​​FANE LTD

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​mike.green@fane.org.uk

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What is Hazard Analysis?

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It is a way of looking at a food business operation or process and making sure that anything in the food that could cause harm to consumer is controlled.

It is an important part of any food safety management system.

There is no single recommended method or system. Well known systems for small businesses include:

 


Safer Food Better Business (Food Standards Agency) (FSA)

 

Safe Catering – Your Guide to HACCP (FSA Northern Ireland)

 

CookSafe – Food Safety Assurance System ( FSA Scotland)

 

The level of detail required depends upon the nature, size and extent of the business and the types of hazards. No two hazard analysis plans will be the same because all businesses are different.

 

What are the benefits of a Hazard Analysis System?

There are many benefits to the business, the customer and the staff. These may include:

 

• Safer Food

 

• Legal compliance and ‘due diligence’ defence

 

• Improved consumer confidence

 

• Increased reputation

 

• An improved quality product

 

• Clarity of procedures

 

• Improved staff morale and increased involvement

 

• Increased productivity

 

Hazard analysis should identify poor standards and procedures before problems occur. – It is a method of Quality Asssurance

 

Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points

HACCP means Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points. This is a process that helps you look at how you handle food, and introduce procedures to make sure the food you produce is safe to eat.

 
Look at your process steps for handling different types of foods and what control measures you would use to remove or reduce the food hazard?

 
HACCP involves the following 7 principles:

1) Identify the potential food hazards in a food business that must be prevented, eliminated or reduced to acceptable levels. A food hazard may be: Biological, Physical, or Chemical

2) Identify the critical control points (CCP) at the process step(s) where control is critical to ensure food safety; by preventing, eliminating or reducing the hazard an acceptable level

3) Establish critical limits; targets set at each critical control point which guarantees to eliminate or reduce the hazard to a safe level

4) Establish and implement effective monitoring procedures at CCPs

5) Establish corrective actions when monitoring indicates that a CCP is not under control

6) Establish procedures to verify that the measures outlined above are working effectively

7) Establish documents and records commensurate with the nature and size of the food business to demonstrate the effective application of the measures outlined above

Review the procedures when any modification is made to the product, or process, and ensure that the necessary changes are made.