ARS | Publication request: Validation of antimicrobial interventions for small and very small processors: a how-to guide to develop and conduct validations

Submitted to: Food Protection Trends
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: November 27, 2012
Publication Date: February 28, 2013
Citation: Dickson, J., Acuff, G., Thippareddi, H., Singh, M., Cutter, C., Phebus, R.K., Luchansky, J.B. 2013. Validation of antimicrobial interventions for small and very small processors: a how-to guide to develop and conduct validations. Food Protection Trends. 33(2):95-104.

Technical Abstract: It is increasingly important to assure that antimicrobial interventions applied on/into foods to control pathogenic microorganisms are functioning properly and achieving the desired goal of preventing, reducing and/or eliminating microbial hazards associated with a defined food product. This approach is necessary to assure that antimicrobial interventions are having both the desired positive effect on food safety, and to provide assurance to the processor that their investment in food safety is in fact providing the appropriate benefit for the investment. Validation is a fundamental component of the HACCP system, which means that those processors who are currently required to have HACCP plans in place are also required to validate their HACCP plans. This manuscript provides a practical approach for developing validation protocols to evaluate the efficacy of antimicrobial interventions, especially for small and very small processors.