analysis and detailed flow charts
- Determination of critical control points in processes
- Determination of target and acceptable levels at each critical control point
- Identify appropriate monitoring methods to control critical control points
- Identifying the necessary corrective actions against non-conformities and deviations that arise during the monitoring of critical control points
- Preparation of verification processes to prove the effectiveness of HACCP standard
- Completion of documentation studies for this principle and applications
HACCP standards regulated and applied in accordance with these principles control almost all microbiological, chemical and physical hazards that may occur in foods.
As it is known, Total Quality Management is a management system that brings the errors closer to zero, lowers the costs and tries to improve the quality. HACCP Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points System is a management system that tries to ensure food safety. If these two management systems are applied together, the enterprises will have maximum benefit.
Consumers are looking for reliable and quality food, primarily with the awareness of healthy eating. It is directed to foods that do not contain natural or excess additives. Therefore, it prefers reliable companies and reliable sales places. No one is in demand for open-label, unlabeled, unlicensed products. Consumers control the content, what additives are used, nutritional values, production and expiration dates, even if food products are packaged. With the awareness of consumers in this way, markets are shaped according to the competitive conditions and manufacturers have to produce healthier and safer foods. The HACCP standard improves the quality of products and thus their sales capability.
The companies applying the HACCP standard have established the ISO 90001 Quality Management System standard in their companies and then applied the HACCP standard. If this path is followed, it is much easier to establish and implement the HACCP standard.
Why is ISO 22000 Food Safety Management System Established?
The HACCP standard allowed consumers to buy reliable, quality and healthy food products, but not only the entire food chain, but only production processes. However, not only in the process of production of food, starting from the field, until the consumer comes to the table many companies are involved in different processes in the meantime. Supply of raw materials, preparation of food for production, processing, packaging after production, storage, storage, transportation and distribution to retail companies are the other rings of the food chain. There are risks such as food spoilage or contamination not only at the stage of food production but also at any stage on the chain. Based on this idea, the International Standards Organization has prepared the ISO 22000 Food Safety Management System standard. This standard naturally includes HACCP standards in certain processes.
With the ISO 22000 standard, consumers are ensured to buy reliable, healthy and quality food products that comply with international standards.
In addition, HACCP standards were applied at national level, they did not have internationally recognized accreditations and their validity was limited. For example, TS 13001 Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) Management System standard was published by Turkish Standards Institute in our country.
After the ISO 22000 Food Safety System standard was published, the HACCP standard and TS 13001 standard were repealed.
All companies in the food chain are now obliged to establish ISO 22000 Food Safety Management System and obtain ISO 22000 Certificate in order to prove that they produce in accordance with hygiene and health conditions in every stage of food production.
our organization TÜRCERT Technical Control and Certification Inc.Is ready to help with any doubts about the Hazard Analysis certification studies at HACCP Critical Control Points.