Measuring the effectiveness of the HACCP Food Safety Management System

The Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) is a Food Safety Management System (FSMS) that is recognized in the international food safety community as a world wide guideline for controlling food borne safety hazards. Nevertheless, the availability of a diagnostic instrument to assess the performance and effectiveness of the FSMS is rather restricted; therefore, the food sector needs an instrument to measure the effectiveness of FSMS. Based on the HACCP objectives identified in the literature, in this research, HACCP effectiveness is defined as the degree of achieving its objectives. A measurement instrument is developed and then empirically validated through collecting preliminary data from 335 Greek food enterprises. After testing the assumptions of multivariate analysis, Exploratory Factor Analysis as well as first and second order Confirmatory Factor Analysis are applied. This study reveals the three-dimensional nature of the HACCP objectives (hazard identification, hazard assessment and hazard control). Further analysis of the data also reveals a valid latent factor reflecting the successful achievement of the HACCP objectives, namely “HACCP effectiveness”. This measurement instrument can be used by a food company as a self assessment tool and a benchmarking tool. In doing so, suitable strategies can be selected in order for a food company to allocate resources, increase HACCP effectiveness and improve its product safety.