HACCP certification plays an extremely important role in the food production chain and has a significant impact on the quality of products delivered to consumers. So, what are the 7 principles of HACCP certification?

The 7 Principles of HACCP Certification

Principle 1: Conduct a Hazard Analysis

A food safety hazard is any biological, chemical, or physical characteristic that may make food unsafe for human consumption. Hazard analysis is conducted to identify any biological, physical, and chemical hazards in raw materials and processing steps, and to evaluate their likelihood and potential to render food unsafe for consumption.

Principle 2: Determine Critical Control Points (CCPs)

A Critical Control Point (CCP) is a point, step, or procedure in the food production process where control measures can be applied and food safety hazards can be prevented, eliminated, or reduced to an acceptable level.

Not every point identified through hazard analysis and measurements becomes a CCP. A decision-making process is applied to determine whether a particular step is a CCP. The process for determining CCPs includes the following considerations:

• Is control at this specific step necessary to ensure safety?
• Will control at this step eliminate or reduce the likelihood of a hazard to an acceptable level?
• Could contamination by the identified hazard occur at levels exceeding acceptable limits?
• Will subsequent steps eliminate or reduce the hazard to an acceptable level?

Principle 3: Establish Critical Limits for CCPs

A critical limit is a criterion that distinguishes acceptability from unacceptability. It represents the maximum or minimum value at which a biological, chemical, or physical hazard must be controlled at a CCP to prevent, eliminate, or reduce a food safety hazard to an acceptable level.

Examples of critical limits include time, temperature, humidity, water activity, and pH value. These limits should be measured using specific methods (physicochemical or microbiological).

Note: In some cases, more than one critical limit may be required to control a specific hazard.

Principle 4: Establish Monitoring Procedures for CCPs

Monitoring is a planned sequence of observations or measurements used to assess whether a CCP is under control and to generate accurate records for future verification.

Personnel responsible for monitoring procedures must be clearly identified and adequately trained.

Principle 5: Establish Corrective Actions

Whenever a critical limit is exceeded, the facility must implement corrective actions immediately.

Management must define corrective actions in advance.

Principle 6: Establish Verification Procedures

Verification involves the application of methods, procedures, tests, and evaluations, in addition to monitoring, to determine compliance with the HACCP plan.

Examples of verification activities include calibrating process monitoring instruments at defined intervals, direct observation of monitoring activities, and reviewing corrective actions. Product sampling, review of monitoring records, and record audits can also assist in verifying the effectiveness of the HACCP system.

Principle 7: Establish Record-Keeping and Documentation Procedures

Maintaining appropriate HACCP records is an essential part of the HACCP system. Accurate and complete HACCP records are useful for:

• Documenting compliance with the established HACCP plan;
• Tracing the history of a component, work-in-progress product, or finished product when issues arise;
• Identifying trends in specific operations that may lead to deviations if not corrected;
• Facilitating and narrowing the scope of product recalls.

HACCP certification records must include records of CCPs, critical limits, corrective actions, verification results, and the HACCP plan, including hazard analysis documentation.

Frequently Asked Questions About HACCP Certification

Which Organizations Can Apply HACCP Food Safety Management System Certification?

The Food Safety Management System: Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) can be applied to organizations and enterprises involved in food production, processing, services, and trading activities.

Organizations ranging from those with a single employee to those employing thousands or tens of thousands of workers, from individual business households and family-run businesses to private enterprises, state-owned companies, limited liability companies, and joint-stock companies engaged in food-related production, services, or business activities should implement HACCP certification.

What Is the Validity Period of HACCP Certification?

A HACCP certificate is valid for three (3) years from the date of issuance. Upon expiration, the organization must undergo a recertification audit to obtain a new certificate valid for the following three-year period.

Is Annual Surveillance Audit Mandatory After Obtaining HACCP Certification?

Organizations are required to undergo annual surveillance audits (once every 12 months) in accordance with the requirements of certification authorities.

If an organization fails to undergo the required surveillance audit when due, its HACCP Certificate may be suspended and withdrawn in accordance with applicable regulations.

The above information is shared by ISSQ Institute for Standard and Quality Development Studies regarding the 7 Principles of HACCP Certification.

We hope this article provides useful information for you and your organization.

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Please contact our hotline: +84 981 851 111 or email vienchatluong@issq.org.vn | tcvn@issq.org.vn. We are honored to serve you!

Publication Date: June 3, 2023