NASA and a team of experts in food safety developed the HACCP plan for food safety and risk assessment in the 1960s. Throughout every stage of the food supply chain, HACCP may be implemented in all procedures. It covers the creation, preparation, packaging, and distribution. The HACCP system is a preventative measure for food safety. The emphasis is on potential physical, chemical, and biological risks that might develop during the production of food and compromise the safety of the finished product. Finding any potential risks so that control measures can be created is one of the HACCP principles' primary goals. The risk of the hazards occurring would be decreased by putting these control measures in place as required.
The Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Checklist provides a systematic and preventative approach to food safety regarding biological, chemical, and physical hazards. The HACCP audit checklist must include some of the following:
- Personal hygiene
- Food preparation
- Hot/cold holding
- Refrigeration
- Food and dry storage
- Cleaning and sanitizing
- Utensils and equipment
- Garbage and disposal
- Pest control
Also, creating a HACCP plan that complies with the HACCP principles is strongly advised before implementing the HACCP audit checklist into an existing food process. To make sure every element of the plan is succeeding and for that HACCP internal audits should be scheduled frequently.
To identify preventative steps for procedures related to food safety, a HACCP plan must be created. Although HACCP plans can indeed be created using generic templates, any special circumstances about certain components of the plan must be considered when developing it. A step-by-step general guide has been created to assist with developing a strategy, even though it may initially seem overwhelming.
- Formulate a HACCP team: The foundation of an effective plan is creating a strong HACCP team. These internal team members should be thoughtfully chosen from various food industry fields, such as quality assurance, technology, and machine operation. A better representation of the entire process from harvest to consumption is made possible by team members with diverse backgrounds and experiences in the production process. For the success of the plan, it is crucial that these members receive HACCP auditor training and that training records be updated frequently.
- Describe the food and its distribution: Here, the organization must describe the food products' ingredients and raw materials. The HACCP Plan should also cover how the food is transported and stored, such as whether it is chilled, kept at room temperature, kept within a certain temperature range, or subject to any other conditions.
- Define the consumers of the food and its intended use: A well-developed plan must include information on and a record of the major consumers of the product(s). Children, adults, the elderly, or even particular populations like vegetarians, vegans, people with impaired immune systems, etc., may fall under this category. Attention should be given to consumer groups that differ from the intended targeted audience as well as the major consumer base. For instance, meal replacement drinks are often purchased by seniors to ensure they meet their daily nutritional requirements; but, middle-aged persons also acquire these items for personal consumption.
- Build a flow diagram: Making a flow diagram gives all employees a clear understanding of the complete food manufacturing process and demonstrates it in detail. Confusion at any process step is reduced because of the advantages of creating a flow diagram.
- Check and make changes to the flowchart: The HACCP team will need to update the general evaluations of these procedures. When processes are deployed and time goes, areas for improvement may occur, and the team must examine the process regularly and change the flow diagram accordingly.
