HHS News

[P95-3]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 8, 1995
Food and Drug Administration
Judith Foulke (202) 205-4144

FDA Announces Food Safety Pilot

  

     The Food and Drug Administration today announced that seven

major food companies have joined the agency in a pilot program to

test on a broad scale, a system of preventive controls designed to

enhance food safety.

     Under this approach, called Hazard Analysis and Critical

Control Points, or HACCP, companies analyze their manufacturing

processes to determine the "critical control points" where problems

are most likely to occur and where preventive measures need to be

focused.  For example, controlled heating time and temperature in

the cooking process ensure that harmful bacteria are destroyed.   

     "Building safety into the food manufacturing process is the

idea behind HACCP," said FDA Commissioner David A. Kessler, M.D. 

"It simply makes sense to design safety into the process, rather

than rely on inspections and sampling to identify unsafe products

after they have been made." 

     The companies that volunteered to take part in the pilot

program and the products involved represent a wide range of foods

and manufacturing processes.  They include:

                                

ATTENTION TV BROADCASTERS: Please use open caption for the hearing

impaired.



     *  Alto Dairy, Wapun, Wisc. -- hard cheese

     *  Campbell Soup Company, Camden, N.J. -- refrigerated salad 

        dressing

     *  Campbell-Taggart, Inc., St. Louis, Mo. -- pan breads

     *  Con Agra, Omaha, Neb. -- flour

     *  Ocean Spray Cranberries, Lakeville-Middleboro, Mass. --   

        pasteurized juice

     *  Pillsbury, Minneapolis, Minn. -- bakery products 

     *  Hans Kissle Foods, Wilmington, Mass. -- quiche.

     The Massachusetts Department of Health is participating in the pilot in

cooperation with Hans Kissle Foods.

     Food companies' participation in this pilot will help FDA

determine whether HACCP is practical for the food industry. 

Individual firms will have the opportunity to work with FDA to

determine how best to apply HACCP to their particular plant or

segment of the industry, and to help in the development of

regulatory policies that would minimize burden while guarding

against food safety hazards.

     In Jan. 1994, FDA proposed a mandatory HACCP system for the

seafood industry.

     On Aug. 4, 1994, FDA solicited public comments on how HACCP

systems might affect various other segments of the food industry,

and also invited manufacturers to volunteer for this pilot. 

Additional firms will be announced as they are chosen.