HACCP - what is it? Quality system of HACCP: principles, implementation, training, certification

The HACCP system is an international concept for the identification, assessment and management of hazardous factors in food production. Literally the abbreviation is translated and deciphered as "risk analysis and critical control points". The development of HACCP began in the 60s of the last century in the United States. Today, this system operates around the world. This article will discuss the main issues related to HACCP: what it is, why it is needed, how it works, and much more.

general characteristics

The main question that arises in people who first hear the abbreviation HACCP - "What is it?". HACCP is an international criterion for the safety of production. The system provides full control of all stages of food production. Particular attention is paid to critical control points - the stages with the greatest concentration of dangerous factors. The principles of HACCP are formulated in such a way that they can be introduced into any segment of food production.

Control systems built on the basis of HACCP are considered to be products safety systems. Each state has its own regulatory documents that govern compliance with the HASP principles. In Ukraine it is DSTU, and in Russia it is GOST.

HACCP monitors factors, conditions and substances that, in one way or another, are related to the food and can lead to injuries, illnesses or deaths. These factors can be: biological, chemical and physical. Let's consider each type separately.

Biological

This species includes hazards caused by microorganisms (viruses, bacteria, parasites or mold fungi), which are not provided for by technological conditions of production. A vivid example of a biological hazard may be a pathogenic microflora, for the removal of which a pasteurization process is used.

Chemical

This class includes molecules and substances that:

1. Contain in animals and plants in a natural way. For example, in poisonous mushrooms.
2. Are deliberately added when growing and processing products. These substances can be safe only if they comply with the established norms of the HACCP system. An example of such substances: pesticides, herbicides and the like.
3. Can enter the food product unintentionally, for example, due to chemical processing of the packaging material.
4. Only some consumers are affected by the immune system. This is mainly about allergens.

Physical

The physical dangers include those substances that should not be in food under normal conditions. They fall into it in the process of production and can cause significant harm to health. These include: fragments of glass, wood chips, bones, metal shavings and so on.

Advantages of HACCP

What is it, every engineer knows, since the introduction of this system into the work of the enterprise allows you to obtain a number of advantages not only for the manufacturer, but for the end user of the product. The main advantage, of course, is associated with an increased level of product safety, and as a result, an increased level of consumer confidence. But there are other benefits:

1. Rapid response to emerging problems related to product safety.
2. Reduction of losses.
3. New opportunities in the market.
4. Increase the responsibility of employees.

HACCP Principles

Like any system, it is based on certain HACCP principles. What is it, we have already figured out. Now we will find out what this system consists of. The food safety system has certain principles. Their use allows you to quickly identify hazards and start managing them before they create a real threat. There are seven such principles, and each of them deserves special attention.

Hazard Analysis

The implementation of HACCP in the enterprise begins with an analysis of the dangers. It is conducted with the aim of determining uncontrolled hazards, which are very likely to harm human health. In the course of the analysis, all the ingredients used in the process are considered, as well as the production itself and its auxiliary steps. The issue of safety is investigated separately from the issues of product quality. A key element of the HACCP plan is precisely the analysis of hazards. If it is not executed correctly, the plan will not be of use.

The analysis leads to:

1. Detect possible hazards and identify measures to manage them.
2. Determination of measures to ensure the guaranteed safety of products.
3. Identify the necessary changes.

Thus, at this stage, a basis is created for identifying control points (the second principle of the system).

The definition of hazards occurs in two stages. At the first, experts analyze: ingredients, equipment, workers' actions, the final product, as well as ways of storing and distributing the product. All hazards are presented in the form of a list. At the second stage, each of the potential threats is assessed in terms of the severity of the harm that it can inflict. Hazards are classified according to their importance and presented in the form of a table.

Determination of critical control points

This procedure is important for monitoring, preventing or reducing the hazard. The identification of critical points is the basis for managing hazards in the HACCP system. Control is carried out in places where danger can be avoided or its impact minimized. They should be carefully developed and documented. Critical points are used purely for the management of product safety. It can be such processes as: checking the presence of sediment in the ingredients, checking for the presence of metal impurities in them, heat treatment, and so on. However, similar methods of production may have different dangers, and, consequently, critical points.

Determination of critical values

Critical - the maximum or minimum value of a parameter that is controlled at a critical point. This indicator is necessary so that it is possible to distinguish between safe and unsafe operating conditions of an enterprise at a particular point.

Each control point, as a rule, has several parameters, the critical values of which are calculated. Critical criteria and indicators should be recorded in enterprise standards, manuals and other documentation.

Establishment of monitoring procedures

Monitoring is a planned procedure for monitoring and measuring certain values at critical points. Thanks to monitoring, you can:

1. Track the progress of production operations. If there is a tendency to approach any indicator to a critical value, you can make the necessary adjustments, thereby preventing unwanted consequences.
2. Determine the indicator of deviations at critical points.
3. To familiarize with the documented safety indicators to confirm compliance of product quality with norms.

Monitoring methods can depend on the nature and quantity of critical control points, specific safety criteria, and the range of control boundaries. Personnel who perform monitoring should fully possess the chosen methods and special measuring devices. The equipment for this procedure without fail passes calibration and verification within the framework of the unified requirements of the HACCP system.

Control, if possible, should be continuous. To date, there are many ways of continuous monitoring with fixation of measurement results. The most common is using control charts. Therefore, choosing monitoring procedures, it is worth giving preference to continuous methods.

If it is impossible to carry out this procedure in a continuous mode, a certain frequency of checks is established. It must be such that the control of the process at each of the critical points is guaranteed. Records of monitoring results should have the date of verification and the initials of the examiner.

Determination of corrective actions

The HACCP program is designed not only to identify threats, but also to develop a strategy for their prevention, elimination, or at least reducing the danger to the consumer. It is not always possible to achieve ideal safety indicators. Deviations from requirements can arise absolutely on any production. The HACCP system is aimed at minimizing the possibility of getting low-quality products to the buyer.

Corrective actions include the following:

1. Identify and eliminate the causes of non-compliance.
2. Determining the place in which the failure occurred.
3. Registration of corrective measures taken.

For each critical control point, a separate corrective action plan is developed. The general plan of HACCP should include, at a minimum: the composition of the adjustment actions; The composition of the persons responsible for these actions; And the composition of the correction entries.

Definition of verification procedures

Verification is called actions that, in addition to monitoring, confirm the effectiveness of HACCP plans and the ability of the system to work according to these plans. Verification is carried out during the development of the plan, its procedures are built into the general HACCP system.

One of the key aspects of verification is the evaluation of the system's ability to work in full compliance with the plan. For this purpose, the company's processes incorporate actions that confirm the fact of the correct implementation of the HACCP plan, in particular, proper monitoring, adjustment, maintenance of documentation and so on.

Another no less important aspect is the confirmation that the plan of the HACCP system is feasible, and the activities that are provided for them allow realizing the effectiveness of monitoring possible hazards. The information that is necessary to verify the plan can include: expert opinions, employee observations, metrics, and so on. Verification procedures are carried out not only by the personnel of the enterprise, but also by external independent experts representing accredited companies.

Development of documentation

In order for the HACCP principles to be applied as efficiently as possible, it is necessary to keep the relevant records and documents. Through documenting, you can manage the system, monitor the dynamics of processes, find patterns and confirm the compliance of the finished product with all necessary safety standards. The composition of the documentation depends on the nature of the production. In general, the main package includes: HACCP plan, list of hazards, records for verification and implementation of the plan, as well as stream records and documents that are drawn up during the operation of the system.