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Food Safety / HACCP

- Frequently Asked Questions

The implementation of a food safety management system is a systematic approach to prevent unsafe food. There are several methods and tools, such as HACCP, GHP or G P, !hich together !ith a management system (e.g. "#$ %&&') form the (ases for an overall food safety management system. The service includes either certification to HACCP standards ()utch, )anish), to the technical #tandard of the *ritish +etail Consortium (*+C) and customised assessments to guidelines for food safety. ),- also offers consultancy services in this field as !ell as training. HACCP . Ha/ard Analysis and Critical Control Point GHP . Good Hygiene Practices G P . Good anufacturing Practices

What is Food Safety/HACCP?

Ha/ard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) HACCP is a prevention0(ased food safety system. "t is a systematic method for analy/ing a food process, determining the possi(le ha/ards and designating the critical control points necessary to prevent any unsafe food. An HACCP0#ystem consists of seven principles (Code1 Alimentarius . 2ood Hygiene . *asic Te1ts)3

What is HACCP?

Principle 1 Conduct a Ha!ard Analysis "dentify any potential ha/ardous (iological, chemical or physical properties in ra! material and processing steps and conduct a ha/ard analysis, e.g. micro(iological pathogens.

Principle " #dentify Critical Control Points "dentify the Critical Control Points (CCP), e.g. coo4ing that must occur for a specific time and temperature in order to destroy micro(iological pathogens.

Principle $ %sta&lish Critical 'i(its 5sta(lish critical limits for preventing measures associated !ith each identified CCP, e.g. time and temperature for coo4ing.

Principle ) %sta&lish *onitorin+ Procedures 5sta(lish procedures to monitor CCP6s, e.g. define ho! often you measure temperature during coo4ing.

Principle , %sta&lish Correcti-e Action 5sta(lish the corrective action to (e ta4en !hen monitoring sho!s that a critical limit has (een e1ceeded, e.g. empo!er employees to stop the line !hen coo4ing time !as to short.

Principle . %sta&lish /ecord keepin+ Procedures 5sta(lish an effective record 4eeping system that documents the HACCP #ystem, e.g. record every time coo4ing time and temperature.

Principle 0 %sta&lish 1erification Procedures 5sta(lish procedures to verify that the HACCP system is !or4ing, e.g. cali(rate the thermometer.

What is 2ood Hy+iene Practice 32HP4?

GHP follo!s the food chain from primary production to the final consumer (from 7farm to for47), setting out the necessary hygiene conditions for producing food, !hich is safe and suita(le for consumption. An e1ample for such a hygienic condition is personal cleanliness. GHP consists of 8 chapters (Code1 Alimentarius . 2ood Hygiene . *asic Te1t)3 '.Primary production 9.5sta(lishment3 )esign and facilities :.Control of operation ;.5sta(lishment3 aintenance and sanitation <.5sta(lishment3 Personal hygiene =.Transportation >.Product "nformation and consumer a!areness 8.Training

What is 2ood *anufacturin+ Practice 32*P4? G P !as first introduced for the pharmaceutical industry as ?uality insurance tool and is today also used (y the food industry. Today, there is no 7official7 G P availa(le. ultinational companies, such as ,estle @raft 2ood, have developed there o!n food0specific G P. "t consists of % chapters3 '.The principles 9.Production environment :."ncoming materials ;.Processing <.#torageAtransportAdistri(ution =.CommercialAretail esta(lishments >.Personnel 8.Pest prevention %.GlossaryA4ey !ords

What ser-ices do 561 offer in relation to Food Safety? ),- offers accredited certification, non0accredited certificationAassessments, as !ell as training. Accredited certification3 ,etherlands #pecification 7Criteria for Assessment of an operational HACCP0#ystem7, Banuary '%%% (y the )utch ,ational Committee of 51perts0HACCP

)anish #tandard 7)# :&9>3 2ood safety according to HACCP . +e?uirements to (e met (y food producing companies and their su(contractors7 )# :&9>3'%%>. 7Technical #tandard for Companies #upplying +etailer *randed 2ood Products7, $cto(er '%%8 (y the *ritish +etail Consortium (*+C) ,on0accredited certificationA assessments3 Assessing GHP, G P or HACCP, (ased on the Code1 Alimentarius, 5C0)irective on the Hygiene of 2oodstuff andAor ,ational 2ood #afety legislation. 9nd party audits. ),- can audit your suppliers according to your o!n re?uirements, to the 5C0)irective or to specially developed re?uirements from ),- to meet your needs. Training3 A !ide variety of different customised training courses. 2rom the single one0day management a!areness seminar, up to a <0day HACCP training. What i(portant docu(ents (ust # kno7? #ome 4eys documents are the follo!ing3 Degal and official documents 5C0)irective on the Hygiene of 2oodstuffs, ,o. %:A;:A55C of the Council of Bune ';, '%%: and ,ational Degislation6s. 2ood Hygiene . *asic te1ts (incl. GHP and HACCP), Code1 Alimentarius Commission, '%%% #tandards for certification. Ee( #ite3 Code1 Alimentarius Commission ,etherlands #pecification 7Criteria for Assessment of an operational HACCP0#ystem7, Banuary '%%% (y the )utch ,ational Committee of 51perts0HACCP )anish #tandard 7)# :&9>3 2ood safety according to HACCP . +e?uirements to (e met (y food producing companies and their su(contractors7 )# :&9>3'%%>. The document can (e ordered through )ans4 #tandard. 7Technical #tandard for Companies #upplying +etailer *randed 2ood Products7, $cto(er '%%8 (y the *ritish +etail Consortium (*+C).

What are Assess(ent?

the

&enefits

of

HACCP-certification/Food

Safety

To give the customers the confidence that the products have (een produced hygienically and safe. To demonstrate the intention to ta4e all reasona(le precautions and e1ercise due diligence in the hygienic production of the products. Customers are also re?uiring certification or assessment !hen they import into countries !ith 2ood #afety legislation. To significantly decrease the num(er of customer audits and therefore safe costs and management time. A cost0effective !ay to reduce !astage and recalls A certification or an assessment can help in reducing costs (y having a (etter relationship !ith the national food safety authorities. Certification or assessment of a 2ood #afety anagement #ystem !ill increase the effectiveness of the anagement #ystem regarding food safety. The maFority of *ritish retailers have stated that registration to *+C !ill (ecome mandatory re?uirement tosupply them.

Ehy should " choose ),- as a partnerG

),- is one of the fe! companies presently accredited (y the )utch, )anish and C@ accreditation (odies for various HACCP and 2ood #afety #ystems. ),- has e1tensive e1perience in auditing management systems and has e1perts for the certification and assessments of 2ood #afety anagement #ystems. "mportant companies, such as Pepsi0Cola in Hungary, Ehite(read in C@, Ha4on Gruppen in #candinavia and Pernod0+icard in the ,etherlands, trust in ),-s competence.

What kind of trainin+ is a-aila&le for Food Safety? ),- has developed :0day 2ood #afetyAHACCP course. This course is registered the +"PHH (+oyal "nstitute for Pu(lic Health and Hygiene, Dondon. Cpon successful completion of this course, participants should3 Cnderstand !hy 2ood #afety is important. @no! !hat international legal and other re?uirements e1ists for HACCP, GHP and G P (e.g. Code1 Alimentarius, 5C0)irective, )utch +e?uirements, )#:&9>, *+C) *e a(le to understand the common (est practices such as GHP and G P *e a(le to understand the > HACCP principles, the implementation of an HACCP system and ho! these may (e applied to control 2ood #afety. *e a(le to understand the interaction !ith other anagement #ystems