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Listen to this siteHazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP), is used to describe an internationally recognised way of managing food safety and protecting consumers. It is a requirement of EU food hygiene legislation that applies to all food business operators except farmers and growers.
EU Regulation 852/2004 (Article 5) requires food business operators, including meat plant operators to implement and maintain hygiene procedures based on HACCP principles. This legislation replaced the Meat (HACCP) Regulations 2002.
HACCP
The Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system is internationally accepted as the system of choice for food safety management. It is a preventative approach to food safety based on the following seven principles:
The HACCP approach provides a systematic way of identifying food safety hazards and making sure that they are being controlled day-in, day-out. This involves the following four steps: Plan, Do, Check. These steps are described in more detail below.
Some more information on hazards, controls, documentation and HACCP training can be found below.
Back to topThe seven principles aim to focus attention on the identification and control of microbiological, as well as chemical and physical food safety hazards during production. The hazard assessment and the regular monitoring of critical control measures must be documented to provide the basis for audit checks and may provide evidence of due diligence in the event of legal action.
In meat plants HACCP plans will focus on control measures that can reduce the likelihood of contamination of meat from microbiological hazards, such as Salmonella, E.coli O157 and Campylobacter, during production. These meat-borne pathogens can be carried by healthy animals and cannot be detected by sight or smell.
Although thorough cooking kills most bacteria, meat may be handled by lots of people before it is cooked and the bacteria will spread to other foods that may not be cooked. Bacteria multiply very quickly, especially in warm conditions. Retailers and consumers need to take precautions, including temperature controls and keeping raw meat and cooked meat and other ready to eat foods separate.
Conscientious implementation of HACCP principles by plant operators demonstrates their commitment to food safety; improves employee awareness of their role in protecting consumers, and emphasises management's responsibility for the safe production of meat.
Back to topFood safety management is achieved by a combination of good hygiene practices (legal requirements for which are in Regulation 852/2004) and operational hygiene procedures (legal requirements for meat production are in Regulation 853/2004).
Guidance on these legal requirements may be found in the Guide to Food Hygiene and Other Regulations for the UK Meat Industry (see Meat Industry Guide below).
Back to topDocumentation is an important part of food safety management. Records should be easy to keep up to date as they provide evidence of the operator's thinking and decisions. Where visual monitoring is necessary, for example to ensure carcasses are free of visible faecal contamination, records can be limited to 'exception reporting'. This means making a record only when there is a problem or something unusual happens and noting the corrective action taken as a result. See Model Documents and Food Safety Management Diary below.
Back to topSuggested model documents, which can be found at the link towards the end of this page, are available for food business operators to use or adapt to help manage food safety issues such as maintenance, cleaning, staff training and temperature checks.
Back to topThe dairy has been produced for meat producers to keep important information about the hygienic operation of their food business for the year. The diary can be found at the link towards the end of this page.
Back to topFood business operators need an understanding of HACCP principles so that they can set up and maintain HACCP-based procedures. Staff should also be aware of the importance of the procedures they carry out in minimising the spread of food-borne hazards, which may be biological (e.g. E.coli O157 or campylobacter); physical (e.g. wool, metal); or chemical (e.g. veterinary medicine or cleaning product residues).
The manual was produced in 2002 to provide a clear and colourful training guide on HACCP principles and their application. It was developed with industry assistance and the material was trialed with small businesses during a pilot plant study. The manual includes the syllabus for the 'Meat Plant Manager's Hygiene & HACCP' course described above, and so will be of interest to trainers. A CD-ROM version of the manual is available.
Back to topThe Food Standards Agency has also produced the following guidance material for meat plant operators:
CDs of the HACCP Manual, the Meat Plant HACCP Guidance Pack and the Meat Industry Guide are available on request by emailing MeatIndustryGuide@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk .
If you have any queries, please call Freddie Lachhman on 020 7276 8384.
Back to topDownload pdf
(pdf 550KB) Food Safety Management (FSM) Diary for Meat ProducersDownload pdf
(pdf 854KB) Model Documents Logging/monitoring activities for meat producersDownload pdf
(pdf 194KB)Regulation (EC) 2073/2005 on Microbiological Criteria has applied to food of animal origin from 1 January 2006. They include carcass testing requirements, including criteria for salmonella for red meat and poultry carcasses.
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