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Overview
HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point. A hazard analysis is the process used to determine the food safety hazards reasonably likely to occur in the production process. This also identifies the preventive measures, or "critical control points," that the establishment can use to control those hazards. Hazards are grouped into three categories:
- physical - e.g. metal, glass, hair
- chemical - e.g. detergents, nitrite when used in excess
- biological - e.g. pathogens
More information about HACCP.
The first step to creating a HACCP plan is attending a HACCP workshop. This will not only train you in HACCP, but it will also provide you with a HACCP certificate. At least one person in every plant must be HACCP certified in order to sign the HACCP plan and any revisions.
HACCP Workshops and Help
HACCP workshops are regularly conducted around the country, often at land grant universities. Each State is assigned a HACCP Coordinator to assist plants with the development of HACCP Program. State HACCP Coordinators will typically know when and where HACCP workshops take place in your state. The Niche Meat Processor Assistance Network's State Affiliates may also be able to help you with your HACCP plan and/or finding a HACCP workshop in your area. More information about HACCP.
You may utilize an outside consultant to develop your HACCP plan. Questions about the use of consultants may be answered by an FSIS representative.
Model HACCP Plans
Useful HACCP Model Plans have been developed by University of Wisconsin - Madison. To download a model HACCP plan from this site, decide which type of processing will be done (Slaughter, Raw-Not Ground, Etc.), and follow the steps accordingly.
Supporting Documentation Materials for HACCP Decisions
This document provides a very comprehensive listing of the scientific and technical resources processors can cite in their HACCP plans as justifications for the hazards identified in their hazard analysis and the critical control points chosen to control hazards.
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/nis/outreach/Docs/SupDoc.doc.
HACCP Validation
Validation is how a meat processor shows that a HACCP plan is working as intended. USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) website contains extensive information about validation and what is required: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Science/HACCP_Validation/index.asp
FSIS is expected to release a second Draft Guidance document on validation in 2011, revised based on public comment on the original draft. On March 19, 2010, the agency issued "Draft Guidance: HACCP Systems Validation" that would have created substantial new testing requirements for all meat processors. This PDF document includes an explanatory preface letter from the FSIS Administrator to a group of meat industry trade organizations.
FSIS received extensive public comment on the draft guidance, including a letter from NMPAN with more than 90 co-signers, including meat processors, processor associations, livestock producers, NGOs, government agencies, consumers, and others. FSIS also held public hearings in June on the issue. Hearing transcripts are available at the FSIS validation weblink above.
NMPAN's comment letter can be found here.
Developing a Food Defense Plan for Meat and Poultry Slaughter and Processing Plants
A step-by-step guide to developing a Food Defense Plan by USDA FSIS:
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/Food_Defense_Plan.pdf
Anti-Microbial Interventions for Small Plants
Anti-Microbial Spray Treatments for Red Meat Processing
Small and very small red meat plants can benefit from food safety technologies appropriate to their scale of operations. This video, with companion booklet, produced by the Food Science Department at Pennsylvania State University in 2005, explains in detail how to use a water wash and anti-microbial spray treatment as an intervention against pathogens during the slaughter of red meat animals. It also provides scientific documentation that can be used for HACCP plan validation.
Control of Listeria monocytogenes in Small Meat and Poultry Establishments
This PDF by Catherine N. Cutter and William R. Henning of Pennsylvania State University provides practical information for small plants about control of and testing for Listeria monocytogenes, a serious concern in ready-to-eat (RTE) products.
