ISO 9001 Quality Manuals

The requirements of ISO 22000 prescribe a comprehensive systematic way to producing a HACCP system that would be of great benefit to any organisation. Prerequisite programmes to control the introduction of food safety hazards through the work environment, preventing product contamination and controlling hazard levels in the product and product environment are required when implementing an ISO 22000 compliant HACCP system. ISO 22000 clause 7.2.3 states that construction and lay-out of buildings/premises, workspace, employee facilities; supplies of utilities, waste disposal, adequate equipment, management of purchased materials, storage and transport, prevention of cross contamination, sanitation, pest control and personnel hygiene should be taken into consideration when establishing prerequisite programmes.

The first step in developing an ISO 22000 compliant HACCP system is to establish a food safety team multi-disciplinary knowledge and experience. The food safety team are required to carry out a number of preliminary steps in order to carry out the hazard analysis. The first step for the team in implementing an ISO 2000 compliant HACCP system is to describe the product characteristics (Clause 7.3.3) including raw materials, ingredients, product contact materials and end product including its intended use (Clause 7.3.4).

Next the food safety team should construct flow diagram and conduct on site confirmation of the flow diagram (Clause 7.3.5.1 Flow diagrams. Next the food safety team describe each process step and the existing control measures applied at each step as required by ISO 22000 clause 7.3.5.2. This is the last step required prior to hazard analysis.

The food safety team now conduct a hazard analysis, as per the requirements of ISO 22000 clause 7.4.2, to identify all the food safety hazards that are reasonably likely to occur. In conducting the hazard analysis the food safety team are required to assess each hazard identified (Clause 7.4.3), consider and select control measures (Clause 7.4.4) required to achieve the acceptable level of hazard. Each control measure needs to be reviewed by the food safety team with respect to its effectiveness against the identified food safety hazards and then categorized as to whether they need to be operational prerequisite programmes or included in the HACCP plan. The food safety team need to review each control measure and its effectiveness to decide if the control measure is to be part of the HACCP plan or to be controlled by operational prerequisite programmes. ISO 22000 clause 7.5 requires the food safety team to establish and document operational prerequisite programmes including the food safety hazard to be controlled, the control measure, the monitoring procedures, corrections and corrective actions to be taken if out of control, the responsibilities and authorities and the records to be completed.

The next step of implementing an ISO 22000 compliant system requires the food safety team to establish the HACCP plan. ISO 22000 clause 7.6 uses the same principles of HACCP implementation as CODEX, clause 7.6.2 requires identification of critical control points, clause 7.6.3 requires the food safety team to determine critical limits for critical control point, clause 7.6.4 requires monitoring of critical control points, clause 7.6.5 requires actions when critical limits are exceeded and clause 7.8 requires verification planning. The HACCP plan documents the food safety hazard to be controlled at the critical control point, the control measure, the monitoring procedures, critical limits the records to be used, the corrections and corrective actions to be taken if out of control, and responsibilities and authorities.

Clause 8.2 describes the requirement for validation of operational PRP and HACCP plan control measures and combinations. ISO 22000 has further specific documentation requirements are prescribed in clause 4.2 which requires that documents and records required by the food safety management system to be controlled.

ISO 22000 has further requirement with regards to implementing a HACCP system in that clause 7.7 prescribes the need for updating of  product characteristics, intended use, flow diagrams, process steps, control measures after the operational PRP(s) and/or the HACCP plan have been established. After updating the preliminary information the food safety team should then decide if the HACCP plan and/or prerequisite programmes documents need to be amended. When verification results do not indicate conformity ISO 22000 requires the food safety team to review of the conclusions of the hazard analysis, operational PRPs and the HACCP plan as per clause 8.4.2.

The last requirement is that the food safety team are to evaluate the food safety management system at planned intervals and then consider the need to review the hazard analysis, operational prerequisite programmes and the HACCP plan as described in ISO 22000 Clause 8.5.2 Updating the food safety management system.