Risk assessment and critical control points from the production perspective

The implementation of a risk analysis program as risk assessment and critic al control points (RACCP) is most necessary in order to accomplish the food borne industries current objective of total quality. The novelty of this te chnique, when compared to actual hazard analysis and critical control point s (HACCP) and its extension to incorporate elements of quantitative risk an alysis (QRA), is that RACCP considers the risk of the consequences produced by the production process performance deviations, both inside and outside the company, and also identifies their causative factors. On the other hand , the techniques to be taken in order to prevent or mitigate the consequenc es of such deviations must be consistent with the former data, but the need for a cost-benefit assessment must not be ignored so that the chosen techn ique be most profitable for the company. An example developed in a mineral water bottling plant showed that RACCP application is feasible and useful. During this example case, RACCP demonstrated it could obtain a profitable p roduction process that keeps quality and safety of the final product at its maximum, while providing protection to both company and consumer. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.