HACCP economics in fish processing plants

This paper is aimed to show in a quantitative way the tech-economic advantages of applying a HACCP-based system in fish processing plants with a focus on the quality costs methodology. Quality costs before and after HACCP implementation at three fish processing plants located in Latin America are analyzed. The problems encountered and the resulting benefits are also described. Some of the findings demonstrate that a HACCP-based system implementation reduces failure costs, improves quality, and allows for better knowledge of production planning and control, showing that in the first years of HACCP implementation, when failure costs are over 80% of TQC, each dollar expended in controllable costs returns more than two dollars in failure savings.