Performance standards and meat safety — Developments and direction

Performance standards have been developed to express, for regulatory purposes, an acceptable level of food safety afforded by either a product or a process. These performance standards have reflected the development of scientific thought on food safety management through setting of microbiological criteria, implementing hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP) systems, process control and risk-based management. In meat safety management, some performance standards reflect current risk-based thinking which sets objectives and/or criteria and allows freedom on how those objectives/criteria can be met. However, many performance standards do not reflect current thinking and some perpetuate the idea that meat can be consumed with zero risk.

► Performance standards express a regulatory standard for food safety. ► Food safety management paradigms guide the setting of performance standards. ► Performance standards do not always reflect current scientific consensus. ► Adherence to current international approaches is to be encouraged.