Food safety and total quality management

Food safety is a growing global concern not only because of its continuing importance for public health but also because of its impact on international trade. The application of total quality management (TQM) provides the best possible care by continuously improving products and services to meet or possibly exceed the needs and expectations of the customer. Designing a TQM system requires a profound knowledge of the agro-food industry, while implementation ideally requires an integrated approach involving all parties in the agro-food chain. An effective HACCP programme requires equally competent technologies to determine and monitor each critical point. The role of hazard characterization and risk assessment of foods cannot easily be over-emphasized. An increasing number of companies are striving for a certificate, to realize both 'external benefits' as part of their market strategy and 'internal benefits' to open up a way to enormous improvements and efficiency. This paper reviews recent developments in HACCP certification, the standardization of risk assessment, the necessity of chain formation in the agro-food sector and the improvement of global communication. © 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.