Why Strong HACCP Training Matters More Than Inspections
Food safety is changing faster than ever before. For years, the industry relied mainly on regulatory inspections to catch problems after they occurred. Inspectors would show up, check paperwork, walk through production areas, and point out issues that needed fixing. This approach gradually improved standards, but it was mostly a reaction to things that had […]
Apple Snails and Rat Lungworms Identified as a Growing Food Safety Threat in the U.S. and Canada
Food safety professionals across the United States and Canada are being urged to increase awareness of apple snails and rat lungworms (Angiostrongylus cantonensis)—an emerging biological hazard with serious implications for produce safety, environmental monitoring, and HACCP programs. Apple snails and other gastropods can act as intermediate hosts for rat lungworms, a parasitic roundworm capable of […]
A Beginner’s Guide to Identifying HACCP Critical Control Points (CCPs)
One of the hardest HACCP skills for beginners is identifying Critical Control Points. It’s also where people tend to over- or under-control processes, processes that could already be controlled by their PRPs or overlooked as they aren’t, obviously, listed. Let’s simplify it, make the concept practical and non-intimidating. A CCP is a specific step where you must […]
HACCP Training: The Front Line in Preventing Persistent Pathogen Risks
Persistent Pathogen Colonies (“Niche” Habitats): Listeria monocytogenes and other harmful pathogens can form biofilms and establish themselves in “niche” areas of equipment, such as inside hollow conveyor rollers, in cracks in the floor, or within drains, where they can survive for years, evading standard daily cleaning routines. Persistent pathogen colonies are specialized, often slow-growing bacterial […]
Often Overlooked PRPs are the Foundation of HACCP
HACCP often gets the spotlight, but PRPs (Prerequisite Programs) are the foundation on which the entire system sits. PRPs are not part of the 7 principles of HACCP; rather, they are the essential, pre-existing conditions that create a safe, hygienic environment to prevent contamination. People often overlook the importance of PRPs in HACCP. Most courses […]
What is HACCP? HACCP: The 12 Steps / The 7 Principles Explained
The food manufacturing industry is rapidly evolving due to huge steps in technological / industrial growth in monitoring and global supply chain complexities, the ageless structure of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) remains crucial. HACCP was established by NASA and Pilsbury in the 1960s and refined by the FAO’s Codex Alimentarius standards, HACCP […]
HACCP Systems and Pathogen Control: A Comprehensive Review
HACCP Systems and Pathogen Control: A Comprehensive Review This report synthesizes findings from 40 research papers (20 from PubMed and 20 from Google Scholar) examining the effectiveness of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) systems in controlling foodborne pathogens. The analysis identifies five primary pathogens best controlled under HACCP systems: Salmonella, Campylobacter, Listeria monocytogenes, […]
A Business Case for On Demand Online HACCP Training
In a world of evolving food safety threats it has become imperative, both from a regulatory requirements perspective but also from a client/consumer requirement one, that food manufacturers, processors, restaurants, food storage facilities, and other food related businesses maintain impecable food safety training standards for their employees. Getting Many food companies have frequent HACCP training needs, often […]
Safe Cutting Boards – Plastic or Wood
The Meat and Poultry Hotline advises that consumers may utilize wood or a nonporous surface for cutting raw meat and poultry. Consider utilizing one cutting board for fresh produce and bread, and a distinct one for raw meat, poultry, and seafood. This will avert bacterial contamination on a cutting board utilized for raw meat, poultry, […]
CDC Foodborne Illness Report 2025
The CDC will publish its first comprehensive report since 2011, “Foodborne Illness Acquired in the United States—Major Pathogens.” Although there have been updates, a comprehensive report may soon be published. The last comprehensive update on the CDC’s statistics of foodborne illnesses and deaths was published in 2023. This report included preliminary estimates of pathogen-specific annual […]