HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points, and it’s a system to handle techniques for identifying and assessing the risks and hazards connected with particular foods or manufacturing processes. The phrases “food safety plan” (FSP) and “HACCP plan” are frequently modified versions. These two conceptions, however, have significant distinctions. Although both can help food and beverage firms play a proactive role in food safety, understanding the subtleties of each program is critical to maintaining conformity.
What is HACCP?
A food safety software was initially designed for astronauts to ensure pathogen-free food during space travel, according to the HACCP website. “It aims to prevent vulnerabilities that could produce toxins and diseases by using scientific controls, from raw materials to final products. To assure safe food, industry and regulators have typically concentrated on unannounced inspections of production systems and random monitoring of final goods. On the other hand, this previous method is reactive rather than proactive and may be less effective than the novel. HACCP has several improvements worth mentioning over the old regime.
Why is HACCP Plan Important?
Food and beverage industries need HACCP plans because they emphasize the control of possible hazards. Impurities such as the following are among these dangers:
- Bacteriological
- Physical
- Chemical
Food and beverage firms can improve public health and safety by addressing these hazards and provide some other considerable benefits, like HACCP:
- Focuses on determining and prohibiting hazards that could make food insecure.
- Is supported by strong scientific evidence.
- Provides for more efficient or effective total surveillance, attributed to the fact that recordkeeping lets inspectors evaluate how effectively a company is adhering with food safety rules and implementing measures that lower the risk of dangerous food over time instead of on a single day.
- The food manufacturer or distributor is held responsible for acceptably ensuring food safety.
- Enables food producers to operate more efficiently on a global scale.
- Eliminates trade barriers on a global scale.
What is a Food Safety Plan?
The FDA does not mandate HACCP plans for all food classes. However, under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), organizations must now have a documented FSP to ensure compliance with the Human Food Rule. HACCP principles are included in FSPs, which use a preventative controls strategy to risk assessment.
A food safety plan (FSP) comes in the form of the primary sources in a protective controls food safety system that offers a standardized approach to the evaluation of food safety hazards that can only be regulated to avoid or reduce the possibility of foodborne illness or disability,” and per the FDA. It’s a compilation of written papers that outlines processes to ensure food safety during manufacture, handling, packing, and storage.
Why Are Food Safety Plans Important?
FSPs, like HACCP plans, play a significant role in food and beverage manufacturing risk management. Food safety strategies are designed for the following reasons:
- Lowering the contamination of food
- Keeping cross-contamination to a minimum
- Additional foods
- Chemistries
- Human Resources
- Obtaining and enforcing compliance
FSPs can assist infrastructure in regulating microbiological, chemical, and physical risks and toxin risks when adequately formed and executed.
The FDA provides an online Food Safety Plan Builder to assist businesses in developing FSPs. The use of this platform is entirely voluntary, and it does not assure FDA compliance. It may, however, be a valuable mechanism for developing or modifying FSPs, as it walks consumers through the following core rules:
- Useful facts about the facility
- Steps to get started
- Prerequisite Programs and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs)
- Estimations of HACCP
- Preventative measures for:
- Procedures
- Allergens in foods
- Cleanliness
- Supply chain management
- Plans for recall
- Linear extrapolation of the FSP
- Report to the FSP
- Best practices in recordkeeping
What Are the Differences Between a HACCP Plan and a Food Safety Plan?
There is a lot of crossover between food safety plans and HACCP plans, as you can see. Nevertheless, there are a few significant distinctions. Here are a few critical differences between HACCP plans and FSPs are:
Analyze the risks
Biological, chemical, and physical dangers must be addressed in HACCP plans; radiological hazards and economically driven spoilage must be considered in FSPs.
Preventive Measures
While HACCP plans only specify CCPs for processes, FSPs require approach CCPs and checks at points other than the key ones.
Records
In HACCP plans, data must be retained for process controls, while in FSPs, records should be kept for all preventative controls.
Parameters & CCPs
While reasonable restrictions are necessary for CCPs in HACCP plans, the established parameters for preventative measures that are not connected to procedures may not be required in FSPs.
Observation
Monitoring is not required for HACCP plans, but it is required for FSPs. Monitoring is required once any threat that necessitates a preventative action has been recognized.
Preventive Actions
When a CCP’s CL is violated, the HACCP plan asks for immediate corrective action. In some circumstances, rapid resolutions using FSPs may be more practicable than official corrective actions.
Authentication
Unlike HACCP plans, which involve verification operations, FSPs provide more flexibility in undertaking verification operations depending on the preventative control’s nature.
Verification
Validation of the entire plan is required for HACCP systems for juice, meat, and poultry, whereas validation activities such as collecting proof that individual actions adequately minimize the hazards are required for FSPs.
Plans for Recall
While HACCP does not demand a recall plan, FSPs do. For each item with a hazard that necessitates preventative control, a recall plan is required.
While the distinctions between food safety plans and HACCP plans may appear minor, they are vital to recognize and plan for. Understanding the differences between the two projects will work with you to ensure that your organization complies with all strict guidelines.
Whether your organization is required to implement an FSP, a HACCP plan, or both, compliance with these programs necessitates substantial planning and continual monitoring.
About food Safety Software
Food safety software is created to help food and beverage industries handle the procedures and documents needed by legislation and standards. Choose a food safety software that includes Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) principles, which are addressed in FSMA, ISO 22000, and other related codes and regulations.
