Follow these 7 HACCP principles to ensure your food safety

Following a process like the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point system (‘HACCP’) helps food business operators look at how they handle food and introduces procedures to make sure the food produced is safe to eat. It is a scientific and internationally recognized system that is increasingly being adopted in conjunction with the Food Code.

Making a HACCP plan for your establishment will help you identify and monitor biological, chemical, and physical properties that are foodborne hazards. It is preventive, rather than reactive and is an effective risk management tool.

There are seven principles that must be followed to have an effective HACCP plan. See these seven principles and examples of each below:

1. Inventory of all potential dangers i.e. the temperature of chicken when delivered. 

2. Set the critical control points i.e. the storage temperature of the chicken.

3. Give each critical control point limits i.e. the chicken should be stored between 0°C to 4°C.

4. Determine the corrective actions for each critical control point i.e. the critical level is monitored by measuring the temperature of the cold room 1x a week (by reading the display) and 1x week measuring the temperature of the chicken with a calibrated thermometer. These measurements are recorded on a temperature registration list. 

5. Verification and Validation i.e. if the temperature has been above 4°C, prepare chicken within the same day.

6. Determine how the critical control points are monitored i.e. the temperature of the cooling registration lists are reviewed every month to monitor how this control process runs. 

7. Keep documentations and registrations i.e. the temperature recording lists will at least be saved for one year on site and filed afterwards.