Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point System

3 Credit Hours (3-0), Fall Semester, 2003

TR 8:00 to 9:15 AM, Room 121 Kleberg Center

Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point System. (3-0). Credit 3. Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) principles specifically related to meat and poultry; microbiological and process overviews; good manufacturing practices and standard operating procedures development.

Course Description

Examination of the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) principles specifically related to meat and poultry; microbiological and process overviews; good manufacturing practices (GMPs) and standard operating procedures (SOPs) development; team-building and implementation into industry operations.

Course Objectives

1. To introduce the student to the principles of HACCP, GMPs and SOPs.

2. To identify potential hazard categories - biological, chemical and physical - that pose a threat to foods (primarily meat and poultry) and characterize the control points or critical control points that can be monitored to effectively reduce or eliminate the hazards.

3. To assemble and lead a team to prepare a basic HACCP plan as an exercise to understand the steps and team dynamics necessary to design and implement a HACCP program at the plant level.

Course Rationale

The Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system is a concept developed to prevent food safety problems from occurring rather than trying to identify them after they are present. HACCP was first extensively utilized to assure food safety by the Pillsbury Company in response to requirements imposed by NASA for "space foods" produced for manned space flights beginning in 1959. Today, through efforts by industry and government scientists, HACCP has become a system built on a solid foundation that can be used to identify hazards and ways to reduce or eliminate their entry into the food chain.

HACCP to date has been a voluntary program for food processors. However, rules have finalized by USDA and USDHHS to make HACCP mandatory for the nation's meat, poultry and seafood processors. This government mandate will necessitate the extensive training for industry managers in HACCP. More importantly, this mandate requires that HACCP and its underlying principles be taught at Texas A&M to students who must be prepared to design and implement HACCP plans in industry.

HACCP Principles

HACCP is a systematic approach to food safety consisting of seven principles:

1. Conduct a hazard analysis.

2. Identify the critical control points (CCPs) in the process.

3. Establish critical limits for preventive measures associated with each identified CCP.

4. Establish CCP monitoring requirements.

5. Establish corrective actions to be taken when monitoring indicates that there is a deviation from an established critical limit.

6. Establish procedures for verification that the HACCP system is working correctly.

7. Establish effective record-keeping procedures that document the HACCP system.

Course Materials

Required textbooks and reference materials

The Food Processors Institute. 1999. HACCP: Establishing Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point Programs, A Workshop Manual, 3rd Ed. (K.E. Stevenson and D.T. Bernard, Eds.). The Food Processors Institute, Washington, DC.

National Research Council. 1985. An Evaluation of the Role of Microbiological Criteria for Foods and Food Ingredients. National Academy Press, Washington, DC.

NACMCF (National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods). 1992. Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point System. Int. J. Food Microbiol. 16:1-23.

International Commission on Microbiological Specifications for Foods (ICMSF). 1988. Microorganisms in Foods. 4. Application of the hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP) system to ensure microbiological safety and quality. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford, U.K.

Course Requirements

Lectures

This course will be team-taught by professors with backgrounds in HACCP, meat and poultry processing, and microbiology. Lectures will consist of delivery of basic material as well as group discussions led by professors and students.

Tests

Two in-class tests will be given throughout the semester (see Lecture Outline). These will be designed to determine the general understanding and specific retention of HACCP principles and concepts through the use of knowledge recall and problem solving exercises.

HACCP plan

Students will be required to develop a Final HACCP plan for a specific process. Documentation describing elementary good manufacturing practices (GMPs) and standard operating procedures (SOPs) must be attached to the plan. Click here for potential HACCP Processing Assignments.

Presentations

Students will make presentations over their plans at various times during the semester. The following scorecard is how each presentation will be graded:

Lecture Outline

Academic Integrity and Honesty

It is the personal responsiblity of each student to maintain the highest level of scholastic integrity at the university by refusing to participate in or tolerate any from fo scholastic dishonesty. Additional information may be obtained from the Student Handbook or at the Handbook website (http://student-rules.tamu.edu/index.htm or http://student-rules.tamu.edu/rules20.htm).

As commonly defined, plagiarism consists of passing off as one's own the ideas, words, writings, etc. which belong to another. In accordance with this definition, you are committing plagiarism if you copy the work of another person and turn it in as your own, even if you should the permission of that person. Plagiarism is one of the worst academic faults, for the plagiarist destroys the trust among colleagues without which research cannot be safely communicated. Your work as an individual or team should be that of your own.

Integrity comes from within and reflects who you really are. The personal values that contribute to integrity and gain the respect of others are honesty, trustworthiness, dependability, loyalty, high moral standards, a good work ethic, teamwork, fairness, discretion and the desire to live by these standards. Historically, Aggies have been known for their integrity. Don't allow the influence of others or personal choices destroy your integrity. Once destroyed, integrity can never be regained.

Attendance/Audit Policy/Make-Up Exams

Regular attendance and participation in the course is expected of all students. Anticipated absences should be cleared with the instructor prior to the absence. Emergency absences (serious illness, injury, death, etc.) should be reported as soon as possible. Those students auditing the course are expected to participate in lecture and laboratory sessions. Make-up work and exams will be allowed under extenuating circumstances for which written excuses are provided.

Useful Websites

---

| Home | People | What's New | Teaching | Research | Extension | Rosenthal Center | On-Campus | Elsewhere | FAQs |

Search