The Nature and Scope of a HACCP Certification Program
HACCP certification is one of the most crucial and prestigious certifications in the food industry. It helps prevent any food-related risks that can cause a threat to the lives of the consumers. It follows a structured approach that encompasses all the stages of food production, processing, storage and selling.
Let us take a look at the nature and scope of a HACCP certification.
Principles of HACCP Certification
If you want to opt for HACCP certification, then you must correctly abide by the following principles:
1. Hazard Analysis
The first step/principle of HACCP is to conduct a thorough hazard analysis or risk assessment of all the food-related processes that come under your responsibility. Look for any chemical, biological or physical risks that may arise at any stage of food production, packaging, storage or any other process.
2. Identification of Critical Points
The next step is identifying the problem areas where these risks may arise. This will give you critical control points that can help you mitigate risks at any stage of the food-related business. This can prevent any risks and hazards.
3. Establishing Critical Limits
Once the critical points have been identified, the next step is to establish critical limits for each of these control points. The establishment of critical limits for each of these points will help you figure out how things can be controlled. It will help you set standards to follow.
4. Establishing a Critical Point Monitoring
You must establish a way to monitor critical point limits at each critical point. It may be trickier in some cases, but you need to find a solution. You can use high-tech solutions to make sure that each of your processes is running at its best.
5. Establishing Corrective Actions
Once the monitoring of critical points has been established, you need to pinpoint where the problem still lies in the process. If there are still problems, you need to establish and implement corrective actions. You may need to dispose of any problematic food items. You will also need to take action to ensure that the food is safe to be consumed by the time it reaches the end-consumer.
6. Establishing Procedures to Follow
You must keep a check on all the HACCP implanted processes to ensure that they are working at their optimal condition. Establish how you intend to run the processes and make sure that they follow the HACCP guidelines. This will keep things in place.
7. Establishing Record Keeping
To get a HACCP certification for your food-related business, you must keep records for your business. It will help you trace and solve any issues that may arise during any of the processes. This will ensure that everything is completed in accordance with the guidelines set for best practices.
HACCP certification program entails different certifications like ISO 22000 Certification, ISO 9001 Certification, etc. You can get all the certifications that are suitable for your food-related business to ensure that all the best practices are being followed.