A bulletin for the Australian Food Industry    June 2003

Contents: Resistance and adaptation to preservatives and sanitizers | Allergen management and labelling | Integration of the NSW food safety system | HACCP and small businesses in the UK

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HACCP and small businesses in the UK

In the March 2003 issue we summarised two studies which attempted to identify the impact of new food safety legislation on small food businesses in the UK. Both studies suggested ways which would assist these businesses to meet their obligations and to be more aware of food safety hazards in their own operations.

Another recent UK study (Food Control 14 2003 169) has concluded that the effective application of HACCP to small businesses is a considerable challenge to the food industry and enforcement agencies. The current situation in the UK is that retail butchers who sell both raw meat and ready-to-eat foods to the final consumer must be licensed. Licensing depends upon the business implementing a full HACCP plan covering all critical control points in any process performed on the premises. This is a stricter standard than applies to other retail food premises where the requirement is for a HACCP type approach which omits the need for documentation and the requirement for verification.

Kings College London is investigating, for the British Food Standards Authority, enforcement approaches which aim to achieve compliance with food laws as they stand now by small (<50 employees) and medium (<250 employees) sized enterprises (SMEs). Their study is also examining the characteristics of the food companies that place barriers on their compliance and aspects of existing regulations which cause particular problems. The background to the study which is to be completed early next year is described in an article titled, 'Education or Enforcement?' published in Environmental Health Journal 111 2003 16 and summarised in World Food Regulation Review 12 (March 2003) 12.

At least some of the group's findings appear to have relevance to the Australian situation.

They are therefore often not likely to be motivated to improve conditions, particularly if their track record has been without food poisoning incidents or prosecutions for hygiene related offences up to the time when assessment of their own safety became an obligation.

SMEs are seeking precise direction on what they as individual businesses have to do to comply to new requirements. This will become even more critical when they are required to have a full seven-point HACCP plan as draft European Union regulations set down. The group concludes that education of SMEs is vital in improving the understanding of hazards, raising awareness of legal obligations and identifying solutions.

As noted in our previous issue, the Commonwealth and most State Governments in Australia are proceeding carefully in this area with a number of projects initiated to make new Australian legislation both effective and cost-effective.