Management of food safety and hygiene: An overview

Abstract

As all human need food, its safety and nutritional quality is important. According to Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC), Food hygiene is defined as "all conditions and measures parameter of quality to ensure the safety and suitability of food at all stages of the food chain. " Food hygiene includes 2 key points, (i) food safety and (ii) food suitability. CAC defined food safety as "the assurance that food will not cause harm to the consumer, when it is prepared and eaten according to its intended use", while food suitability is defined as "assurance that food is acceptable for human consumption according to its intended use". The fundamental part of any food operation is food safety. In the present era, food safety assurance is different because plethora of chemical, physical and biological agents can contaminate the food source and pose a threat not only to human health but also food business. Today there is sufficient technical and scientific knowledge, and managerial knowledge for ensuring the products safety. Presently concepts like Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point and risk analysis are developed and incorporated in the food safety management and hygiene both nationally and internationally. In this chapter significance of food hygiene, food safety and various approaches for their management has been reviewed.