In today’s society, consumers are more aware and concerned than ever with where their food is sourced and what processes it goes through to arrive on their plates – safely and without contamination. If you are in the food industry, you will already know about Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) Certification and why it is important for consumers and your business, but for general consumers what does this process look like?
The HACCP Principles
There are seven principles involved in the HACCP Certification process which aim to identify, control and eliminate food contamination.
1. Hazard analysis – The first step is identifying any hazards that may be present as part of the food manufacturing process, including potential physical, biological and chemical hazards.
2. Critical control points – Step two involves recognizing any points within the manufacturing process which pose a risk to food production and then managing such risks to prevent contamination.
3. Critical limits – This involves setting the maximum and minimum measurable limits during certain parts of food production. Some examples of critical limits that can be controlled include temperature, humidity and pH value. Foodstuffs processed outside of the set critical limits are not acceptable.
4. Critical control monitoring – At step four, all the critical control points are monitored for any changes that occur which may lead to a contamination risk.
5. Corrective action – If a hazard is identified at the critical control point, then action must be taken to correct this to avoid any injury or illness to people.
6. Procedures – Inspections, product sampling, observation of records, plus any other methods of evaluation are all involved in the verification of the procedures put in place to uphold the HACCP process and certification.
7. Record keeping – Accurate and complete records must be kept outlining the HACCP process, including the critical control points observed, any processes put in place to minimise potential risks, the critical limits which have been set and also any results of corrective actions taken.
At Maptrans we are HACCP Certified, so you can be sure your food products will arrive to their destination not only on time, but without posing any health risks too. Contact us to find out how we can help –