In
a comprehensive and systematic HACCP concept, Critical Control Points (CCPs) is
defined as a step at which control can be applied to prevent or eliminate a
food safety hazard. CCPs exist at every stage of the process from purchasing
material to consumption. This system
helps to reduce the hazards to an acceptable level to reduce the risk of food
contamination and prevent the consumer from various types of diseases. CCPs in
food production helps to identify, prevent, reduce or eliminate the hazards and
make them safe for consumption. For achieving proper CCPs and defining the safe
HACCP concept, the potential hazard in the process can be identified at an
earlier stage. Food safety hazards can be biological, chemical, or physical
hazards. Ex. a hair in your soup is both a physical hazard and a biological
hazard because the hair with bacteria and other microorganisms will be teeming
in the soup.
Identification of
CCPs
To
identify the CCPs in the process helps to imagine how food or related products
pass into the cycle to get the finished product. Ex. Let say you have
restaurant and star menu of your restaurant is grilled chicken sandwich. To
identify the CCPs in the sandwich you need to go through the whole process
cycle from ingredients to finished product. Typically the process goes like
this from-
- purchasing
- receiving
- storing
- preparation
- cooking
- plating
- serving
In
the process, your food handlers perform essential task to ensure the safety of
the food by
-storing
the chicken at the required temperature to keep it fresh from the growth of
bacteria
-cooking
the chicken to the required temperature to kill bacteria and get proper grilled
without burning
In
short, CCPs is a task to be performed at every stage of the process. Before the
identification of the CCPs in the process, answering these questions has proven
to be a useful aid for identifying Critical Control Points.
- Do
measures for hazard analysis exit?
- Is
hazard control necessary at this step?
- How to
modify the process or product?
- Is
hazard eliminated or reduced at this step?
Critical Limits(CL)
Once
the CCPs Critical Control Points are identified, specific limits are decided
for each stage of the process to ensure the safety of the food from any
hazards. Food safety is only achieved when Critical Limits(CL) are observed.
Monitoring system
Monitoring
the system helps to verify that the food safety measures are observed and steps
are performed for each Critical Control Point. Thus, the product is safe for
usage and has passed all the stages to identify the hazards in the product and get
corrected at an early stage.
To
ensure food safety in your business, conducting a hazard analysis in the
process and identifying critical control points CCPs are time-consuming
exercises and long procedure, but they are absolutely necessary. In fact, they
are the pat of HACCP Principles accepted Internationally as the basis of Food
Safety Programs.
HAACP
principles help in controlling the risk of food safety and provide safe food to
the consumer protecting them from the consequences of the food safety incidents/diseases.
Adopting HACCP Certification helps to fulfil all the requirements to control
risk and food contamination. HACCP helps in complying with the food safety laws
of the government and enjoy several benefits in the market.
Steps for HACCP Certification
To
make the HACCP Certification process simple and quick. Hiring a consultant will
guide you and your business through the following steps to achieve HACCP
Certification by providing
1. Gap Analysis
2. Training
3. Testing
4. Documentation & Test Report
5. Process Audit
6. External Audit
7. Certification and beyond
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