INTRODUCTION

World trade in fresh produce has grown dramatically in recent years, increasing the risk of consumer exposure to food-borne illnesses. All supermarket chains have well-established produce quality assurance (QA) systems to meet the requirements of stringent EU food legislation, introduced to protect consumer health from pathogens and other harmful substances.

QA systems are actions or groups of actions that ensure that supermarket product specifications, i.e. safety and quality attributes, as well as related legislation, are consistently met on time and at the right cost.

This section includes the type and nature of hazard that can compromise food safety and human health and safety and links the principles of quality assurance to the maintenance of food safety at all stages in the supply chain.