On Today's Menu: Quality

摘要

Public concern that food supplies be safe and secure has been even greater since the events of Sept. 11, 2001. While the U.S. food industry has indicated eagerness to meet the food safety regulations of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA, which regulates meat and poultry) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA, which regulates all other food), the number of food safety incidents, unfortunately has been on the rise (see "Food Safety Incidents Around the World," p. 26). One solution, hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP), is a quality management system for effectively and efficiently ensuring farm to table food safety in the United States. It addresses food safety through the analysis and control of biological, chemical and physical hazards from raw material production, procurement and handling to manufacturing, distribution and consumption of the finished product.