The Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system is internationally accepted as the system of choice for food safety management. It is a preventative approach to food safety based on the following seven principles:

  • identify any hazards that must be prevented eliminated or reduced
  • identify the critical control points (CCPs) at the steps at which control is essential
  • establish critical limits at CCPs
  • establish procedures to monitor the CCPs
  • establish corrective actions to be taken if a CCP is not under control
  • establish procedures to verify whether the above procedures are working effectively
  • establish documents and records to demonstrate the effective application of the above measures

The HACCP approach provides a systematic way of identifying food safety hazards and making sure that they are being controlled day-in, day-out. This involves the following four steps: Plan, Do, Check and Act. These steps are described in more detail below.

1. PLAN
Plan what needs to be done to maintain food safety and write it down.
It is particularly important to:

  • minimise the likelihood of food poisoning bacteria contaminating meat and associated products
  • avoid physical and chemical contamination of meat
  • reduce the potential for growth of food poisoning bacteria on meat and associated products
  • minimise the potential for cross contamination of ready-to-eat foods by food poisoning bacteria on meat during further processing or in the kitchen.
Hazards Microbiological, Chemical, Physical
Controls Good Hygiene Practices Maintenance, Cleaning, Pest control, Training, Personal hygiene, Traceability, Waste Management, Wrapping & Packaging, Transport
Operational hygiene controls Raw Materials, Animal welfare & transport, Slaughter, Dressing, Storage, Cutting, Processing
Documentation HACCP plans, Staff instructions, Monitoring and Corrective action procedures, Daily records
2. DO
Do what you planned to do to maintain food safety.
Documentation (see above)
3. CHECK
Check that you are doing what you planned to do to maintain food safety and write down what was checked and when.
Supervision
Monitoring
Verification incl. Micro testing
Review		 Documentation (see above)
4. ACT
Act to correct any food safety problems and write down what has been done about the problem and when.
Corrective actions Documentation