What is HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) - FOODZAQ

Hello friends , Today I am going to share about HACCP. Did you know HACCP full form? Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point. It is a food safety management system followed by food industries globally to ensure food safety. I got HACCP level 3 certification for food manufacturing from highfield qualifications at 2020. Highfield is the only Awarding Organization to offer the Level 4 International Award in Managing HACCP for Catering. Achievement of a Highfield HACCP qualification will give learners a firm understanding of the principles of HACCP and ensure the cost-effective implementation of a food-safety management system. 

This Level 3 HACCP training course is intended to make learners comprehend important aspects of a successful HACCP food safety management structure. The course trains candidates enhance their skills to follow HACCP panning process and helps them to identify food safety hazards, to use appropriate control measures and ensure that HACCP system works effectively.

It’s suggested that candidates first take the Level 3 Supervising Food Safety course before joining Level 3 HACCP training, as they will be able to grasp the subject more clearly.

You can use this certification for career growth or as a matter of evidence for compliance and audit purposes.
These HACCP courses are accredited by the prestigious UK-based CPD Certification Service which means that the curriculum is in agreement with the universally accepted Continuous Professional Development (CPD) principles.
The Level 3 HACCP Training Course has been analyses and certified by the Environmental Health Officers, who have reviewed all the training materials independently and verified for having necessary information and details required for this level of training.

HACCP

HACCP is a food safety management system that identify, evaluate and control hazards that are significant for food safety. 

• HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point
• Food Safety management system means the policies, procedure, practices and documentation that ensure safeness of food sold by a business.
• Safe Food means food which is free of contaminants and will not cause harm, injury or illness. 

Benefits Of HACCP In Food Industry

• Reduce food safety incidents
• Protect brand image
• Cost effective: avoid recall, reduce waste
• It compliance with law

HAZARDS

hazard is anything with the potential to cause harm. There are mainly 4 types of hazards in a food industry.

1. Biological Hazards : Causes  food borne illness 
2. Physical Hazards : Causes  broken teeth, internal injury
3. Chemical Hazards : Causes  food poisoning, chronic illness 
4.  Allergenic Hazards : Causes immune reactions 

Contamination

The presence or introduction of hazards into food. Major contamination sources are water, air, dust, equipment, sewage, insects, rodents, and employees. Contamination of raw materials can also occur from the soil, sewage, live animals, external surface, and the internal organs of meat animals.

Cross Contamination

Transfer of bacteria from raw food to ready-to-eat food. It occurs when juices from raw meats or germs from unclean objects touch cooked or ready-to-eat foods. By following a few simple steps as you shop, store, cook, and transport foods, you can greatly reduce your risk of food poisoning.

Prerequisite Programs

The hygiene practices that must be done in a business before implementing HACCP. 

prerequisite program is a program that addresses situations within the operation that ensure that possible hazards are controlled. Effective prerequisite programs are directly linked not only to the control of identified hazards but also to the effectiveness of the HACCP program overall.

Principles of HACCP

 7 HACCP Principles as defined as defined by Codex

1. Hazard analysis
2. Determine critical control point ( ccp )
3. Establish critical limit
4. Monitor and control
5. Take corrective actions when ccp is not under control. 
6. Verification
7. Documentation

Steps of HACCP

1. Assemble HACCP team
2. Describe the product or process
3. Identify intended use of products
4. Construct flow diagram
5. Validation of flow diagram
6. Hazard analysis
7. Determine critical control point 
8. Establish critical limit
9. Monitor and control
10. Corrective action
11. Verification 
12. Documentation

 1. Assemble HACCP Team

Typical roles within the HACCP team might include:

• Technical Manager: Member of administrative and technical groups. ...
• Consultant: Member of technical group. ...
• Production Supervisor: Member of operational group. ...
• Quality assurance technician: Member of administrative group

2. Describe the product or process

The HACCP team must make a complete description of each food product - including all ingredients/processing methods/packaging materials/etc. used in the formulation of the product - to assist in the identification of all possible hazards associated with the product.

3. Identify the intended use of product

The intended use of the product refers to its normal use by end-users or consumers. The HACCP team must specify where the product will be sold, as well as the target group, especially if it happens to be a sensitive portion of the population (i.e. elderly, immune-suppressed, pregnant women and infants)

4. Construct flow diagram

A complete flow diagram is an important step to making sure all hazards are identified. A flow diagram is a document that should consist of every aspect or activity of a production process in making a product

5. Validation of flow diagram

Once the flow diagram is completed, it needs to be verified. Verification of the flow chart may be the most important part, because a missed step could result in a hazard not being identified. ... As part of a HACCP plan, USDA requires a flow diagram with critical control points (CCPs) identified on the document.

6. Hazard analysis

Analysis of food process to eliminate physical, chemical, biological and allergic hazards. The purpose of the hazard analysis is to develop a list of hazards which are of such significance that they are reasonably likely to cause injury or illness if not effectively controlled. Hazards that are not reasonably likely to occur would not require further consideration within a HACCP plan.

7. Determine Critical Control Point (CCP)

 It is the step to prevent or eliminate food safety hazards or reduce in to acceptable level. The identification of a critical control point is based on the CCP decision tree. The first step in the CCP decision tree is to determine whether any preventive measures exist for this particular hazard. For example, one possible hazard at a restaurant is food-borne illness from undercooked pork.

8. Establish critical limit

The value of monitored action, which separates the acceptable from unacceptable called Critical Limit. Each CCP should have at least one critical limit. Critical limits must be something that can be monitored by measurement or observation. They must be scientifically and/or regulatory based. Examples include: temperature, time, pH, water activity or available chlorine.

9. Monitor and Control

Monitoring is a plan which includes observations or measurements to assess whether the CCP is being met. It provides a record of the “flow of food” through the establishment. If monitoring indicates that the critical limits are not being met, then an action must be taken to bring the process back into control.

 10. Corrective action

The action to be taken when critical limit is braked. it should bring the CCP under control. For example, putting out a fire in the office is a correction. This action eliminates the problem. Corrective actions, on the other hand, eliminate the root cause of the problem, preventing future issues. The corresponding corrective actions, then, address the root cause of the fire, such as fixing old wiring.

11. Verification

HACCP verification is defined as those activities, other than monitoring, that establish the validity of the HACCP plan and ensure that the HACCP system is operating according to the plan.

12. Documentation

Written records provide documentation of the Food Safety/HACCP plan, and demonstrate that critical limits have been met, and appropriate corrective actions and verification procedures have been taken. Four types of records that are required include: HACCP Plan and supporting documentation. CCP Monitoring Records.

Guys, I hope this blog will useful for students as well as food technologists. If you like my article , you can also read my previous blogs related to food safety. If you have any suggestion or query please feel free to comment below. Thank You