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HACCP Requirements

HACCP (hazard analysis and critical control point) plans combine mandates articulated in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) with input from food production companies to create procedures designed to eliminate chemical, biological and physical contaminants from food. HACCP processes extend from the acquisition of livestock and fruits and vegetables through processing to consumption of the final product. HACCP's seven principles address hazard identification and assessment, identifying critical control points (CCPs) where contaminants can be removed or neutralized, and monitoring and verifying the effectiveness of an HACCP plan.

  1. Preliminary Process

    • A team assembled from experts on potential food safety hazards and production processes within the company will develop an HACCP program that addresses the specific potential issues with their products. The HACCP plan will be designed to be in compliance with both federal regulations and general HACCP principles. While outside experts may be consulted, the primary HACCP plan developers will be stakeholders within the company.

    Hazard Identification

    • Potential contaminants to each of the company's food products will be identified so that appropriate decontamination procedures can be designed. Federal regulations identify contaminants that must be addressed in certain industries' HACCP plans, such as the USDA regulations governing salmonella limits that govern meat and poultry producers.

    Critical Control Points

    • Critical Control Points (CCPs) are steps in the overall food processing and packaging process in which decontamination activities can take place. HACCP principles mandate that planners identify CCPs and design appropriate processes at these points to ensure food safety. Examples of such processes include refrigeration to prevent proliferation of microbes and heating the product to kill microorganisms.

    Monitoring

    • Process monitoring is essential in ensuring that the HACCP plan is properly executed. If monitoring reveals that a CCP's process is faulty or performed incorrectly, the food products that underwent the process can be removed from the production chain. Proper monitoring requires careful calibration and conscientious maintenance of monitoring equipment as well as education and diligence on the part of personnel involved in the process.

    Remedial Action

    • If a contaminant bypasses HACCP plan safeguards, management must identify the specific process mechanism that malfunctioned, determine why the process failed and immediately correct the problem. Any food that underwent the faulty process must be disposed of. Management must also thoroughly document what went wrong in the process and how the failure was remedied.

    Verification

    • Verification is essential to confirming that the HACCP plan meets its goals and complies with USDA and FDA regulations. Management should periodically review monitoring and remedial action reports and should always review the organization's HACCP plan if a production process is introduced or revised, or if a new food hazard is identified.

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