Food Safety & Quality

In response to increasing customer requirements for certifications and auditing systems, growers must develop robust on-farm programs to meet industry expectations for hops carrying the promise of quality and safety. Hop Growers of America has developed a self-assessment educational module, “Foundations of Food Safety”, to assist growers in the implementation of best practices for harvesting operations to ensure industry standards for food safety are achieved. The practices included in this module will establish the foundation for continued improvement, should your farming operation seek future certification under third-party audited and Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) programs, including GLOBALG.A.P.

FOOD SAFETY & QUALITY MODULE

Additional Educational Resources

Allergen Risk Assessment

Allergen risk evaluation and management is a requirement for Good Agricultural Practices for producers supplying ingredients for processing. Hop producers are an intricate supplier of ingredients used in the brewing of beer. Risk is defined as a measure of the likelihood of a hazard doing harm and how much potential harm the hazard introduces. The attached risk analysis is an estimate of the probability of an allergen being present because of the standard harvesting and handling practices of hops in the U.S.

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Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Points (HACCP) – Dried Whole Cone Hop Bales

Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point, or HACCP, is a system that provides a proactive, common-sense application to the safety management of our food products. HACCP is a systematic, scientific approach to the identification, evaluation, and control of food safety hazards. This HACCP Plan has been developed by M2-Ag Assurance, LLC, on behalf of Hop Growers of America as a tool for growers seeking continuous improvement of their food safety systems.

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