HACCP is a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points system whose main purpose is to prevent the risk of food poisoning.
This system was originally developed in the United States by NASA and the food company Pillsbury Company. The aim was to establish a control system for food sent into space to ensure that it was safe and innocuous, identifying critical points that would ensure the integrity of the food.
phases of implementation of the HACCP system
Create a work team
The first step we must take is to create a multidisciplinary work team in which each member knows his or her role and responsibilities perfectly.
Product definition and knowledge
The next step is to prepare a thorough description of the product and be clear about how it reaches the hands of consumers. It is important to know, for example, the ingredients that have been used, the treatments they have undergone or what methods and products have been used to preserve them.
Create a flowchart: Flowcharts provide detailed information about processes in a clear and visual way, and are key to correctly understanding them, as well as identifying problems such as redundancies or unnecessary steps.
Identify the hazards
The next step is to identify and analyse the hazards that must be eliminated to ensure the safety of the product, from production to consumption. At this stage, the control measure or measures that can be applied to each hazard are also analysed.
Establish critical points
Critical points are those considered essential to prevent or eliminate a hazard that puts the safety of products at risk. There may be several critical points, and a decision tree is often used to identify them , which is nothing more than a map that shows the possible results of several related decisions.
People handling food following the HACCP system
Assign limits to critical points
For each critical point, it is necessary to establish critical limits; that is, from what level does that critical point cease to be acceptable. Some of the most typical criteria are temperature, humidity or pH.
Implement a surveillance system
Once the critical points have been defined, it is important to observe and measure them in case there is any overstepping of the accepted limits. If this happens, the problem must be corrected before it can cause a problem or deviation, and that is why monitoring must be continuous and must be supervised by a qualified professional.
Establish a corrective action plan
In relation to the previous point, in order to deal with deviations and/or kuwait whatsapp number problems that may arise, there must be specific corrective measures for each control point, which will ensure that it returns to its ideal state and that the damaged product is removed from the process if appropriate.
Check the operation of the HACCP system
An essential part of the analysis is to be able to guarantee its proper functioning, so verification is a key point, and must be done after the preparation of each Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points plan. In addition, validations must be carried out as part of the continuous review to demonstrate that the HACCP works effectively and when any change occurs that affects the plan in some way.
Document and record information
The last step to consider is the correct documentation of the information obtained, which will serve as a model for the future and which should be evaluated and modified whenever deemed necessary.
Importance of HACCP
Nowadays, consumers are increasingly aware of the dangers that spoiled food can cause. The establishment of an APPCC system , despite being mandatory for all companies in the sector, demonstrates a commitment on the part of the company and provides security, and companies enjoy a much more effective, systematic and verifiable control system.
If you are interested in increasing your knowledge in this field, you can access one of these free courses offered by femxa within its subsidized training plans .