Flies and HACCP
By Abe Thomas How do
flies figure into the HACCP equation?
First and foremost, it is the ability of certain species to circumvent CCPs that is of
primary concern. The biological characteristics of the "average" fly do not pose
a significant hazard to consumers.
So the real HACCP issue is:
Monitoring and controlling the few species that are known to vector E. coli, Salmonella
and Shigella, when allowed access to food after decontamination steps.
HACCP is a *practical* system. Finite resources are targeted to only those points
required to produce food that is "safe" as defined by accepted scientific
standards. Contamination risks that do not exceed those standards may be quality control
issues - but not HACCP issues.
The specific species are of utmost importance when deciding what is worthy of including
in a HACCP flow chart or its companion SSOP. For instance, the risk posed by the species
that produce intestinal myasis (about 40 cases reported annually worldwide) is probably
not worth the paperwork to write it up.
But, the presence of the following flies, according to FDA Import Alert #16-21,
"Filth in Imported Fresh or Frozen Raw Shrimp" (3/5/99), definitely
IS worth writing up:
"FLIES:
- Little house fly (Fannia canicularis (L.))
- Latrine fly (Fannia scalaris (F.))
- House fly (Musca domestica (L.))
- Stable fly (Stomoxys calcitrans (L.))
- Cosmopolitan blue bottle fly (Calliphora vicina (Robineau-Desvoidy))
- Holarctic blue bottle fly (Calliphora vomitoria (L.))
- Oriental latrine fly (Chrysomya megacephala (F.))
- Blue bottle fly (Cynomyopsis cadaverina (R.-D.))
- Secondary screwworm (Cochliomyia macellaria (F.))
- Green bottle fly (Phaenicia sericata (Meigen))
- Black blow fly (Phormia regina (Meigen))
- Redtailed flesh fly (Sarcophaga haemorrhoidalis (Fallen))"
The Import Alert lists these flies as examples of insects that possess the 6 key
characteristics required to classify them as "disease-carrying". Quoting
again from the Import Alert:
"DISEASE-CARRYING INSECTS
A disease-carrying species of insect has ALL of the following attributes:
- Wild populations known to carry E. coli, Salmonella, and Shigella.
- Synanthropy (a preference to live in human settlements).
- Endophily (tendency to enter buildings).
- Communicative behavior (oscillating between filth and human food).
- Attraction to both human food and excrement or other pathogen reservoirs.
- Recognition by medical entomological authorities as a disease-carrying species."
(You may recognize this list from the abstract that introduces the Regulatory Action Criteria (III. Review of Flies and
Foodborne Enteric Disease).)
What does this tell you about the bottom line on flies and HACCP?
It is necessary to prevent the "dirty dozen" species on the list above from
accessing food at points after the biocidal steps designed to destroy the pathogens they
carry.
Since you can't control a hazard you don't know about, those bearing responsibility for
removing it must be able to:
- Accurately IDENTIFY these species.
- Determine and keep track of the numbers present in vulnerable areas.
- Efficiently and expeditiously reduce those numbers to acceptable levels utilizing
entomological knowledge of the species involved.
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