Your HACCP Plan: Taking the First Steps

Your first task is to create a team responsible for the HACCP plan. Be sure to include local personnel who know your operation inside and out. You may need to seek external experts in areas such as engineering, production, sanitation, quality assurance, and/or food microbiology.

Be wary, however, of a plan completely developed by outsiders.  It may be inaccurate, incomplete, or worse, resisted by your employees.

2. Describe the food and its distribution.

In this step, the HACCP team compiles a general description of the ingredients and processing methods of your food service. If applicable, they also describe your product’s distribution methods. For instance, are your food products delivered frozen, refrigerated, or at ambient temperature?

3. Describe the intended use and consumers of the food.

How do you expect consumers will normally use your food products? Here your team describes consumption behaviors for both the general public and any relevant population segments (e.g., children, elderly, pregnant women).

4. Develop a flow diagram that describes the process.

Next, the team diagrams each stage of your particular HACCP process. It should include all of the steps under your control, plus those outside your establishment that occur before and after production. The diagram does not need to be complicated—just clear and comprehensive. Check out this example.

5. Verify the flow diagram.

In their final step, the HACCP team performs an on-site review of the operation to verify the accuracy and completeness of the flow diagram. As needed, they document and modify the diagram to correct any glitches.

Prerequisite Programs

An effective HACCP plan is built on Good Manufacturing Practices. Any of your company’s pre-existing food safety practices specified in federal, state and local regulations should be incorporated into your HACCP plan. Check out the different types of prerequisite programs that may apply to your establishment.

Employee Training

The success of your HACCP plan depends on employee training. First, employees must understand what HACCP is and why it’s important. Second, they must be given the time needed to learn the proper skills and procedures to make it function properly. And third, management must inspire them to take full responsibility for their individual roles in the larger overall process.

What’s Next?

Once your HACCP team has completed these five preliminary tasks, their next job is to apply HACCP’s Seven Basic Principles. We’ll take a closer look at these principles in an upcoming post.

To learn more about how to prevent food safety disasters, check out our Food Safety Webinar. You can watch the recording of our live webinar, hosted by Rochelly Serrano. Plus, you can download a copy of the slides.