What does HACCP mean?
HAACP is short for Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point. The legal basis of this concept is the FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius and the new EU food hygiene regulation 852/2004 EC + 853/2004 EC.
What is a HAACP concept?
It is a controlling and regulation system used as an instrument to guarantee food safety. Hazard analysis is carried out to ensure that all conceivable biological, chemical and physical hazards which could theoretically arise during the manufacturing process are eliminated before the final product is made. The Critical Control Points are stringently controlled during production so that every health risk is eliminated.
The legal requirements as per the EU food hygiene regulations and the LMSVG (Austrian Food Safety and Consumer Protection Act) state:
Each food company is responsible for establishing points during the process which are critical in terms of food safety and for ensuring that appropriate safety measures are defined, implemented, performed, complied with and checked according to the following principles used when developing the HACCP(Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) system:
- Analysis of potential food risks in the food company’s processes
- Identification of points in these processes where food hazards could occur
- Determination of which of these points are critical for food safety – “critical points”
- Establishment and performance of effective controlling and monitoring procedures for these critical points; examinations of food hazard analysis, critical control points and controlling and monitoring processes at regular intervals and whenever any change is made in the food company’s processes.
What is the basis of a functioning HACCP concept?
A functioning HACCP concept is based on the prior establishment and implementation of efficient “GOOD MANUFACTURING PRACTICE (GMP)”. GMP entails:
- Staff hygiene (staff routes incl. training and hygiene checks)
- Production hygiene (handling of plant and equipment)
- Buildings and systems, repairs, maintenance (technological standing)
- Drinking water quality
- Product and process checks (quality criteria)
- Pest control
- Cleaning and disinfection regulations
Checks and Sanctions
Compliance with the HACCP concept is checked periodically by government organs. If the statutory requirements are not observed, official measures and precautions may be implemented in individual cases. The use of rooms and equipment may be officially forbidden; the authorities may request the rectification of defects within an appropriate deadline.
If human health is at risk, the governor may even close part or all of the operation, shut down machinery or implement other measures to prevent distribution.
