
Categories: DIGLIB
HACCP
HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) is an internationally recognized, preventive system designed to ensure food safety by identifying, evaluating, and controlling biological, chemical, and physical hazards in production. It replaces traditional end-product testing by focusing on proactive risk mitigation.Â
While HACCP itself is a methodology, ISO (International Organization for Standardization) integrates HACCP principles into formal, globally recognized management systems like ISO 22000.
The 7 Principles of HACCP
HACCP requires building a comprehensive food safety plan based on seven globally accepted principles:
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- Conduct a Hazard Analysis: Identify potential biological, chemical, or physical hazards that could make the food unsafe.
- Determine Critical Control Points (CCPs): Pinpoint the exact steps or processes in the production chain where controls can be applied to eliminate or minimize hazards.
- Establish Critical Limits: Set strict maximum or minimum limits for parameters like temperature, time, or pH to ensure hazards are controlled at each CCP.Â
- Establish Monitoring Procedures: Create a system of observations or measurements to ensure each CCP is strictly within its limits.
- Establish Corrective Actions: Define the exact steps to take if a CCP goes out of its critical limit.Â
- Establish Verification Procedures: Use testing, calibration, and audits to verify that the HACCP system is working effectively.
- Establish Record-Keeping: Maintain detailed documentation, charts, and logs to prove the system is continuously running as planned.Â
