Aditya Birla Memorial Hospital has become the first hospital in INDIA to have got certified by ISO 22000 & 2005: HACCP. ISO 22000:2005 specifies requirements for a food safety management system where an organization in the food chain needs to demonstrate its ability to control food safety hazards in order to ensure that food is safe at the time of human consumption. The ISO 22000: 2005 Food Safety Management system is a structured, preventive approach to food safety that optimizes efforts to provide the consumer with safe food.

HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) is a systematic approach in identifying, evaluating and controlling food safety hazards. Food safety hazards are biological, chemical or physical agents that are reasonably likely to cause illness or injury in the absence of their control. A HACCP system is a preventive system of hazard control rather than a reactive one. HACCP systems are designed to prevent the occurrence of potential food safety problems. This is achieved by assessing the inherent hazards attributable to a product or a process, determining the necessary steps that will control the identified hazards, and implementing active managerial control practices to ensure that the hazards are eliminated or minimized.

HACCP principles were developed by Codex Alimentarius of the World Health Organization. The certification process involved audits conducted by British Standards International (BSI,) Assurance UK Limited. The certification ensures that protocol for managing food safety is being adhered to in order to ensure safe food.

For more information on ISO 22000 & 2005: HACCP accreditation, log onto www.iso.org and www.fda.gov