Food Safety Management Systems (FSMSs) have been in effect worldwide for the better part of the 20th century, and they continue to be an imperative part of the food and beverage ecosystem. Adherence to an FSMS helps food businesses prove to inspectors and auditors that they are operating safely and according to regulations or code. In a census conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety Inspection and Service (USDA-FSIS), it was estimated that 7.6 million food safety inspections were conducted in the U.S. in 2022 alone.1
Among the most common FSMS systems is HACCP, or Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points, which is considered one of the cornerstones of food safety science.2 Created in the 1960s by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Pillsbury Company, HACCP plans have been implemented by millions of food establishments across the globe, with countries like Australia, Canada, and Japan considering HACCP implementation a mandatory legal requirement for food businesses.3