HACCP

Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point or HACCP is a systematic preventive approach to food
safety and pharmaceutical safety that addresses physical, chemical, and biological hazards as a
means of prevention rather than finished product inspection. HACCP is used in the food industry
to identify potential food safety hazards, so that key actions can be taken to reduce or eliminate
the risk of the hazards being realized. The system is used at all stages of food production and
preparation processes including packaging, distribution, etc. The Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) say that their
mandatory HACCP programs for juice and meat are an effective approach to food safety and
protecting public health. Meat HACCP systems are regulated by the USDA, while seafood and
juice are regulated by the FDA. The use of HACCP is currently voluntary in other food industries.

A forerunner to HACCP was developed in the form of production process monitoring during World
War II because traditional "end of the pipe" testing was not an efficient way to ferret out artillery
shells that would not explode. HACCP itself was conceived in the 1960s when the US National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) asked Pillsbury to design and manufacture the
first foods for space flights. Since then, HACCP has been recognized internationally as a logical
tool for adapting traditional inspection methods to a modern, science-based, food safety system.
Based on risk-assessment, HACCP plans allow both industry and government to allocate their
resources efficiently in establishing and auditing safe food production practices. In 1994, the
organization of International HACCP Alliance was established initially for the US meat and poultry
industries to assist them with implementing HACCP and now its membership has been spread
over other professional/industrial areas.

Hence, HACCP has been increasingly applied to industries other than food, such as cosmetics
and pharmaceuticals. This method, which in effect seeks to plan out unsafe practices, differs from
traditional "produce and test" quality control methods which are less successful and inappropriate
for highly perishable foods. In the US, HACCP compliance is regulated by 21 CFR part 120 and
123. Similarly, FAO/WHO published a guideline for all governments to handle the issue in small
and less developed food businesses.
ACCP – for safe food management systems

The Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) certification enables you to
demonstrate your commitment to food safety and customer satisfaction, as well as continuously
improving your corporate image and integrating the realities of a changing world.

HACCP is an international principle defining the requirements for effective control of food safety.
The HACCP system helps organizations focus on the hazards that affect food safety/hygiene and
systematically identifies them by setting up critical control limits at critical points during the food
production process. HACCP is built around seven principles:

1. Analysis of food hazards: biological, chemical or physical

2. Identification of critical control points: raw materials, storage, processing, distribution and
consumption
3. Establishment of critical control limits and preventive measures: for example, minimum
cooking temperature and time
4. Monitoring of these critical control points
5. Establishment of corrective actions
6. Keeping records
7. Systematic and regular auditing of the system in place by independent third party
certification bodies

The benefits of HACCP

Certification against the HACCP principles enhances your food safety management system and
your product’s quality. It instantly demonstrates your commitment to producing or trading in safe
food, which can be particularly beneficial when you are subject to inspection by regulatory
authorities or stakeholders. Demonstrating a real commitment to food safety can also transform
your brand and corporate image and act as an effective entry-to-market tool, opening up new
business opportunities around the world.

Certifying HACCP through SGS will help your organization develop and improve performance.

• Your HACCP food management safety system certificate from SGS enables you to
demonstrate high levels of food safety when bidding for international contracts or
expanding locally to accommodate new business.
• Regular assessment performed by SGS helps you to continually monitor your
management system and processes. This improves the reliability of your internal
operations to meet customer requirements, as well as overall performance. You will also
most likely gain a significant improvement in staff motivation, commitment and
understanding of their responsibility concerning food safety.