HACCP industry application in Thailand

Thai Union Frozen Products (TUF) is a frozen seafood processor under the umbrella of Thai Union Group. With over 3,000 employees, TUF's products are quite different from others in the industry; TTJF originated from a canned tuna company of the Thai Union Group. Our four main product lines are frozen precooked tuna loins for reprocessing, frozen fish fillets, frozen black tiger shrimp, and canned pet food. Since 1991, we have actively exported frozen fish and fish fillets to the US market. During this period, we have worked closely with US importers. On several occasions we were told the importance of the HACCP program and our clients asked us to learn about it and apply it to processing. We also received information from various seafood magazines and other publications, such as those from the National Fisheries Institute, of which we are a member. In mid-1993, USFDA, together with Thailand government agencies, organized a seminar introducing "HACCP" to the food industry in Thailand. We are very excited to be one of the few factories selected to join the pilot program. As a company of the Thai Union Group, quality is our top priority. Thus, we made every effort to study the objectives and details of the program. The implementation of an effective HACCP plan became our company policy regardless of the uncertainty of how to apply it. This kind of commitment is essential, because the development and implementation of this plan required the participation of all employees, from all levels. In mid-1994, we started developing the HACCP plan. During the early stage we hired experts and a consulting firm as advisors, worked closely with DOF Thailand, and formed a working team, assigning them to attend seminars and workshops, locally and in the U.S. It took us over a year to develop a HACCP plan that was specifically designed for our unique operation and situation. In late 1995, our plan was verified by the DOF Thailand.