Food Safety Programs
FPA's Office of Food Safety Programs focuses on integrating the Association's resources in microbiology, risk assessment, and other technical areas related to food safety, including the use of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) programs by the food industry.
HACCP: The use of HACCP as a food safety management system and its role in food policy continues to grow. For seafood and meat and poultry processors, HACCP is here to stay. Using the strength of our demonstrated food safety expertise during the rulemaking process on the HACCP Mega-Reg, FPA was able to successfully convince USDA that industry – not the agencies – knows best how to keep foods safe. This concept, embodied in the HACCP system of food safety, is incorporated into USDA's final HACCP-based regulation for the meat and poultry industry. FPA's Office of Food Safety Programs will continue to represent industry's concerns in final implementation of the Mega-Reg's provisions.
Additionally, in the time period before implementation of the seafood HACCP rule, FPA staff will continue efforts to work with FDA as questions emerge which require policy decisions. FPA will also continue cooperative efforts with the Seafood HACCP Alliance to assure a uniform approach to educational efforts.
Further, as the leader in food safety and HACCP, FPA has the training resources through our education provider, the Food Processors Institute (FPI). FPI publishes its groundbreaking HACCP Manual in four languages and offers company-specific and industry-wide training in HACCP.
CLICK HERE for a catalog of all publications and a listing of courses
Crisis Management: FPA's Food Safety Programs serves as the focal point of coordination and strategy for the multidisciplinary Crisis Management Team, which is composed of FPA experts in food safety, regulatory affairs, and communications. FPA's strong working relationship with the agencies often means quicker and more positive response from the agencies during a product withdrawal, tampering, recall, or other food safety crisis.
Risk Assessment - Microbiology: FPA scientists in the Office of Food Safety Programs are working to develop application of quantitative and qualitative risk assessment techniques to estimate the probability of adverse health consequences from microbial pathogens in food. Risk assessment has domestic as well as international standard-setting implications; FPA strongly believes that risk levels should be based on sound science and on what is technically feasible and economically achievable with current technologies. FPA scientists have done extensive research in predictive microbiology, which can save food companies time and money by replacing time-consuming and expensive challenge studies. Predictive modeling can be used for hazard analysis, telling food companies which products are the most risky and which need testing.
FPA's education provider, the Food Processors Institute (FPI), offers software in predictive microbiology, Food MicroModel, useful for predicting microbial responses, including growth, survival, and thermal death using a series of validated mathematical models. (Call Customer Service for licensing information.)
Risk Assessment - Chemical: Chemical residues in foods are an important area to the processed food industry, and FPA is committed to staying abreast of new developments, government reports and legislation. Our database on pesticide residues contains over 10 million data points obtained from industry and government sources. And, because residue levels alone can not determine risk, food consumption information has been brought on line so a comprehensive risk analysis can be performed. FPA's databases in concert with our food chemistry expertise will enable FPA to provide reliable data on key areas outlined in the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996.
