What is HACCP?
HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points — an internationally recognised method for systematically identifying, controlling and preventing food safety risks. It is a mandatory standard in the food industry, but is also applied in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.
HACCP = preventing risks before they cause harm.
🎯 Why HACCP?
HACCP helps companies to:
- Identify food safety hazards in good time
- Manage risks through checks and preventive measures
- Comply with legislation such as EC 852/2004 or the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act
- Ensure traceability and reliability across the supply chain
- Support quality systems such as GMP, ISO 22000 or BRC
🧪 What are hazards within HACCP?
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Biological | Bacteria (Salmonella, Listeria), moulds, viruses |
| Chemical | Cleaning agents, pesticides, allergens |
| Physical | Glass, metal particles, plastic, bone fragments |
🧱 The 7 basic principles of HACCP
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Conduct a hazard analysis Identify the risks at each step in the process.
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Determine the CCPs (Critical Control Points) Process steps at which a hazard can be controlled or eliminated.
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Establish limits per CCP For example: temperature ≥ 72 °C for 15 seconds.
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Continuously monitor the CCPs With sensors, loggers or visual checks.
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Establish corrective measures What to do when a limit is exceeded?
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Document everything For audits, recalls or quality assurance.
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Regularly review and verify Is the system still functioning correctly? Update where required.
🏭 Example: HACCP in a dairy plant
| Process step | Hazard | CCP? | Control measure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pasteurisation | Bacteria (Listeria) | ✅ | ≥ 72 °C, 15 sec, automatic logging |
| Bottle filling | Glass particles | ✅ | Metal detector, visual inspection |
| Cold storage | Bacterial growth | ⚠️ | Temperature ≤ 4 °C, alarm on fault |
🔗 HACCP and other systems
| System | Role within HACCP |
|---|---|
| SCADA | Monitoring of temperature, flow, CCP status |
| MES | Batch records, line status, traceability |
| LIMS | Linking lab results to batches and release |
| WMS | Blocking products in the event of a CCP failure |
📌 In summary
HACCP is the standard approach to food safety, based on risk analysis and control of critical points in the process. It is the basis for audits, certification and consumer trust.