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The acronym HACCP stands for “Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point”. HACCP is a food safety management system that is increasingly utilized in all aspects of the food industry. The objectives of this overview are to introduce the topic and to summarize the key components of a HACCP program. HACCP is a system that relies on process controls to minimize food safety risks in the food processing industry. It is useful to think of HACCP as a preventative food safety system and not a traditional quality control inspection system. HACCP is not zero risk and does not eliminate the possibility of a hazard getting into the food product. Rather, HACCP attempts to decrease that possibility to an acceptable level.
HACCP The concept was developed in the 1950s by the Pillsbury Company, while it was working with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and U.S. Army Laboratories to provide safe food for space expeditions. The limitations of end-product testing became evident to those who were trying to provide the safest possible food products. To ensure that food used for space missions would be safe, NASA would need to test almost all manufactured products, leaving little for use. A new approach was needed. The practical and proactive system of HACCP evolved from these efforts to understand and control food safety failures. HACCP has been widely used by industry since the late 1970s and is now internationally recognized as the best system for ensuring food safety. It is endorsed by the United Nations (U.N.) Food and Agricultural Organization and the World Health Organization and in the U.S. by the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods.
HACCP is constructed based on the below 7 principles
Principle 1:
Perform a hazard analysis. Potential hazards associated with a food are identified, along with measures to control those hazards.
Principle 2:
After evaluating all processing steps, determine the critical control points (CCPs). CCPs are points in a food’s production and processing when significant hazards can be controlled or eliminated.
Principle 3:
Establish critical limits for each CCP. Each CCP must operate within specific parameters to ensure the hazard is being appropriately and effectively controlled.
Principle 4:
Set up systems to monitor each CCP. Monitoring involves defining how the CCPs will be assessed, monitoring at the appropriate time intervals, determining who will perform the monitoring, and maintaining proper monitoring records.
Principle 5:
Establish corrective actions. When a critical limit is not met (a process deviation), proper actions must be taken. These can be both short- and long-term corrective actions. Appropriate records must be maintained.
Principle 6:
Establish verification procedures. Verification is used to confirm that the system is working properly and that procedures outlined in the HACCP plan are being followed.
Principle 7:
Maintain records and other documentation. This includes all records required in the various parts of the HACCP plan, as well as other key records such as sanitation logs, supplier agreements, and shipping documents.
How to implement HACCP?
- Kick off Meeting
Kickoff is the first and key meeting with the process owners and Top Management. This meeting introduces the process owners of the team and drives to discuss on the HACCP project plan, roles and responsibilities of the HACCP consultant and process owners.
- Awareness program
Awareness program is an interactive program designed to provide all the team members with the basic elements on what is HACCP, standard and implementation items.
- Gap Analysis
Gap analysis is a tool used to analyze the current performance and performance expected. The gap items are then escalated to the process owners and top management. Consultant will put forward a report on what steps should be taken to meet the performance expected.
- Documentation Training
Documentation training is an interactive program designed to provide the process owners/document controller on how to frame a standard operating procedure (SOP) and records (Evidence).
The same will be explained using the standard template designed by the HACCP consultant specifically for the organization and opted standard.
- Documentation Review
Document review is a formal assessment performed to check how well the team has framed the standard operating procedure and records. If any gap is noticed during the review, consultant shall feed in the change items to process owners.
- Internal Audit Training
Internal audit is a simple and effective tool available in the HACCP to check on how strong the system/process is constructed .The consultant will deliver an interactive program on how to perform and who all will be performing the internal audit.
- Internal Audit
A simple and effective tool available in HACCP, performed to check on how strong the system / process is constructed. This activity is performed by the process owners with the help of HACCP consultant. If any to be changed/improved items are picked during the audit, the items are pushed to Management for the corrective action.
- Management Review Meeting
Internal Audit gap and to be improved items are discussed with top management and process owners to take effective action on the same.
- Shade Audit
Consultant will perform a pre-assessment to check on if the system is in compliance with the Standard, Customer, legal and organization requirements. This is performed before the External Audit.
- External Audit
Final assessment on the system is performed by a certified Auditor. HACCP consultant will assist the team during the audit.
Advantages of attracting HACCP
- Attract Tender /Contract
The primary reason to attract HACCP in any location and by businesses is to maximize the business opportunity by attracting tenders/contracts.
- Improvement of customer satisfaction
One of the key elements in this international standard is to improve customer satisfaction. By improving the satisfaction level customer retention is at higher side, such customers help directly or indirectly in generating more business.
- Increase your credibility and image
By getting your business HACCP certified, credibility and image of your brand runs up sharp in the international and domestic market. When a company is looking for supplier or service provider, it is often a requirement to have a clean system in order to consider.
- Improvement of employee satisfaction
The staff is highly satisfied and pumped up once there are clean roles, responsibility and accountability, a well defined show of how the roles of the staff create a impact on quality and overall success. This international standard will help organization frame up a structure that helps staffs morale increase.
- Increased business
Research has proven that HACCP certified companies have shown improvements in the area of finance. The HACCP certified image attracts more business in both domestic and international market.
- Process Consistency
A well documented system helps in minimizing process related errors. Even a minor change in the process has to be documented and implemented in best possible pattern.
How to get HACCP certification ?
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