THE HACCP-SYSTEM

Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point System

A Summary
What is HACCP?

„A holistic approach to food safety

management programs, incorporating
best practice facility and equipment
design, as well as structured
management systems“

HACCP A Practical Approach, 3rd Edition, Sara Mortimore and Carol Wallace
Where did HACCP come from?

▪ Developed as a microbiological
safety system
▪ Pioneered by Pillsbury Company,
NASA and US Army Laboratories
▪ Based on Failure Mode and Effect
Analysis (FMEA)
Why use HACCP?
▪ Product safety cannot be tested in
▪ Proven system to manage food safety
▪ Foodborne diseases are a public health problem
▪ Increase in susceptible population (elderly, immune-
compromised, malnourished)
▪ Changing lifestyles (eating-out, processed food,
tourism)
▪ Emerging pathogens
▪ Increase in complexity of supply chain
▪ Improved laboratory testing schemes
7 Principles of HACCP
1. Conduct a hazard analysis
2. Determine the Critical Control Points (CCPs)
3. Establish Critical Limits
4. Establish a system to monitor control of the CCP
5. Establish the corrective actions to be taken when
monitoring indicates that a particular CCP is not
under control
6. Establish procedures for verification to confirm that
HACCP is working correctly
7. Establish documentation concerning all
procedures and records appropriate to these
principles and their application
According to: Codex Alimentarius Commission and NACMCF
Applicability of HACCP within Supply Chain

Wholesalers
Primary
Producers
Sea Food Foodservice
Caterers
Primary Human
Animal
Producers Processing
Land Crops
Feeds
Consumers
Primary
Producers
Meat, Dairy,
Poultry, Eggs
Retailers

Adapted from: HACCP A Practical Approach, 3rd Edition, Sara Mortimore and Carol Wallace
Governmental Regulation of HACCP
▪ HACCP is not governed by
international legislation
▪ Each country has own food safety
regulation which may include
HACCP
▪ European Union, 1st of January 2006:
Regulation (EC) No. 852/2004 on the
Hygiene of Foodstuffs, Article 5
International Standardisation

▪ Codex 2009b:
Primary international reference
standard for HACCP
▪ ISO 22000 (2005):
Certification standard for HACCP
(based on Codex 2009b)
 HACCP Success Structure

External Pressure

Resource
Availability

Education and
Training

Management
Commitment

Adapted from: HACCP A Practical Approach, 3rd Edition, Sara Mortimore and Carol Wallace
Key Stages in HACCP Development

▪ Planning & Preparation

▪ HACCP studies & HACCP plan
development
▪ Implementation of HACCP plan
▪ Maintenance of HACCP system
HACCP System Structure
▪ Linear HACCP plans
▪ Applicable to each product or process
individually
▪ For simple operations with few product types
▪ Modular HACCP plans
▪ Flexible approach
▪ Applicable to basic operations or modules
▪ Generic HACCP plans
▪ Based on framework approach
▪ For simple operations
 HACCP & Continuous Improvement

Monitoring and
Verification Corrective/Preventive Implementation
Actions

Improvement
HACCP Plan
Development

Planning and Realisation Hazard

of Safe Products Analysis Establishing PRPs

Adapted from: HACCP A Practical Approach, 3rd Edition, Sara Mortimore and Carol Wallace
PRPs – Prerequisite Programmes
▪ „Universal steps or procedures that control the
operational conditions within a food
establishment allowing for environmental
conditions that are favourable for the
production of safe food“ (CFIA, 1998)
▪ „Procedures including good manufacturing
practices that address operational conditions
providing the foundation for the HACCP
system“ (NACMCF, 1997)
▪ „Practices and conditions needed prior to and
during the implementation of HACCP and
which are essential for food safety“ (WHO,
1998)
 Hazards – Significance & Control
Hazard... Any factor present in the product that causes illness or
harm to the customer. The basis for every HACCP system

▪ A biological, chemical or physical agent in, or

condition of, food with the potential to cause
an adverse health effect (Codex, 2009b)
▪ Significant hazard
▪ „Hazards that are of such a nature that their
elimination or reduction to an acceptable level is
essential to the production of safe foods“ (ILSI, 1999)
▪ Control measures
▪ „Any actin or activity that can be used to prevent or
eliminate a food safety hazard or reduce it to
acceptable level“ (Codex 2009b)
Biological Hazards

▪ Macro-biological
▪ Insects
▪ Micro-biological
▪ Direct: invasion of humans
▪ Indirect: via toxins
Biological Hazards - Bacteria
▪ Pathogenic Gram-negative bacteria
▪ Salmonella enterica
▪ Escherichia coli
▪ Campylobacter jejuni
▪ Vibrio parahaemolyticus
▪ Vibrio vulnificus
▪ Shigella spp.
▪ Yersinia enterocolitica
▪ Cronobacter sakazakii
▪ Habitat: animal intestines
▪ Control: heat processing, segregation of raw and
cooked foodstuffs, good hygienic practices
Biological Hazards - Bacteria

▪ Pathogenic Gram-positive bacteria

▪ Clostridium botulinum
▪ Clostridium perfringens
▪ Bacillus cereus
▪ Staphylococcus aureus
▪ Listeria monocytogenes
Biological Hazards - Viruses

▪ Hepatitis A and Norovirus

▪ Source: Shellfish
▪ Very small and thus difficult to
detect
▪ But easily to be inactivated by
heat
Biological Hazards – Parasites & Protozoa
▪ Pathogenic flatworms, tapeworms, flukes
▪ Taenia saginata
▪ Trichinella spiralis
▪ Clonorchis sinensis
▪ Source: infected flesh (pork, beef, fish, game)
▪ Prevention: good animal husbandry, veterinary
inspection, heating, freezing, drying
▪ Encysted larvae:
▪ Toxoplamsa gondii
▪ Giardia intestinalis
▪ Cyclospora cayetanensis
▪ Cryptosporidium parvum
Biological Hazards - Prions
▪ Transmissible agents
▪ Misfolded cellular proteins
▪ Initiation of abnormal folding of normal
protein in brain
▪ Formation of plaques
▪ Destruction of brain cells
▪ BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy)
▪ Scrapie (Sheep disease)
▪ Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (Human)
Emerging Pathogens
▪ Listeria monocytogenes
▪ Escherichia coli O157:H7
▪ Cronobacter spp.
▪ Prions
▪ Expected: Continued emergence of new foodborne microbial
pathogens
▪ Drivers:
▪ Changes in land use or agricultural practices
▪ Changes in human demographics and society
▪ Poor population health
▪ Hospitals & medical procedures
▪ Pathogen evolution (antibiotics)
▪ Contamination of food sources or water supplies
▪ International travel
▪ Failure of public health programmes
▪ Climate change
Control of biological Hazards
▪ Intrinsic factors
▪ pH and acidity
▪ Organic acids
▪ Preservatives
▪ Water activity
▪ Ingredients
▪ Process Technologies
▪ Thermal processes
▪ Fermentation
▪ Drying
▪ Freezing
▪ Irradiation
Chemical Hazards

▪ Not well understood – lack of

toxicological expertise
▪ Contamination can happen at
any stage
▪ Chronic (carcinogenic) or acute
(allergenic reaction) effects for
customer
Chemical Hazards - Mycotoxins
▪ Secondary metabolites of certain fungi
▪ Long-term carcinogenic effect or short-term
acute toxic effects
▪ Affected food: cereals, nuts, dried fruit, coffee,
cocoa, spices, beans, fruit, etc.
▪ Very stable
▪ Aflatoxins
▪ Aspergillus flavus
▪ Patulin
▪ Penicillium spp.
▪ Deoxynivalenol
▪ Fusarium spp.
▪ Fumonisins
▪ Fusarium spp.
Chemical Hazards – Cleaning Chemicals

▪ Most common potential

contaminant
▪ Use of non-toxic and food-grade
chemicals
▪ PRP: Design & management of
cleaning procedures
Chemical Hazards - Pesticides
▪ Insecticides
▪ Herbicides
▪ Fungicides
▪ Wood preservatives
▪ Masonry biocides
▪ Bird & animal repellents
▪ Food storage protectors
▪ Rodenticides
▪ Anti-fouling paints
▪ Industrial/domestic hygiene products

▪ Consider cross-contamination at any stage

Allergens & Food Intolerances
▪ Immune mediated
▪ Non-immune mediated (majority)
▪ Allergens:
▪ Peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, milk products, shellfish,
fish, soya, wheat (Big 8 allergens)
▪ Lactose intolerance: 70% of population are
lactase deficient
▪ HACCP must consider cross-contamination
▪ PRP: general control of allergens
Chemical Hazards
▪ Toxic/heavy metals
▪ Nitrites, nitrates, N-nitroso compounds
▪ Polychlorinated Biphenyls
▪ Dioxins and Furans
▪ Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
▪ Plasticizers & packaging migration
▪ Veterinary residues
▪ Melamine & cyanuric acid
▪ Chemical additives
Physical Hazards
▪ Can enter at any stage

▪ Glass
▪ Metal
▪ Stones
▪ Wood
▪ Plastic
▪ Pests
▪ Intrinsic material (bones in meat/fish, nut shells)
 Hazard Significance
Risk Evaluation Categories
Likelihood of High Highly probable. Known history in the
Occurrence sector.
Medium Could occur. Minimal history within
the sector –but has happened.
Low Unlikely to occur. No known examples

Hazard Severity High Life threatening or long-term chronic

illness
Medium Injury or intolerance. Not usually life
threatening
Low Minor effect. Short duration

Adapted from: HACCP A Practical Approach, 3rd Edition, Sara Mortimore and Carol Wallace
 Hazard Significance

High
Significant
Hazard
Severity

Medium

Low

Low Medium High

Likelihood of Occurrence
Adapted from: HACCP A Practical Approach, 3rd Edition, Sara Mortimore and Carol Wallace
 PRPs – HACCP Support Network
Good
Manufacturing
Good Practice Statistical
Distribution Process
Practice Control

Supplier
Good Quality
Laboratory Assurance
Practice

HACCP

Sanitary Preventative
Design and Maintenance
Sanitation

Education
Incident and
Management Training
Quality
Management
Systems

Adapted from: HACCP A Practical Approach, 3rd Edition, Sara Mortimore and Carol Wallace
 PRPs – the Foundation of HACCP

Focus on:
raw materials,

HACCP product and

processes

Focus on:

PRPs Production
environment,
facility, programs
and people

Adapted from: HACCP A Practical Approach, 3rd Edition, Sara Mortimore and Carol Wallace
The HACCP Plan
▪ “A document prepared in accordance
with the principles of HACCP to ensure
control of hazards that are significant for
food safety in the segment of the food
chain under consideration” (Codex, 2009b)
▪ A formal document
▪ Pulls together key information from HACCP
study
▪ Details of all that is critical to food safety
▪ Developed by HACCP team
Logic Sequence for HACCP Application
Step Action
Step 1 Assemble HACCP team
Step 2 Describe product
Step 3 Identify intended use
Step 4 Construct Flow Diagram
Step 5 On-site confirmation of Flow Diagram
Step 6 List all potential hazards, conduct hazard analysis, and
consider control measures
Step 7 Determine critical control points (CCPs)
Step 8 Establish critical limits for each CCP
Step 9 Establish a monitoring system for each CCP
Step 10 Establish corrective actions
Step 11 Establish verification procedures
Step 12 Establish documentation and record keeping
References - Book
HACCP - A Practical Approach, 3rd Edition
Sara Mortimore and Carol Wallace,
Springer 2013 (ISBN: 978-1-4614-5027-6)

http://www.springer.com/food+science/book/978-1-4614-5027-6
References – Websites
▪ Codex Alimentarius
▪ http://www.codexalimentarius.org/
▪ National Advisory Committee on Microbiological
Criteria for Foods (NACMCF)
▪ http://www.fsis.usda.gov/about/NACMCF/index.asp
▪ World Health Organisation (WHO)
▪ http://www.who.int/topics/food_safety/en/
▪ EU legislation
▪ http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/food_safety/ve
terinary_checks_and_food_hygiene/f84001_en.htm