HACCP and New Product Development

By Paul A. Hall, Ph.D., Contributing Editor

 Prevention is the key to managing food safety. As food professionals, we should always strive to prevent food-safety issues before they happen. That is exactly the purpose of the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) food-safety management model. HACCP is a holistic approach that, when properly applied, reduces risk in the manufacture and preparation of food products, thereby lowering risk for consumers. While HACCP is mandatory in the United States for only selected food commodities such as meat, seafood and juice, it is a universally recognized food-safety tool that many food companies have voluntarily adopted as the cornerstone of their food-safety systems.

HACCP is interdisciplinary in nature, and should be developed and managed by a cross-functional team comprised of individuals with knowledge of the specific product and process under consideration. It is common to have representatives on the HACCP team from microbiology and food safety, quality, engineering, operations, packaging, sanitation, purchasing, and product development. In fact, product development plays a pivotal role in assuring product safety from the very beginning of the food-production process.

The product developer has intimate knowledge of the product formulation, raw materials and the process used to manufacture it. It is essential that the product developer have a good grasp of the principles of HACCP and apply them during the development process. By applying the principles of HACCP early on in the developmental process, it helps in identifying potential food-safety issues, and options for effectively addressing those issues. While generic HACCP plans are developed for some products, a vast number of products have specific nuances and characteristics that need to be considered by the HACCP team. Some ingredients are of a higher microbiological or allergen risk than others. The product developer might be able to use alternate ingredients that have an inherently lower risk, or outline options for applying potential microbiological reduction steps in the process. The product developer is responsible for ensuring that consumer safe-handling and preparation practices are communicated clearly on the product package. In short, the product developer acts as the conductor of the food-safety symphony, ensuring that all of the pieces of the orchestra are working in harmony.

Product developers can use a number of tools to assess the safety of products under development. For example, there are several foodborne-pathogen safety models that can be used to guide product-development efforts. Microbiological challenge studies can be used to determine the safety and stability of the product over its intended shelf life. A number of risk assessments have been published on microbiological and chemical contaminants in foods. These tools and others can help guide the product developer in applying the HACCP principles. It is always advisable that the product developer seek the counsel of an experienced food microbiologist, toxicologist or other food-safety professional to ensure these tools are used properly and that data is properly interpreted. The product developer should always make use of outside experts or process authorities if in-house expertise is not available. Using third-party experts or process authorities as ad hoc members of the HACCP team or, at minimum, having them conduct an independent review of the proposed HACCP plan, is an excellent way to ensure that nothing has been missed.

The early application of HACCP principles in the new-product-development process can help ensure a virtuoso food-safety performance. Failure to do so can lead to an early curtain call on the symphony.

Paul A. Hall, Ph.D., is CEO of AIV Microbiology & Food Safety Consultants LLC, Hawthorn Woods, IL, a provider of technical guidance and consulting services to the global food industry. Hall has more than 35 years experience in the food and beverage industry with companies such as Kraft Foods, Anheuser-Busch and Ralston Purina. For more information, visit aivfoodsafety.com, or contact Hall at [email protected].

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This food safety article is sponsored by ConAgra Mills.