The Role of HACCP in Sanitation

Summary

Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points is a state-of-the-art preventive approach to safe food production. This concept is based on the application of prevention and documentation. HACCP is a proactive prevention program based on sound science. The essential steps for HACCP plan development are: assembly of an HACCP team; description of the food and its intended use; identification of the consumers of the food; development and verification of a process flow diagram; conduction of a hazard analysis; identification of critical control points; and establishment of critical limits, monitoring requirements, corrective actions for deviations, procedures for verification, and record-keeping procedures.

Good manufacturing practices are considered the building blocks of HACCP, and sanitation operating procedures are the cornerstones for an HACCP plan. Documentation needed for an effective plan includes descriptions of HACCP team-assigned responsibilities, product description and intended use, flow diagram with identified CCPs, details of significant hazards with information concerning preventive measures, critical limits, monitoring to be conducted, corrective action plans in place for deviations from critical limits, procedures for verification of the plan, and record-keeping procedures. Periodic auditing is necessary for validation and to provide a report card for the program.