Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP)

What is HACCP?

• Tool for science based food processing and inspection from farm to consumer.
• Canadian Cattlemen's Association (CCA) developed the phrase "pasture to plate" to describe the entire Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) process used in the beef industry.
• Systematic preventive approach ensuring food safety, by dealing with potential physical, chemical, and biological hazards.
• At the farm level HACCP is as simple as creating a plan, ahead of time, to deal with something that might go wrong, eg a needle breaking off inside of calf when it is given an injection.
  

• Developed in response to public concern over rising incidence of food-borne diseases.
• Initiated in the 1960's through the Pilsbury Company with NASA.
• 1993 Jack-in-the-Box outbreak in the US was caused by E. coli 0157:H7, a bacteria which contaminated undercooked beef patties, and resulted in the illness and death of children in the US.
• 94% of food-borne diseases are caused by microbes and 4% by chemicals, according to the Centre for Disease Control.

• Reveiw and Identify potential biological, chemical and physical hazards that can cause food-borne illness.
• Determine critical control points in the process where those hazards can be controlled.
• Determine the critical limits for safe processing.
• Put control point monitoring in place to keep within those limits.
• Identify corrective action to take when problems occur.
• Install an effective record-keeping system.
• Establish procedures for verifying that the system is working properly.

• HACCP based inspection in all Canadian federally inspected processing plants in 1996.
• CCA has developed education and extension materials that incorporate HACCP principles for production called 'Good Production Practices - for Cow-Calf Producers and for Feedlots, 2000 edition .
• CCA is a member of the Canadian On-Farm Food Safety Program.
• Alberta Verified Beef production program is ongoing under Canada's Beef On-Farm Food safety program.
  • For more information visit the web site: http://www.beefsafety.ab.ca

• Ensure Canadian products are recognized internationally as #1 for safety because of international recognition of HACCP standards.
• Integrated food safety system from pasture to plate builds consumer confidence with positive impact on consumption.
• Strong selling point used in developing new markets and maintaining current markets for Canadian beef products.