3) The Role and Importance of Haccp: Parasites
3) The Role and Importance of Haccp: Parasites
3) The Role and Importance of Haccp: Parasites
INTRODUCTION
Hazard is described as any biological, chemical or physical property agent that may cause
a consumer health risk (Rhodehamel, 1992).
Biological Hazards
Biological hazards can be divided into three categories: microorganisms, parasites and
prions. It has been reported that microorganisms are the principal sources of food borne
diseases (Eilers, 1990).
Parasites.
Cysticerci, Tenia spp., trematodes, nematodes, cestodes, Trichinalla spp., Echinoccocus
spp., Cryptococcus spp. and Anisakis spp. are commonly isolated parasites from foods.
Raw meat and fish are the most risky foods for parasite infections. Conventional cooking
destroys them. They may also loss their viability during freezing depending on the time
and temperature (Untermann, 1998).
Prions
Prions are considered as causative agent of “Bovine Spongiform Encephalitis” (BSE).
They are resistant to heat treatments and mainly isolated from offal (Untermann, 1998).
Microorganisms
No food product unless it is sterilised free from microorganisms. Microorganisms of
concern in food safety include viruses, some species of bacteria, moulds and protozoa. Of
the microorganisms certain species of bacteria and moulds are able to produce toxic
metabolites. Their toxigenic effects can range from mild to severe gastrointestinal
disorders or chronic syndromes such as carcinogenity, teratogenity, mutagenity and
immunosuppression (Moss, 1987).
Symptoms of the food borne diseases vary with the type of organisms and are
more severe in immuno-compromised persons, children and elderly. Infective doses of
bacteria range between 10 to 108 cells/g depending on bacterial strain, type of foods
consumed together with implicated one and health status of consumer (Granum et al.
1995).
Bacillus cereus: Some strains of B. cereus produce diarrhoagenic and emetic
toxins. Emetic toxin is secreted into foods and stable to heat treatments above 120°C
(Moss, 1987). Spices, cereals, dried foods, meat and meat products, fried or boiled rice, ice
cream, cooked rice dishes, soups, green vegetables, sauces (Kramer and Gilbert, 1989) are
the implicated food commodities in B. cereus contamination. However, commonly
associated foods with emetic and diarrhoagenic syndromes are cooked rice and
proteinaceous foods respectively (Notermans and Batt, 1998).
Campylobacter spp.: Campylobacter jejuni and C. coli are the major species of
Campylobacters causing food poisonings and considered as the common causes of
gastrointestinal diseases. Most commonly associated foods with C. jejuni contaminations
are poultry and poultry products (Bryan and Doyle, 1995).
Clostridium spp.: Clostridium botulinum and C. perfringens are the well-known
toxin producing species of the genus. The C. botulinum represents health hazard rather
than its frequency incidence than its deadly antigenic types of botulin toxins (A, B, C1,
C2, D, E, F and G) and may be classified based on the type of toxin produced. (Dodd and
Austin, 1997). The botulism caused by C. botulinum strains is divided into four
• Prevention of contaminations
• Limitation of microbial growth
• Elimination/destruction of microorganisms
CHEMICAL HAZARDS
Foods may contain several types of chemicals that are hazardous for men. Limits have
been established for some types of chemicals whereas others are not allowed to be found
in foods (Rhodehamel, 1992). Chemical hazards for foods have been presented in Table 3.
Mycotoxins
Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites of moulds. Aflatoxins (B1, B2, G2, G2), fumonisins,
moniliformin, ochratoxin A, patulin, sterigmatocystine, trichothecenes, zearalenone,
alternariols, altertoxins, deoxinivalenol and T-2 toxin are the most commonly isolated
mycotoxins. Limit values for some mycotoxins are given in Table 4.
Shellfish Toxins
Allergens
Some chemicals in foods and additives can cause allergic reactions in susceptible
individuals, and are considered as components of HACCP system.
Other Chemicals
Pesticides do not represent health risk in case they are used under proper conditions.
Maximum residue limits have been established for permitted pesticides and regulated by
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (Rhodehamel, 1992).
• Increase in the use of nitrate containing fertilisers has caused the accumulation
of nitrates in some plants (Anon. 1997).
• Antibiotics are mainly used for the treatment of infections in animals.
However, they are some times used as growth stimulating agents also. They
increase the chance for evolution of antibiotic resistant pathogens in human
(Anon. 1997).
• Maximum tolerable limits have been established for toxic elements including
mercury, lead, arsenic and cadmium. Toxic elements as well as polychlorinated
biphenyls (PCBs) contaminate foods as the result of environmental pollution
(Jones, 1989).
• Some chemicals such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) occur in
foods during processing at high temperatures (>300°C). Their concentrations
increase with direct exposure to flame. They can also contaminate plants
through accumulation of these compounds found in air (Shibamoto and
Bjeldanes, 1993).
• Detergent, disinfection residues and migration from food packaging materials
are also considered among chemical hazards in foods. Control methods for
chemical hazards are given in Table 5.
PHYSICAL HAZARDS
Critical control points (CCPs) are any point or procedure in a specific food where loss of
control may result in an acceptable health risk.
Ingredient receiving:
Temperature control
Processing
Mixing of ingredients
Thermal processing
Distribution
Time-temperature control
CRITICAL LIMITS
Critical limits are minimum or maximum established values to control hazards at each
CCPs. Exceeding critical limits indicates that the product may represent is a health hazard.
Most frequently used critical limits are given below (Moberg, 1992):
• Time
• Temperature
• Humidity
• Moisture content
• pH
• Preservatives
• Salt concentration
• Available chlorine
• Viscosity
Monitoring and record keeping are essential to HACCP system’s success. Monitoring
parameters can be qualitative and quantitative. Temperature checks, testing
(microbiological, chemical etc.), sensory and visual examinations are examples of
Record keeping provides evidence of food safety, documentation for audits. In addition it
is a tool for personnel training and solving problems (Stevenson and Hum, 1992).
Verification is the sum of activities other than monitoring that determines the validity and
compliance with HACCP program (Prince, 1992).
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