A survey on constraints in the implementation of HACCP in food industries in Selangor / Mohd Syaiful Bahtiar Nan

Survey on the implementation of HACCP for food industries in Selangor was conducted to obtain the numbers of food industries that had or are planning to implement HACCP in Selangor. This study took place because the Health Minister, Datuk Chua Jui Ming plans to make it mandatory to high-risk foods such as dairy products, meats, eggs, fish and related items to come under Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) certification once the Food Hygiene Regulation are gazetted within one year. This study is done in three levels of food industries, that is, small or traditional industry, medium scale industry, and big industries. Sampling was done randomly by getting the list of food industries from the FFM Directory, MBSA and FAMA 80 questionnaires were distributed to the food industries by hand, or posted. Only 40 questionnaires were returned. The study covers the constraints during the implementation of HACCP. Five main constraints were identified, they are inadequate basic hygiene, lack of expertise and information, human resource constraints, no expertise, information and/or technical support, and perceived and real financial constraints. In the mean time, the food industries needed expertise and information, adequate basic hygiene, and effective education and training programs to implement HACCP. This study also revealed that 97% of food industries in Selangor intend to implement HACCP in their organization.