Wondering What HACCP is?
Have you been asked by a lucrative client to obtain HACCP certification and find yourself wondering, “What is HACCP”? HACCP, which stands for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points, is a globally recognised food safety certification. This standard helps businesses identify, evaluate, and control hazards that pose a risk to food safety. However, it isn’t just for food producers; it also applies to related industries, such as pest control services, packaging manufacturers, and transportation companies.
To achieve HACCP certification, businesses need to create and implement a comprehensive food safety management plan. Think of this plan as the bible of the HACCP certification. It contains everything the business does to uphold the values and expectations required of a certified business.
The HACCP standard is a science-based, systematic approach that pinpoints specific hazards and implements measures to control them, ensuring the safety of food. Unlike traditional methods that rely on end-product testing, this standard focuses on prevention. It can be applied throughout the entire food chain, from primary production to final consumption, and its implementation is guided by scientific evidence of risks to human health.
Examples of Hazards and Control Measures:
- Biological Hazards: Bacteria, viruses, and parasites.
- Control Measure: Proper cooking and refrigeration.
- Chemical Hazards: Pesticides, allergens, and food additives.
- Control Measure: Proper storage and labeling.
- Physical Hazards: Metal fragments, glass, and plastic.
- Control Measure: Equipment maintenance and inspection.
By identifying and controlling these hazards, the certification process helps ensure that food products are safe for consumption, protecting both consumers and businesses.
The 7 Principles of HACCP
The HA is used to identify potential microbiological, physical, chemical and allergen hazards that may be reasonably expected to occur at each process step. Allergen cross-contamination risk is also included. Regulatory / legal and quality hazards and issues at each step shall also be considered.
The HA includes:
• The likely occurrence of hazards and severity / consequence of their adverse health effects or effect on product quality or regulatory • compliance
• Qualitative and/or quantitative evaluation of the presence of hazards
• Survival or multiplication of micro-organisms
• Production, persistence or cross contamination of toxins, chemicals or physical agents
If there are hazards at particular steps that are deemed as significant, then it needs to be determined if the step is a Critical Control Points (CCP), Quality Control Points (QCP) or Regulatory Control Points (RCP).
Steps that are not a CCP / QCP or RCP but still need to be controlled are control points (CP) and are to be controlled through the established Food Safety & Quality Program.
Critical Limits separate acceptability from unacceptability. CCPs are based on:
• Established food safety principles or published research
• Legislative requirements
CPs shall be measurable/quantitative. Where possible, Action Limits shall be set that allow sufficient time for corrective actions to be taken before CCP critical limits are breached. The accuracy / precision / tolerance of monitoring equipment shall be taken into account when setting critical limits and action limits.
Monitoring procedures are the planned sequence of observations or measurements of CCP control measures. Monitoring systems shall be able to detect loss of control at the CCP, and shall provide this information in time for corrective action to be taken to regain control of the process, and to identify, segregate and reject product before it is dispatched.
The documented monitoring system for each CCP shall define:
• Responsibility – job title of the individual who will carry out the monitoring
• Frequency – if not continuous then at a frequency sufficient to ensure that the CCP is under control.
• Method – detailed specification or procedure
• Records to be kept – include action limits and critical limits, result of monitoring activity, signature of responsible person and verification countersignature.
As with any control process corrective actions need to be taken when monitoring indicates a trend towards loss of control (action limits breached) or a breach of CCP critical limits. The corrective actions will differ slightly depending on which limit is breached:
Where Action limits are breached corrective actions should include:
• Immediate action to re-establish control before the deviation leads to a CCP breach
• Responsibility for the corrective action
Where Critical limits are breached corrective actions should include:
• Immediate action to re-establish control
• Identification of all product produced since critical limit was breached (since last in control monitoring result)
• Disposition of affected product
• Responsibility for the corrective action
As corrective actions are implemented it is important that they are verified to ensure they are achieving the desired results. Verification to confirm the system is working effectively shall include:
• Microbiological and chemical testing (where applicable) to confirm CCPs, QCPs and RCPs are in control. The schedule includes the type and frequency of testing which has been determined by the risk nature of the products and processes, and covers all finished products.
• Shelf-life validations covering both microbiological and sensory testing (where applicable). The schedule includes the type and frequency of testing.
• Physical assessments of products against specifications. Methods for assessment, responsibilities and frequency of assessment are defined.
• Reviewing internal incidents, non-conforming product records, customer complaints, withdrawals or recalls relating to food safety, quality or legality.
• Internal audits of CCP monitoring and corrective action records
It is important to be able to demonstrate that the principles of HACCP have been correctly applied and this is done through documentation and record keeping. These records should include:
• The HACCP Plan, Objectives, Scope, Regulatory & Customer Requirements
• HACCP Development Team Meeting Minutes
• Finished Product Descriptions
• Process Flow Diagrams
• Hazard Analysis
• CCP Determination and Validation
• Critical Limit / Action Limit Determination
• CCP Monitoring Procedures and Corrective Action Procedures
Documentation should also exist to demonstrate that the HACCP Plan has been effectively managed and implemented. This should include:
• CCP Monitoring Records
• Corrective Action Records
• HACCP Training records and competency assessments for operators, supervisors and managers
Evidence of HACCP management including: Verification Schedule and Records
• Team Meeting Minutes
• Modification records
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Food Safety Certification
HACCP Food Safety Certification is all about food safety management a fundamental approach to managing risk. Learn more about HACCP.
Why do I need HACCP Food Certification?
This capability is reviewed by an independent third party prior to any certifications being issued. This is where the value in the certification lies. Consumers and customers can take assurance that the processes in place meet the requirements of established best practice.
What are the benefits of getting HACCP certified?
This is where the value in the certification lies. Consumers and customers can take assurance that the processes in place meet the requirements of established best practice.
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Achieving certification is a lot easier than you might think, We take you through the easy audit process from your initial enquiry to the final certification decision.
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