WHAT IS THE HACCP (HAZARD ANALYSIS CRITICAL CONTROL POINT) APPROACH AND HOW CAN IT BE APPLIED TO ENTERAL TUBE-FEEDING

The HACCP (hazard analysis critical control point) concept is now wide ly applied in the food industry and provides a structured and critical approach to the identification and control of hazards that may affect food safety. It has shifted the emphasis for control from retrospecti ve end-product testing to the effective control of raw materials and k ey processing operations. This paper discusses how the HACCP approach can be applied to enteral feeding. This involves each unit assembling a multidisciplinary team of personnel involved in enteral feeding. Thi s team will then carry out a detailed analysis of the process from sel ection of ingredients and feeding systems through to consumption of th e feed by the patient by constructing a flow chart that relates specif ically to each unit. They can then identify and assess the hazards ass ociated with the handling of the product at each stage in the process. This will enable them to identify the points where control over an id entified hazard can be achieved (critical control points, CCP) such as quality of ingredients, design of administration systems, preparation and distribution of the feeds and the procedures involved in the asse mbly and manipulation of the systems. Control and monitoring procedure s can then be specified and implemented at relevant stages in the proc ess. The major strengths of the HACCP procedure are that it entails a team effort from key personnel involved in the full range of activitie s associated with the product and each detailed analysis is specific t o each unit's practices and resources and can be continually reviewed and modified in response to changing circumstances.