CAPTURE OF HACCP DATA IN THE ABATTOIR: COMPUTERISED SYSTEMS FOR REAL-TIME CAPTURE OF CRITICAL CONTROL POINT DATA DURING THE SLAUGHTER PROCESS

HACCP recording in abattoirs is usually paper-based and generally records only non-conformances and corrective actions. The project describes a system for computerized real-time data capture of abattoir inspection information using a Visual Basic interface to record to Microsoft Excel. A HACCP plan for beef slaughter was written together with flow charts and CCP record sheets. A user interface was designed to capture CCP inspection data in a format that allows reporting and analysis. The system was used to record inspection CCP data in a beef abattoir. Examples of reports that may be extracted from the system are included. The data is subjected to analysis for use in HACCP management. The main aim of this project was to develop a rudimentary instrument to capture inspection data and to produce reports.

Qualified as a veterinarian Trinity College Dublin 1974. After a career in mixed veterinary practice, including meat inspection work he joined the Irish DAFF State Veterinary Public Health Inspection Service in 1999 with responsibility for food hygiene and animal welfare in slaughter plants and hygiene in meat product and milk plants