HACCP - Introduction
HACCP is an acronym, which stands for Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point. It is an internationally recognized system for preventing and managing food safety hazards. It looks at the different hazards that could enter food production processes and how these can be controlled and managed to prevent illness and injury to customers. It is a system that can be used throughout the whole supply chain, i.e. from farm to fork.
Why is HACCP used?
There are many hazards that can enter the foods that we eat. These hazards have the potential to cause injury and illness.
HACCP identifies the things that could go wrong in food processes and puts a plan in place to prevent unsafe food from reaching consumers. It focuses on preventing food safety hazards throughout the entire supply chain, e.g. from raw ingredients to finished products. If hazards are identified and controlled early in the process, this will prevent harm to consumers.
HACCP is used, as it is a system that works.
Why and when was HACCP formed?
HACCP was developed in the USA in the 1960s. The concept was born from research into food safety associated with the first attended space missions. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Pillsbury Company and the US Army Laboratories collaborated on this, as food safety was identified as a significant risk to space flights. If astronauts fell ill in space, this would have put their lives and the mission at risk.
After the successful space food safety project, and after several high-profile food safety incidents in the USA, a training programmed was set up for Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspectors. The programmed was named Food Safety through the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point System. It was the first time the term HACCP was used.
HACCP was adopted for food safety in the USA in the 1970s. Its use then spread across the USA and Europe in the 1980s. In the 1990s, the World Health Organization (WHO) advocated the HACCP system in response to rising food poisoning cases globally. The first HACCP guidelines were also issued by the Codex Alimentarius Commission.
What is a HACCP hazard?
A hazard is something that has the potential to cause harm. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) defines a food hazard as:
“Something that could make food unsafe or unfit to eat”.
HACCP will apply to all food safety hazards. There are four different types which can cause food contamination, and these are as follows:
Biological – These hazards occur when microorganisms contaminate our food, e.g.:
- Bacteria, e.g. salmonella and campylobacter.
- Fungi, e.g. yeasts and molds.
- Viruses, e.g. norovirus.
- Parasites, e.g. worms and protozoa.
These microorganisms can cause food-borne illness, including food poisoning. You can learn more about biological hazards and food poisoning here.
Chemical – These hazards can be naturally occurring, or they can be human-made. They are sometimes added intentionally for taste and preservation purposes, e.g. sodium nitrates. Some chemicals can also be added unintentionally, which can contaminate the food we eat, e.g. hazardous substances, toxins and excess chemicals used in food processing. Sometimes allergenic hazards are included in the chemical category.
Physical – These hazards are foreign materials and objects that can enter the food we eat. They can injure the mouth, teeth and may even result in choking, e.g.:
- Naturally occurring physical hazards, e.g. fruit pips and stones, bones in meat and fish and shells from nuts.
- Unnatural hazards, e.g. stones and pebbles, human hair, fingernails (including false fingernails), plastic, glass and wood.
Allergenic – These hazards are caused by food allergens, which can result in severe and dangerous reactions in some people. There are 14 recognized allergens. You can learn more about allergens and the law here.
What is a HACCP plan?
A HACCP plan is defined in Codex as:
“A document prepared in accordance with the principles of HACCP to ensure control of hazards which are significant for food safety in the segment of the food chain under consideration”.
According to Codex, there are 12 tasks involved in developing a HACCP plan.
These tasks are split into two main steps:
- Preliminary tasks – Preparing for the application and implementation of the seven HACCP principles.
- Applying the HACCP principles – Once the preliminary tasks have been completed, the seven HACCP principles can be applied and implemented.
Food businesses can choose between two different types of HACCP plan:
- A linear plan, which looks at the whole process for each product, e.g. from raw materials to the finished product. The process flows in a simple line.
- A modular plan, which looks at parts of the process in separation, e.g. activities are separated into modules each with a separate plan.
What is a HACCP system?
A HACCP system is the result of the implementation of the HACCP plan. In large and more complex organizations, their HACCP systems are likely to be part of their formal food safety management systems.
For a HACCP system to work, there needs to be a commitment from management within the business. It also requires the cooperation of everyone involved in the preparation and handling of food.
What are the HACCP prerequisites?
Before a HACCP system can be implemented, food businesses must have prerequisites in place. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines these as:
“Practices and conditions needed prior to and during the implementation of HACCP and which are essential for food safety”.
Prerequisites, or prerequisite programmers (PRPs), are general basic hygiene measures that all food businesses must have in place. They act as a foundation for effective food safety management procedures based on the HACCP principles. Without prerequisites, a HACCP system cannot be implemented successfully.
Some examples of prerequisites are:
- Supplier approvals.
- Cross-contamination and cross-contact.
- Cleaning and disinfecting.
- Personal hygiene.
- Staff training.
Prerequisites are also known as good hygiene practices (GHPs) or good manufacturing practices (GMP).
What are the preliminary tasks of a HACCP plan?
The preliminary tasks are the initial stages of a HACCP plan, which involves the following:
1. Assembling a HACCP team.
2. Describing the product.
3. Identifying the product’s intended use.
4. Constructing a flow diagram.
5. Confirmation of the flow diagram.
These tasks are also known as preliminary steps, which are documented in Codex. It is an information-gathering exercise, which is important and necessary for the development of the HACCP plan.
What are the HACCP principles?
For food businesses to comply with the law, they must have food safety procedures or a system based on the principles of HACCP.
There are seven HACCP principles, which are:
1. Identifying hazards by conducting a hazard analysis.
2. Determining the critical control points (CCPs).
3. Establishing critical limits.
4. Establishing a monitoring system.
5. Establishing a corrective action plan.
6. Establishing validation, verification and review procedures.
7. Establishing record-keeping procedures.
All of these principles must be included and should be applied in order; from one to seven.
To control food safety hazards successfully, these principles must be implemented, monitored and reviewed.
What is a HACCP critical control point?
A critical control point (CCP) is a step at which control can be applied and is essential to prevent or eliminate a food safety hazard or reduce it to an acceptable level. An example of a CCP would be thermal processing, such as cooking and re-heating.
The second HACCP principle requires food businesses to determine the critical control points (CCPs). The CCPs can be determined by using a decision tree.
What is a HACCP decision tree?
A decision tree is used to determine whether hazards require critical control points (CCPs). It is not mandatory to use decision trees in HACCP. However, they are a useful tool that can assist the HACCP team.
A decision tree is typically in the form of a flow chart that indicates whether a hazard requires a CCP or not. It requires answers to several yes/no questions to determine whether a step is critical to food safety.
What is a HACCP critical limit?
A critical limit is established for each critical control point (CCP), which is the third HACCP principle. It is the maximum and/or minimum value to which a biological, chemical or physical parameter must be controlled at a CCP.
This is to prevent, eliminate or reduce a food safety hazard. For example, cooking a chicken would be the CCP. To ensure that it is safe to eat, it would require a specified time and temperature to kill bacteria such as salmonella.
Who uses HACCP?
All food businesses must have a food safety management system, which is based on the principles of HACCP. Therefore, HACCP will be used by all types of food businesses, such as manufacturers, retailers and caterers. HACCP can also be used for other products, such as animal feeds and cosmetics.
HACCP is used by businesses globally, as it is an internationally recognized and accepted system for controlling food safety hazards.
What are the advantages of HACCP?
A well-developed and fully implemented HACCP system has many advantages, such as:
- It identifies, prioritizes and controls food safety hazards to ensure that food is safe to consume; thereby preventing illness and injury to customers.
- It ensures that businesses are compliant with food safety laws. It can also provide evidence of due diligence in the event of legal action.
- It prevents the costs associated with customer complaints, the recall of products and the destruction of stock.
- It gives customers confidence that food is safe and is fit for consumption. It can also improve the hygiene rating of a food establishment.
Summary
HACCP prevented astronauts from getting sick in space and, very quickly, its benefits began to receive global recognition. Since its inception, HACCP has improved food safety and hygiene globally by focusing on controlling the hazards that can enter the food chain. That is why it has been incorporated into laws around the world.
Even with HACCP, there are still cases of food-borne illness, injury and allergic reactions as a result of unsafe food being consumed. That is why it is of vital importance that the principles of HACCP are properly implemented, followed and monitored. Everyone who works in a food business, from farm to fork, has a responsibility to ensure that the food being produced and processed is safe for consumers.
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