HACCP-1st part

Application of the HACCP Principles

n Assemble HACCP team

n Describe product

n Identify intended use

n Construct flow diagram

n Onsite confirmation of flow diagram

n List all potential hazards

n Conduct a hazard analysis

n Consider control measures

n Determine CCP s

n Establish critical limits for each CCP

n Establish a monitoring system for each CCP

n Establish corrective actions

n Establish verification procedures

n Establish documentation and record keeping

Assemble HACCP team

n It should be a multidisciplinary team

n They should have the knowledge and expertise to develop a HACCP plan

n It includes personnel from production, lab, Q.A, engineering , inspection etc

Ideally it should not contain more than 6 members.

Team composition

n The team should have a co- ordinator.

n While selecting the team, the co- ordinator should focus on :

Ø Those who will be involved in hazard identification

Ø Those who will be involved in determination of critical points

Ø Those who will monitor critical control points.

Ø Those who will verify operations at critical control points.

Ø Those who will examine samples and perform verification procedures.

Ø One of the first tasks of the team should be to identify the scope of the HACCP plan.

Ø The team should

Ø Limit the study to a specific product and process

Ø Define the types of hazards to be included

Ø Define the part of the food chain to be studied.

Ø The team members should be trained on the Codex General Principles of Food Hygiene and guidelines for application of HACCP systems to ensure that the team will work together with a common focus

Formulation of the product

n What raw materials or ingredients are used?

n Are microorganisms of concern likely to be present in any of these materials and if so what are they?

n If food additives or preservatives are used , are they used at acceptable levels , and at those levels ,do they accomplish their technical objective?

n Will the pH of the product prevent microbial growth inactivate particular pathogens ?

n Will the Aw of the product prevent microbial growth?

Processing and preparation check list

n Could any microorganisms or toxins of concern contaminate food after it has been heated?

n Would more sever processing be acceptable or desirable?

n Is the processing based on scientific data?

n How does the package or container affect survival and or growth of microorganisms

n How much time is taken for each step of processing?

n What are the conditions of storage and distribution?

Describe product

A full description of the product should include

Composition

Physical/chemical structure

Packaging

Storage conditions

Method of distribution

Intended use of the product

n It refers to the normal use of the product.

n Who will be using the product (target group)

n Where will it be sold

n Is the target group a sensitive portion of the population? Eg.Elderly, Infants

n Form No.1

Construct flow diagram

Why?

To identify routes of potential contamination and to suggest methods of control.

How?

Interviews

Observation of operations

Other sources of information.

It should include

n All ingredients and packaging used

n Sequence of all process operations including the raw material addition

n Time –temp. history of all raw materials, intermediates and products including the potential for delay.

n Product recycle

n Equipment design features.

Plant schematic
-To show product flow and employee traffic patterns within the plant. It should include

n The flow of all ingredients and packaging materials, storage, preparation, processing, packaging, finished product holding and shipping.

n The personnel flow should indicate employee movement through the plant, including changing rooms, wash rooms and lunch rooms , hand washing facility, foot path etc.

Data should include:

n Personnel routes

n Routes of potential cross contamination

n Area segregation

n Flow of ingredients and packaging materials

n Location of changing rooms, Wash rooms, lunch rooms and hand washing stations.

On site confirmation of flow diagram and plant schematic:

n For accuracy and completeness

n To ensure that all major process operations have been identified

n All members of the team should involve.

n Adjustments should be made to the flow diagram.