Mandatory aspects of the seafood HACCP system for the USA, Mexico and Europe

The seafood HACCP system is integrated into the official regulations of different countries. These regulations are based on the seven principles of HACCP, but they present important differences in scope and format of the prerequisite programs, technical recommendations and content of the HACCP plan. This paper analyses the official HACCP regulations that affect the seafood industry in Mexico, USA and the European Union and highlights such differences and their consequences on hazard analysis and HACCP implementation. The main differences found refer to the content and scope of the plan and the way, in which, prerequisite programs are to be implemented, documented and verified.