HACCP-based procedures in Germany and Poland

• Specification of biological hazards is not sufficient to determine suitable control measures.
• A lack of consistence in defining terms leads to their diverging application in practice.
• HACCP implementation in Poland complies better with Codex Alimentarius principles.

A study concerning HACCP implementation was conducted in 86 German and 66 Polish food enterprises. The questions asked in this study addressed HACCP implementation according to the 12 steps defined by Codex Alimentarius Commission. Some deficiencies were identified. As the results show, the specification of biological hazards is frequently not sufficient to provide suitable guidance mechanisms, and to monitor the limits, and therefore, they are not in compliance with Codex Alimentarius and Regulation (EC) No 852/2004. Furthermore, a lack of consistence in defining terms (e.g. CP) leads to their diverging application in practice. Overall, the HACCP implementation in Poland was found to comply somewhat better with the Codex Alimentarius principles and Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 than in Germany.