Anyone who is responsible for the safe production of food is certainly aware of the Hazards Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) framework, as well as the related Preventive Controls for Human Foods rule under the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) Food Safety Modernization Act, and how they are both cornerstones of food safety management systems. Although designing and implementing effective, compliant hazards control systems can be a daunting task, the keen use of modern technology can take these systems beyond compliance—making the most of their data and information requirements to drive business value.

Not only is hazard control in food production crucial to protecting public health—for instance, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that, in the U.S. alone, 48 million people contract foodborne illness annually, resulting in 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths¹—but evaluating and mitigating food safety hazards is also important to protecting brand reputation and profits. For example, an industry survey conducted in 2012 estimated that companies undergoing a food recall will end up paying an average of $10 million in direct costs; additionally, 5 percent of surveyed companies even reported being involved in recalls that cost their business more than $100 million.² Based on these figures—which have only inflated in the twelve years since they were estimated—a 25 percent decrease in foodborne illness would save the U.S. $4–14 billion, and reducing recalls by half would save industry $5 billion, annually.²