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.

The Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) system is internationally recognised as the most effective method of ensuring food safety. 

HACCP is a system, which identifies specific hazards and implements measures for their control.  HACCP’s systems are developed using the seven basic principles detailed below:

Principle 1
Prepare a flow diagram of the steps in the process.  Conduct a hazard analysis by identifying potential hazards.  Assess likelihood of occurrence of these hazards and identify control options

Principle 2
Identify the Critical Control Points in the process using the decision tree

Principle 3
Establish critical limits, which must be met to ensure each Critical Control Point is under control

Principle 4
Establish a monitoring system to ensure control of the Critical Control Point by scheduled testing or observations

Principle 5
Establish the corrective action to be taken when monitoring indicates that a particular Critical Control Point is moving out of control

Principle 6
Establish documentation concerning all procedures and records appropriate to these principles and their application

Principle 7
Verify that HACCP is working effectively

On the 29 April 2004, the European Parliament and the Council issued Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs.
Article 5 states that: Food business operators shall put into place, implement and maintain a permanent procedure based on the principles of hazard analysis critical control points (HACCP).

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There are many different ways that companies go about formulating their HACCP plans but there are a few fundamentals:

Knowledgeable Staff
Staff involved in Hazard assessment should have a thorough knowledge of the process, what happens and what is likely to go wrong. In addition to this they need to have some understanding of food safety. This is where training is important; the HACCP team need to understand the range of potential hazards that can affect the process and how to assess the significance of these hazards. In addition the team leader should have expertise knowledge in acceptable standards for critical limits, suitable monitoring procedures and appropriate corrective actions.

Practical HACCP System
Many systems are over burdening in the amount of paper generated and how the analysis follows through. It can easier to use software based systems these days provided they are designed by people who understand food safety systems rather than being software writers.
We have designed a simple HACCP system that enables all of the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point Assessment documents to be held in one file we call the HACCP Calculator
Appropriate Monitoring Procedures, Records and Operator Training
While HACCP plans are being formulated sensible and appropriate procedures need to be established that are easy for the person carrying out the task to follow. Records need to be as simple as possible so that it is quite clear when a critical control point has been breached and the procedure should stipulate the corrective action required. It is then essential to train operators so that they thoroughly understand the procedures, how to complete the records, what the critical limits are and what corrective action to take.
Monitoring at critical control points should take into consideration the quantity of product likely to be affective and the risk. For instance if you only check something once a day you may have to quarantine a whole day’s production.