HACCP Codex Alimentarius
Basic Processes and Programs for Food Safety
QLC’s HACCP certification consultants answer your questions
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) is a systematic approach based on the Codex Alimentarius (Food Code) principles. Its primary goal is to identify crucial points (Critical Control Points) for preventing, limiting, or eliminating all potential physical, chemical, or biological hazards that may appear in a food product during its production process.
HACCP is intended for all businesses and organizations (private or public), regardless of size, that are involved in the production, processing, packaging, storage, transport, and sale of foods and animal feeds.
The development process can be summarized in the following main stages:
- Assessing and upgrading physical infrastructure according to legal requirements and international food safety regulations
- Forming an HACCP team with the knowledge and experience to develop and implement an effective HACCP system
- Describing the product and determining its intended use
- Designing a flow diagram that includes all stages of the product’s production
- Verifying the flow diagram during the production process
- Identifying and assessing all possible hazards that may arise and determining preventive measures for their control
- Determining the points at which control is needed to keep risks within acceptable levels (CCPs: Critical Control Points)
- Setting critical limits, which must be adhered to in order to ensure that each CCP remains under control
- Establishing a monitoring system for each CCP
- Defining corrective actions to be taken when monitoring indicates that a particular CCP is out of control
- Determining verification procedures to confirm that the HACCP system is working effectively
- Setting up an effective record-keeping and documentation system for HACCP
- Training personnel
While developing a HACCP system requires participation by specially trained staff or collaboration with a specialized consultant, implementation can be quite manageable. HACCP systems are the most flexible food safety management systems and can be applied even by very small businesses, preserving any traditional aspects of production.
There are several certification bodies that, after evaluating the system and its implementation records (HACCP documentation), can issue, provided legal and/or Codex Alimentarius requirements are met, a certificate (statement of implementation) confirming that the business has implemented HACCP according to a relevant EU regulation or Codex Alimentarius guidelines. Unfortunately, there are no accredited bodies for issuing HACCP certificates having the same value as more recognized certifications, meaning that businesses seeking higher standards should consider another food safety management system.
Most businesses implement HACCP to comply with legal requirements. Others adopt it to improve production conditions and reduce the likelihood of distributing unsafe food. A smaller percentage of businesses implement it to impress their customers.
The most significant benefits include meeting legal requirements while having a tool that helps apply international hygiene practices and achieve a higher level of food safety.
The time required to develop and install HACCP depends on the complexity of the business processes, number of staff, commitment of the business, and the condition of its facilities. For small companies with few staff, simple food handling processes, and no major infrastructural changes needed, the timeline can range from 1 week to 2 months.