Testing Is More Than the Numbers

Food safety is an integral element of doing business around the world. It is part of federal law in many countries, and these laws often are based on a HACCP (hazard analysis critical control point) management system. Because it is not possible to test safety into a product, safety must be built into the process and monitored. Testing has a role to play in verification of food safety but requires money and resources. As a result, it is imperative that companies not only design testing programs to meet quality and safety goals, but that the tests conducted are appropriate for the products manufactured. This article provides an overview of how an effective testing program can be created and some of the tools available for determining what tests to perform and how to perform them, including accepted test methodologies, published guides, and exchange programs for technicians, scientists, and managers.