HACCP Food Safety Management System

What is HACCP Food Safety Management System?

HACCP is an internationally used standard in food manufacturing, processing, treatment, and service organizations. This is an internationally recognized system for reducing the risk of safety hazards in food. The association with a quality management system enables the food industry to manage the safety of food products under a definite management system structure. Its principles require identifying the vital control points in the manufacturing or service progressions and set-ups up food safety controls.

TUV Austria Bureau of Inspection & Certification has developed a systematic specification of an operational system for audit and certification for the food manufacturing and service industries.

History of HACCP 

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of the United States of America sends space missions for various purposes.

• 1974 HACCP was included in regulations by USFDA for low acid canned foods.
• 1980 HACCP concept gained acceptance in many other food industries.

7 Principles of HACCP

1). Conduct a Hazard Analysis

• Physical Hazards.
• Dirt, animal hair, etc.
• Chemical Hazards.
• Pesticide residues, veterinary drug residues.
• Biological Hazards.

High contamination with bacteria, both pathogens, and non-pathogens.

1. The likely occurrence of hazards and severity of their adverse health effects.
2. The qualitative and /or quantitative evaluation of the presence of hazards.
3. Survival or multiplication of microorganisms of concern.
4. Production or persistence in foods of toxins, chemicals, or physical agents.

2). Determine the Critical Control Points CCPs)

• The acritical control point is a step in the process at which control can be applied.
• Control is essential to prevent or eliminate the hazard; in cases like pesticide residues, they should be brought to an acceptable level.
• To identify the critical control point for each of the hazards, a “decision tree” is provided.

3). Establish Critical Limits

• For each food hazard, there will be limits to distinguish from acceptable to unacceptable.
• Depending on the food product and food hazard, the limits will vary.
• For every critical control point, there should be a critical limit.

4). Establish a Monitoring System

• The mere establishment of critical limits is not enough; it needs to be monitored so that food hazards do not exceed the critical limits established.
• There should be an inbuilt mechanism to monitor the system.

5). Establish a Procedure for Corrective Action

• Principle 4 indicates the mechanism to monitor the critical limit for flood hazards.

6). Establish Procedures for Verification 

• Application of principles from 1 to 5 makes a plan for food processing.
• There is a need to verify that the entire plan is working as per the plan to ensure food safety.
• After the verification, procedures for verification, like auditing of the plan, random sampling, checking, etc., need to be established.

7). Establish Documentation Concerning all Procedures

• The last principle is actually documenting.
• Documentation of procedures, records, principles, and their application is proof of the implementation.

What is the Application of HACCP?

The application of HACCP is as follows:

1. Assemble the Team.
2. Describe Product.
3. Identify intended Use.
4. Conduct Flow Diagram.
5. On-Site Verification of flow diagram.
6. List all identified hazards associated with each step and consider preventative measures to control hazards.

1). Assembling the Team

• The food processing unit should be assured of the availability of food-specific knowledge and expertise to develop the plan.
• Expertise can be arranged from the outside.
• The scope of the plan should be identified.
• Each type of hazard, i.e., physical, chemical, and biological, may require different types of expertise and should be clearly identified.

2). Describing the Product

• The food product to be made by the food processing unit has to be fully described.
• The end product may not be the food product for direct consumption.
• It could be the raw material for another processing unit to make food products.

3). Identifying the Intended Use

The use of the final product produced in the processing unit and likely uses of the product need to be identified.

• How to transport?
• How to package?
• Quality.
• How to Store?
• Who will consume?
• How to consume?

4). Conducting Process Flow Diagram

• The team should prepare the unit’s process flow diagram, from receiving the raw material to the final product.
• All the processes in the entire chain have to be captured.
• Steps preceding and following every operation must be considered for making a process flow diagram.

5). Onsite Verification of Process Flow Diagram

• The next step in the application’s logic sequence is verifying the process flow diagram by physically visiting all the places in the processing unit.
• This exercise should also capture the time taken by each operation.
• At the end of verification, if there are any corrections to be made to the process of the flow diagram, it should be done.

What are the Prerequisites for the Application of HACCP?

This is not a standalone program; it needs some basic requirements before it can be applied in any setup.

1). Construction, Layout, and facilities of premises

• Good Hygienic design and construction, appropriate location, and the provision of adequate facilities are necessary to enable hazards to be effectively controlled. Supplies of Water.

2). Supplier control and management of materials

• An adequate supply of potable water, with appropriate facilities for its storage, distribution, and temperature control, should be available whenever necessary to ensure the safety and suitability of food.

3). Waste Disposal

• Proper drainage and waste disposal systems and facilities should be provided.
• Drainage and disposable waste systems must be designed and constructed to avoid the risk of contaminating food or the potable water supply.

4). Cleaning and Sanitizing

• Properly designed systems should be provided for cleaning food, utensils, and equipment.

5). Pest Control

• Pests are a major threat to the safety and suitability of food.

6). Personal Hygiene

• Personal Cleanliness.
• Health status of the food handler.
• Personal Behavior.

7). Transportation

• Factors influencing food safety during transport include vehicle cleanliness, dust fumes, temperature, humidity, separation from food to nonfood, etc.

8). Traceability Systems

• It is the ability to track any food through all production, processing, and distribution stages.
• Traceability means that food movements can be traced one step backward and one step forward at any point in the supply chain.

9). Recall Procedures

• If a problem arises, there should be a mechanism with a food processing unit to retrieve food products from the food supply chain.

10). Training

• To successfully implement the plan, trained manpower at all levels is required.
• All personnel working in food processing needs to be trained, and the training needs vary from cadre to cadre.

What are the benefits of the Application of HACCP to the Industry?

• In conventional end-product testing, there is a risk of losing the entire product batch if it fails to meet the product specifications/standards.
• Applying HACCP assures the production of safer and low business risk and compliance with regulations.
• The staff is clear about food safety requirements with proper documentation, improving time management.

HACCP Benefits to Customers

The risk from food hazards is reduced for the consumers if they consume HACCP-certified foods, thereby increasing consumer confidence in food.

HACCP Benefits to the Government

• Applying HACCP in the food industry helps the government in more than one way.
• It helps efficient food control and reduces health care costs due to improved public health.
• Assured safe food supplies and facilitated better international food trade.

In Addition, to HACCP audits, TUV Austria BIC. also offers a range of complimentary services:

• ISO Certifications
• ISO 9001 – Quality Management System
• ISO 14001 – Environmental Management System
• ISO 45001 – Occupational Health & Safety Management System
• ISO 50001 – Energy Management System
• ISO 27001 – Information Security Management System
• ISO 20000 – IT Service Management System
• ISO 22000 – Food Safety Management System
• FSSC 22000 – Food Safety System Certification
• ISO 21001 – Educational Organizations Management System
• ISO 29990 – Learning Services Management System
• ISO 20121 – Sustainability Event Management System
• ISO 22301 – Business Continuity Management System
• ISO 37001 – Anti-Bribery Management System
• ISO 28000 – Supply Chain Security Management System
• ISO 13485 – Quality Management Systems for Medical Devices
• ISO 39001 – Road Traffic Safety Management System
• ISO 31000 – Risk Management – Guidelines
• ISO 22716 – Good Manufacturing Practices for Cosmetics
• ISO 3834 – Quality Requirements for Fusion Welding of Metallic Materials
• Halal Certification
• “Covid-Shield” Certification
• GlobalG.A.P. Certification
• IFS Certification Services

FAQ’s

What does HACCP Stand for?

HACCP Stands for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point.

What do you mean by HACCP?

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.

What are the types of Hazards?

• Biological Hazard.
• Chemical Hazard.
• Physical Hazard.

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