The HACCP system is an international concept for the identification, assessment and management of hazards in food production. Literally, the abbreviation is translated and deciphered as "risk analysis and critical control points." The development of HACCP began in the 60s of the last century in the United States. Today, this system operates worldwide. This article will discuss the main issues related to HACCP: what it is, why it is needed, how it works and much more.
general characteristics
The main question that arises for people who first hear the abbreviation HACCP is “What is it?”. HACCP is a kind of international criterion of production safety. The system provides complete control of all stages of food production. Particular attention is paid to critical control points - stages with the highest concentration of hazardous factors. The HACCP principles are formulated so that they can be implemented in any segment of food production.
Control systems built on the basis of HACCP are considered to be product safety systems. Each state has its own regulatory documents that govern compliance with the principles of HASP. In Ukraine it is DSTU, and in Russia - GOST.
HACCP controls factors, conditions and substances that, in one way or another, are associated with a food product and can lead to personal injury, illness or death. These factors can be: biological, chemical and physical. Consider each of the types separately.
Biological
This type includes hazards caused by microorganisms (viruses, bacteria, parasites or fungi), which are not provided for by the technological conditions of production. A good example of biological hazard can be pathogenic microflora, for the removal of which the pasteurization process is used.
Chemical
This class includes molecules and substances that:
- Contained in animals and plants in its natural form. For example, in poisonous mushrooms.
- They are added intentionally when growing and processing products. These substances can be safe only if, when using them, the established norms of the HACCP system are observed. An example of such substances: pesticides, herbicides, etc.
- May get into the food product unintentionally, for example, due to chemical treatment of the packaging material.
- Only a few consumers are affected by the immune system. It is mainly about allergens.
Physical
Physical hazards include those substances that should not be present in food under normal conditions. They get into it during the production process and can cause significant harm to health. These include: glass fragments, wood chips, bones, metal shavings, and so on.
HACCP Benefits
Every engineer knows what this is, since the introduction of this system into the enterprise’s work allows to obtain a number of advantages not only for the manufacturer, but for the end user of the product. The main advantage, of course, is associated with an increased level of product safety, and as a result, an increased level of customer confidence. But there are other benefits:
- Quick response to emerging issues related to product safety.
- Loss reduction.
- New market opportunities.
- Increasing employee responsibility.
HACCP Principles
Like any system, it is based on certain principles of HACCP. What is it, we have already figured out. Now we find out what this system consists of. The food safety system has certain principles. Their use allows you to quickly identify hazards and begin to manage them before they pose a real threat. There are seven such principles, and each of them deserves special attention.
Hazard analysis
The implementation of HACCP in an enterprise begins with a hazard analysis. It is carried out with the aim of identifying uncontrolled dangers that are very likely to be harmful to human health. The analysis examines all the ingredients used in the process, as well as the production itself and its supporting steps. Safety issues are investigated separately from product quality issues. A key element of the HACCP plan is precisely hazard analysis. If it is executed incorrectly, then the plan will not bring any benefits.
The analysis leads to:
- Detecting possible dangers and identifying measures to manage them.
- Defining measures to ensure guaranteed product safety.
- Identify necessary changes.
Thus, at this stage, the basis is created for identifying control points (the second principle of the system).
Hazards are identified in two stages. At the first, experts analyze: ingredients, equipment, actions of workers, the final product, as well as methods of storage and distribution of the product. All hazards are presented in a list. In the second stage, each of the potential threats is evaluated in terms of the severity of the harm that it can cause. Hazards are classified by importance and presented in tabular form.
Defining Critical Control Points
This procedure is important for controlling, preventing or reducing the hazard. The identification of critical points is the basis for managing hazards in the HACCP system. Control is carried out in places where danger can be avoided or its impact reduced to a minimum. They must be carefully designed and documented. Critical points are used purely to manage product safety. These can be processes such as: checking the presence of sediment in the ingredients, checking for metal impurities in them, heat treatment, and so on. Moreover, similar production methods may have different dangers, and, consequently, critical points.
Definition of critical values
Critical - the maximum or minimum value of a parameter that is controlled at a critical point. This indicator is necessary in order to be able to distinguish between safe and unsafe working conditions of the enterprise at one point or another.
Each control point, as a rule, has several parameters, the critical values of which are calculated. Critical criteria and indicators should be recorded in enterprise standards, manuals and other documentation.
Establishment of monitoring procedures
Monitoring - a planned procedure for monitoring and measuring certain quantities at critical points. Thanks to monitoring, you can:
- Track the progress of production operations. If there is a tendency to approach an indicator to a critical value, you can make the necessary adjustments, thereby preventing undesirable consequences.
- Determine the deviation rate at critical points.
- Review documented safety indicators to confirm product quality compliance.
Monitoring methods may depend on the nature and number of critical control points, specific safety criteria, and the range of control boundaries. The monitoring personnel must be fully qualified in the selected methods and special measuring instruments. Equipment for this procedure must undergo calibration and verification within the framework of the unified requirements of the HACCP system.
Monitoring, if possible, should be continuous. Today, there are many methods of continuous monitoring with the recording of measurement results. The most common of them is using control cards. Therefore, choosing monitoring procedures, it is worth giving preference to continuous methods.
If it is impossible to carry out this procedure in a continuous mode, a certain frequency of checks is established. It should be such that process control at each critical point is guaranteed. Records of monitoring results should have the date of verification and the initials of the inspector.
Definition of corrective actions
The HACCP program is designed not only to identify threats, but also to develop a strategy for their prevention, elimination, or at least reduce the danger to consumers. It is not always possible to achieve ideal safety indicators. Deviations from the requirements can occur in absolutely any production. The HACCP system is aimed at minimizing the possibility of low-quality products getting to the buyer.
Corrective actions mean the following procedures:
- Identification and elimination of causes of non-compliance.
- Identify the location where the failure occurred.
- Registration of corrective actions taken.
A separate corrective action plan is developed for each critical control point. The overall HACCP plan should include, at a minimum: the composition of the adjustment actions; the composition of the persons responsible for these actions; and the composition of the adjustment records.
Definition of verification procedures
Verification refers to actions that, in addition to monitoring, confirm the effectiveness of the implementation of HACCP plans and the ability of the system to work according to these plans. Verification is carried out during the development of the plan; its procedures are integrated into the overall HACCP system.
One of the key aspects of verification is the assessment of the ability of the system to work in full accordance with the plan. For this purpose, actions confirming the fact of the correct implementation of the HACCP plan are embedded in the company's processes, in particular, the correct monitoring, adjustment, documentation, and so on.
Another equally important aspect is the confirmation that the plan of the HACCP system is feasible, and the measures that are provided by it, can really increase the effectiveness of the control of possible dangers. The information necessary to verify the plan may include: expert opinions, employee observations, measurement indicators, and more. Verification procedures are carried out not only by the personnel of the enterprise, but also by external independent experts representing accredited companies.
Documentation Development
In order for HACCP principles to be applied as efficiently as possible, it is necessary to keep relevant records and documents. Thanks to documentation, you can manage the system, track the dynamics of processes, find patterns and confirm the conformity of the finished product to all necessary safety standards. The composition of the documentation depends on the nature of the production. In general terms, the main package includes: the HACCP plan, a list of dangers, records on verification and implementation of the plan, as well as on-line records and documents that are executed during the operation of the system.