3. Control scenarios

intention of the general administrative regulations of the EU Rapid Alert System. The Article Food Safety and Crisis Management illustrates this using several real practical examples, which the author Caspar von der Crone has overseen as responsible manager [2] over the

The general rule is: Food that is not safe may not be distributed. This is regulated by EU Regulation (EC) No. 178/2002 (Basic Regulation) [3]. In addition, national regulations apply as for example the German Food and Commodities Act (LFGB) [4]. In a European Law framework, food is only considered unsafe if it can be assumed that it is harmful to health. In addition, food is also considered unsafe if it can be assumed that it is not suitable for human consumption. A differentiation is in order here, as the first description is concerned with defending against health risks, while the second description only serves to secure commercial consumer interests. Put differently, consumers' commercial interests—and not their physical integrity—should be protected from bad buys and unpleasant surprises to the greatest possi-

The objective is a sustainable business condition along the entire process chain, as shown in Figure 1 (overview), under the inclusion of ecological, economical and social aspects. This applies in equal measure to the entire value-added chain, under the consideration of the respective process steps, starting at the producer and ending at the consumer. The legal requirements must be included, as well as the interests and requirements of NGOs, paying particular attention to consumer's expectations, who make the decision in the end and are an

last years.

ble extent.

2. Basics of food safety

6 Food Safety - Some Global Trends

important part of the process chain.

Figure 1. Food safety and dialogue between relevant groups.

Modern food control, in other words, is the control for 'means of live' [5]. Figure 2 is still at a nascent stage; however, its roots date back far into the past. Controls to ensure that consumer demands for healthy food were met have been in place for ages. German Food Law's history can be traced to the Middle Ages. Here, the objectives were to fight wine adulterating or counteract the growing public health risk posed by raw materials that are hazardous for health, among others. Regulations for meat production were introduced at a very early stage, with relevant hygiene directives. Regulations concerning the restructuring of food contact materials (LMBG) were introduced in the 1970s, which allowed the state to act to protect consumers against damage to health.

Figure 2. Transparency, sustainability and responsibility along the process chain.

The survey conducted by the European Commission in their White Paper on Food Safety from 2000 is additionally worth mentioning. In it, the Commission worked out a division of food safety responsibilities between the involved actors, with the main responsibility for food safety lying with the feed producers, the farmers and the food producing companies. In this context, the HACCP concept (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) was introduced, which obligates the food company operators to danger analyses and conceptual assessments. The FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius offers an internationally binding version, which in turn is part of the 'General Principles of Food Hygiene'. With the HACCP concept, health risks posed by food should be identified, evaluated and managed.

The HACCP consists of seven principles:


5. Establish corrective action. These shall be implemented if monitoring shows that a certain CCP is no longer under control.

Biological, chemical and physical agents, as well as insufficient information about allergenic properties, can pose particularly significant consumer health hazards. The normal consumer usage conditions should first be considered at all levels when deciding whether a food product is safe or not. This means that those types of usage which are not normal but at the same time imaginable should also not lead to situations that might be hazardous. However, improper handling after purchasing, insufficient adherence to hygienic principles in private residences, incorrect storage of products that should be stored under refrigerated conditions, or also the consumption of raw poultry might have negative health effects and lead to illness. Even if this lies outside the distrib-

Food Safety: Food Crisis Management http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.73687 9

utor's scope of responsibilities, it might be hard to interpret evidence pertaining hereto.

day onwards has been lifted.

4. Hazard to human health

due to the complex structures [10].

tion of a foodstuff, that might negatively influence health.

The high incidence of salmonella in the beginning of the 1990s is a good example of this. The illness was primarily caused by the consumption of eggs or egg products (tiramisu and other dishes containing raw eggs). Even though the root cause was improper handling and failure to adhere to refrigeration guidelines, eggs were still suspected to be highly pathogenic, which subsequently led to a significant consumption reduction. German legislators reacted with national cooling regulations from the 18th day onwards. This regulation was only lifted a few years ago, when it is known that cause and effect had been mixed up. There are still salmonellae; however, consumer education through advice on egg storage after purchase, as well as consistent salmonellae monitoring at the production level, led to a greater degree of food safety. The same problems have not occurred, even though the regulation prescribing cooling from the 18th

This serves to illustrate that a decision on a food product's safety should also consider that information communicated to the consumer—including label information and cooking recommendations—contributes to safety. The packaging advice 'heat before consumption' is another classic example that helps avoid health hazards; this instruction points out to the consumer

This particularly applies to raw poultry meat, for the lion's share of relevant germs is killed if these products are heated at 70C for at least 10 min. This also includes good kitchen hygiene and know-how on handling and processing food intended for immediate consumption.

The exact definition of a hazard to human health as it relates to regulations is not concretised or clarified further legally. However, as it concerns a hazard that is triggered by the consumption of affected food, the basics of Food Law apply at the least. Following Article 3 (14) of the Basic Regulation, a hazard is a biological, chemical or physical agent in a foodstuff, or condi-

In principle, physical, biological and chemical hazards to human health are imaginable. However, in the production of food commodities, focus is clearly placed on 'chemical components'

that the food should be treated accordingly, that is to say, not consumed raw.


With the EU Basic Food Regulation, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) was established. The EFSA assumes tasks that relate to the scientific evaluation of relevant food topics at the EU level. The EFSA is also the point of contact for the scientific evaluations related to certain approval procedures, for example during the approval of food additives.

Every food producer is subject to controls along the entire process chain, starting at the farmer/ producer up to the food retailer, to inspect the adherence to relevant production standards. Over the last years, many standard-setting bodies have established themselves on the market. In the area of egg production, this is the KAT System (Association for Controlled Alternative Animal Husbandry) [6]; for meat production, the QS GmbH (Quality scheme for food) [7]. Both systems cover the entire process chain with specific standards and criteria, and they are ultimately demanded by retailers for animal product distribution. The International Featured Standard (IFS) [8] is another controlling body, a standard developed by the food retailers that places very stringent process quality and traceability demands on processing companies. The IFS Standard offers additional safety guarantees. The controls take place annually, with the socalled integrity audits (unannounced inspections) offering further security. By now, producers and distributors from across the globe operate by the IFS Standard to meet globalised quality, transparency and efficiency demands. It ensures that the certified companies attain a high quality and product safety standard.

Figure 1 represents the dialogue between scientific and regulatory actors within the process chain.

Biological, chemical and physical agents, as well as insufficient allergenic property information, can all pose health hazards. Additionally, the German General Administrative Regulation for the implementation of the Rapid Alert System for Food, Food Contact Material and Feed (AVV Schnellwarnsystem) [9] offers a guideline for the evaluation of a food that poses a potential health hazard. However, it should be noted that the General Administrative Regulation has no legally binding qualities and solely serves to harmonise the implementation of Food Law. Put differently, the General Administrative Regulation has an internally binding effect for the Food Enforcement Authority at most.

The normal consumer usage conditions should first be considered when deciding whether a food product is safe or not. For example, this relates to improper handling, which runs counter to the principle of proper kitchen hygiene in a private residence such as improper storage of products that should be refrigerated.

The result is that hazardous food products purchased by consumers should be recalled publicly via the media, while the product that is 'only' unsuitable for human consumption will be recalled 'quietly' through the commercial buyers.

Biological, chemical and physical agents, as well as insufficient information about allergenic properties, can pose particularly significant consumer health hazards. The normal consumer usage conditions should first be considered at all levels when deciding whether a food product is safe or not. This means that those types of usage which are not normal but at the same time imaginable should also not lead to situations that might be hazardous. However, improper handling after purchasing, insufficient adherence to hygienic principles in private residences, incorrect storage of products that should be stored under refrigerated conditions, or also the consumption of raw poultry might have negative health effects and lead to illness. Even if this lies outside the distributor's scope of responsibilities, it might be hard to interpret evidence pertaining hereto.

The high incidence of salmonella in the beginning of the 1990s is a good example of this. The illness was primarily caused by the consumption of eggs or egg products (tiramisu and other dishes containing raw eggs). Even though the root cause was improper handling and failure to adhere to refrigeration guidelines, eggs were still suspected to be highly pathogenic, which subsequently led to a significant consumption reduction. German legislators reacted with national cooling regulations from the 18th day onwards. This regulation was only lifted a few years ago, when it is known that cause and effect had been mixed up. There are still salmonellae; however, consumer education through advice on egg storage after purchase, as well as consistent salmonellae monitoring at the production level, led to a greater degree of food safety. The same problems have not occurred, even though the regulation prescribing cooling from the 18th day onwards has been lifted.

This serves to illustrate that a decision on a food product's safety should also consider that information communicated to the consumer—including label information and cooking recommendations—contributes to safety. The packaging advice 'heat before consumption' is another classic example that helps avoid health hazards; this instruction points out to the consumer that the food should be treated accordingly, that is to say, not consumed raw.

This particularly applies to raw poultry meat, for the lion's share of relevant germs is killed if these products are heated at 70C for at least 10 min. This also includes good kitchen hygiene and know-how on handling and processing food intended for immediate consumption.
