The acronym HACCP stands for "Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points."
This analysis is used in the food industry and involves a system of preventive measures that ensure the safety of food and dishes while considering critical points during all activities related to production (processing, storage, transportation, handling, and sale). These measures are based on applicable hygiene regulations and proper manufacturing practices.
HACCP specifies what is necessary to prevent the risk of hazards that could endanger consumers before such situations occur.
A hazard is defined as the degree of probability of an adverse health effect and the severity of this effect resulting from the existence of a certain danger.
Critical control points are sections, procedures, or operations in the production, distribution, or sale of food and dishes where there is the highest risk of compromising the safety of the product.
According to legal regulations, HACCP must include 7 principles:
All entities, whether individuals or legal persons, involved in any way with food handling are required to have a developed, implemented, and present HACCP plan at their operations. This obligation is regulated by legislation.
It is not possible to create a general template for HACCP because it is an individual matter for each business. However, it must be based on the aforementioned proper manufacturing practices, be in accordance with the operational rules, and comply with the requirements of hygiene regulations.
In practice, HACCP primarily focuses on documentation management, employee training, and verification of the system's correctness. Each employee must be informed and trained after the system's implementation.
