HACCP and Risk-Based Food Safety Management
HACCP foundation
HACCP is built on prerequisite programmes: GMP, GHP, pest control, training, supplier approval, traceability and recall. The seven principles are hazard analysis, CCP identification, critical limits, monitoring, corrective actions, verification and record-keeping. The twelve steps add team assembly, product description, intended use, flow diagram, on-site verification and hazard analysis before the principles.
Critical limits and monitoring
A CCP is a step where control is essential. Its critical limit must be measurable, for example 74°C core temperature, pH 4.2, 100 ppm chlorine or a metal-detector test piece. Monitoring states what, how, when and by whom. Corrective action must address the affected product through hold, rework or reject, and the process. Verification confirms the plan works; validation provides evidence before implementation.
Risk-based management
PFA inspection frequency should reflect risk: high-risk ready-to-eat, meat, dairy and catering operations are inspected more often than low-risk packaged shelf-stable businesses. Risk factors include product type, volume, vulnerable consumers, process complexity and compliance history.
Worked example
A cook-chill kitchen identifies cooking as a CCP with a limit of 74°C for 15 seconds. The probe reads 68°C. Reasoning: the batch is held, cooking continues until 74°C is reached and recorded; if it cannot be recovered, the product is rejected. The incident is logged and the probe calibrated.
Traps
Making every step a CCP; treating a prerequisite as a CCP; confusing monitoring with corrective action; writing records after the event; failing to validate a new process.