HACCP Systems
HMS are a team of food safety specialist working with food businesses to develop a customised HACCP system, to train all staff and to monitor standards ensuring the system is properly implemented. The HMS system works as a partnership between you and us.
For this to work we encourage full team involvement and a close working relationship to achieve a standard you insist on and your customer expects.
_____________________________________________________________
HACCP SYSTEM
A Food Safety Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) system is a proactive and systematic approach to identifying, assessing, and controlling potential food safety hazards throughout the production, processing, distribution, and consumption of food products. The primary objective of a HACCP system is to prevent hazards that could compromise food safety rather than relying solely on end-product inspection.
Here's a breakdown of the key components and steps involved in a typical Food Safety HACCP system:
Hazard Analysis: This initial step involves identifying any biological, chemical, or physical hazards that may be present in the food production process. These hazards could include pathogens, allergens, toxins, foreign objects, or inadequate processing.
Identify Critical Control Points (CCPs): CCPs are specific points in the food production process where control measures can be applied to prevent, eliminate, or reduce identified hazards to acceptable levels. These points are crucial for ensuring food safety.
Establish Critical Limits: Critical limits are the maximum or minimum values set for each CCP to ensure that the hazard is effectively controlled. These limits are based on scientific principles and regulatory requirements.
Monitor CCPs: Continuous monitoring of CCPs is essential to verify that critical limits are consistently met. Monitoring involves Food Safety audits and regular observation, measurement, and recording of relevant data to ensure that the process remains under control.
Establish Corrective Actions: In case a deviation from critical limits occurs or a hazard is not adequately controlled, corrective actions must be taken promptly to prevent unsafe food from reaching consumers. These actions may include adjustments to the process, product disposition, or equipment maintenance.
Verification: Verification involves confirming that the HACCP system is working effectively. This includes reviewing monitoring records, conducting periodic inspections, and testing samples to validate the system's performance.
Documentation and Record-Keeping: Comprehensive documentation of the HACCP plan, including hazard analysis, CCPs, critical limits, monitoring procedures, corrective actions, and verification activities, is crucial for ensuring accountability and regulatory compliance. Records can be maintained either digitally or in paper form.
Training and Education: Personnel involved in food production must receive adequate training and education on HACCP principles, procedures, and their roles in implementing and maintaining the system effectively.
By implementing a Food Safety HACCP system, food businesses can proactively identify and mitigate potential hazards, enhance consumer confidence, comply with regulatory requirements, and ultimately ensure the production of safe and high-quality food products.
A strong robust Food Safety Culture is essential in any food service or production business.
_______________________________________________________________
Some of the Topics Covered in our Systems
Food Poisoning Complaint Management / Allergens Advice / Food Traceability & Labelling Advice
Our consultants work with you to design an appropriate effective and compliant food safety system based on HACCP principles. Our systems are always tailor made and created to suit your food business. The process is simple when carried out with HMS. We take the hassle out of HACCP.
- We begin by conducting a thorough site visit during which we will assess current standards and collect all of the necessary information to begin devising your bespoke HACCP system.
- We design your HACCP system so that it covers all aspects of your operation. Within your HACCP system we devise all policies and procedures from pre-requisites to verification, each of them specific to your business. These include the monitoring records for each of your Critical Control Points
- Upon handover of your HACCP manual, your HMS consultant will explain in detail how to use the system.
We will work with you to ensure the system is fully understood and implemented so that all risks are controlled- we are not happy until you are!