Testing to fulfil HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) requirements: principles and examples

On-farm HACCP monitoring requires cost-effective, yet accurate and reproducible tests that can determine the status of cows, milk and the dairy environment. Tests need to be field-validated, and their limitations need to be established so that appropriate screening strategies can be initiated and test results can be rationally interpreted. The current lack of field-validated tests for most of the chemical and infectious agents of concern makes it difficult to ensure that the stated goals of HACCP programmes are consistently achieved.