HACCP, Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point is an internationally recognized system for reducing the risk of safety hazards in food.
HACCP
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HIGHLIGHTS
OVERVIEW
HACCP is a management system in which food safety is addressed through the analysis and control of biological, chemical, and physical hazards from raw material production, procurement and handling, to manufacturing, distribution and consumption of the finished product. For successful implementation of a HACCP plan, management must be strongly committed to the HACCP concept. A firm commitment to HACCP by top management provides company employees with a sense of the importance of producing safe food.
The HACCP system has two major components.The HA of HACCP represents the logic in the hazard analysis which identifies the where and how of hazards. The CCP of HACCP represents the critical control points that provide the control of the process and the proof of the control. The end objective of HACCP is to make the product as safe as possible and to be able to prove that the product was processed as safe as possible. This does not mean that HACCP provides 100% assurance of food safety to consumers, but does mean that a processing company is doing the best job possible for safe food production.
PROCESS
1. Conduct a Hazard Analysis
Identify where hazards can be introduced
2. Identify Critical Control Points
Find out the Control Point & Preventive Measure
3. Establish Critical Limits
Permissible Value to which Parameters must be controlled
4. Monitoring Procedures
Establish Monitoring Procedures
5.Corrective Action
Establish Corrective Action Plan
6. Record Keeping
Establish Record Keeping Procedures
7. Verification
Establish Verification Procedures
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. What is HACCP?
HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point. A food safety management system based on the principles of HACCP is a systematic approach to identifying and controlling hazards, whether microbiological, chemical or physical, that could pose a threat to the production of safe food – in simple terms, it involves identifying what could go wrong in a food system and planning how to prevent it.
2. Is HACCP a legal requirement for all food businesses?
Yes. Since 1998 it has been a legal requirement for all food businesses to have a food safety management system based on the principles of HACCP. Under current legislation, a “food business” is defined as “…any undertaking, whether for profit or not and whether public or private, carrying out any or all of the following: preparation, processing, manufacturing, packaging, storing, transportation, distribution, handling or offering for sale or supply of foodstuffs”.
3. Is there flexibility in relation to compliance with the HACCP requirement?
Yes, there is certain flexibility in relation to compliance with the HACCP requirement. The legislation recognises that in food businesses undertaking low-risk activities, the prerequisite programmes (PRPs) are sufficient to control food safety without the need to develop HACCP based procedures. For more information on HACCP flexibility please refer to Guidance Note No. 11 Assessment of HACCP Compliance (Revision 2)
4.What are prerequisite hygiene requirements?
All food businesses have to comply with the prerequisite hygiene requirements which are set out in the food hygiene legislation (Regulation EC (No) 852/2004/EC) under Article 4 and in Annex II. In some cases, complying with these prerequisites may be all that is required for a food business to meet their HACCP requirement.
5 .What are the steps involved in HACCP?
There are seven HACCP principles which must be considered when developing a food safety management system:
1. Identify what could go wrong (the hazards)
2. Identify the most important points where things can go wrong (the critical control points – CCPs)
3. Set critical limits at each CCP (e.g. cooking temperature/time)
4. Carry out checks at CCPs to prevent problems occurring (monitoring)
5. Decide what to do if something goes wrong (corrective action)
6. Prove that your HACCP Plan is working (verification) and
7. Keep records of all of the above (documentation)
6. When my HACCP plan is complete do I ever need to review it?
Your HACCP plan must be kept up to date. You will need to review it from time to time, especially whenever something in your food operation changes, for example, if you decide to start hot holding food you will need to update your plan to include this additional step.
7. Is there any resource available to help me set up my own HACCP plan?
The FSAI published the Safe Catering Pack which is a tool to help caterers develop a system to manage food safety and comply with the food hygiene regulations. It presents options for businesses to choose how they are going to do this. The pack has been developed with help and expertise from the food industry and Environmental Health Officers. It is based on the principles of HACCP.