HACCP – Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point

Since 2006, EC Regulation 852/2004, Article 5 requires all food businesses (including primary producers (such as farmers, fishermen), manufacturers, distributors, retailers and caterers) to implement food safety management systems based on Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) principles. HACCP is a systematic, preventative strategy and consists of the following stages:

• identifying potential hazards
• deciding at which stages in the food operation things may go wrong
• deciding which stages are critical to food safety (critical control points)
• putting controls in place to stop things going wrong
• creating and carrying out checks on the controls
• deciding on corrective action to be taken if a control is not working
• examining the food business periodically to see if the system needs updating

The extent and complexity of the management systems will need to be appropriate to the size and type of food business. The person responsible for developing the plan must be adequately trained to do so.

Up to date records and documents must also be kept on site to show that you are meeting the HACCP requirement and to protect you from legal action. These records could include training, food temperatures, monitoring of deliveries and pest control.