HACCP

Hazard analysis and control of critical process stepsThe basis of all the food safety systems

Motivation and benefits

HACCP is a systematic procedure serving to identify mi-

crobiological, chemical and physical hazards as early as

food manufacturing and to eliminate these hazards by ta-

king the suitable measures.

The origins of the HACCP concept date back to 1959.

In this year, NASA implemented a project in co-operation

with the Pillsbury Company in the US. At that time the

goal was to manufacture food that could even be used

in outer space because risk due to biological, chemical

or physical hazards could be excluded with a certainty of

100 per cent (“zero defects program”).

After being published by FAO/WHO (Food and Agri-

culture Organization/World Health Organization) and af-

ter being taken over by European food industry and its

legislation, HACCP forms the basis of all the food safety

systems. The most important document is the document

“Basic Text on Food Hygiene”, which has the title “Hazard

Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) System and

guidelines for its application, Annex to CAC/RCP 1-1969

(Rev. Hygiene 4 - 2003)”. The HACCP concept is a basic

part of the earlier Food Hygiene Regulation and an ele-

mentary part of the current EC Hygiene Package, which

has been applicable since 2006. Therefore, the HACCP

concept must absolutely be implemented as a legal re-

quirement.

The benefits that may be drawn from the HACCP audit of-

fered by Quality Austria are the optimisation of the imple-

mented HACCP system and evidencing compliance with

the obligation to exercise due diligence and efficiently mo-

nitor food risk. The main value added is the fact that the

industrial and commercial customers’ confidence in pro-

duct safety is increased. The HACCP concept can easily

be integrated in an existing quality management system.

Objectives

n identifying, assessing and controlling health hazards

n higher product safety and lower product liability risks

n improving quality of the products

n enhancing consumer protection and confidence

Target group

n all companies active in the food sector

Criteria

The HACCP concept is based on the 7 HACCP prin-ciples:

n analyse hazards

n identify critical control points (CCP)

n establish preventive measures with critical limits for

each control point

n establish procedures to monitor the critical control

points

n establish corrective actions to be taken when moni-

toring shows that a critical limit has not been met

n establish procedures to verify that the system is work-

ing properly

n establish effective recordkeeping to document the

HACCP system

HACCP

Before applying the principles of HACCP, five tasks will

have to be fulfilled as a logical sequence: establish the

HACCP team, provide product descriptions, define the

purpose, present the manufacturing process, verify the

processes and conditions at the site. After these tasks

have been fulfilled, there will be hazard analysis and risk

assessment. Hazard analysis and risk assessment include

the following steps: identify hazards and risks that may be

connected with each phase, identifying the likelihood of

their occurrence and estimating their significance for the

consumer’s health. Effectiveness of implementation and

functionality of a HACCP plan must be verified and do-

cumented in detail. The correctness of the plan must be

validated periodically.

Other relevant standards

ISO 9001, Annex to CAC/RCP 1-1969 (Rev. 4 - 2003),

CAC/RCP 1-1969 (Rev. 4 - 2003), IFS, BRC, IFS Logistic,

ISO TS 22002-1 Prerequisite programmes on food safety,

PAS 220:2008 Prerequisite programmes on food safety

for food manufacturing, ISO 22000

Quality Austria introduces itself

Quality Austria Training, Certification and Evaluation GmbH

is your competence partner for Integrated Management

Systems in the fields of Quality, Environment and Safety

and Industry Standards as well as Business Excellence.

The services provided by Quality Austria range from trai-

nings in the field of international management trends and

techniques via certification of management systems accor-

ding to international standards and regulations and natio-

nal guidelines and directives and assessments acc. to the

EFQM Excellence Model to awarding the Austria Quality

Seal. The Austrian Excellence Award will be presented

to Austrian organisations in cooperation with the Federal

Ministry for Economic Affairs, Family and Youth. Quality

Austria is accredited by the Federal Ministry for Economic

Affairs, Family and Youth and has numerous international

registrations and accreditations.

Having more than 1.000 auditors, trainers, assessors and

technical experts, Quality Austria secures successful im-

plementation of standards and regulations within the orga-

nisations and provides sector and product specific know-

how with a very high focus on practical work. Based on the

competence network in the field of comprehensive sector

specific, technical and methodological knowledge as well

as comprehensive experience, trends will be influenced

while innovations will be interpreted and tomorrow’s requi-

rements will be co-designed actively and consistently in

corresponding bodies even on an international scale.

The close connection of Quality Austria as a national re-

presentative with the international partner organisations

IQNet, EOQ and EFQM as well as cooperation of Quality

Austria with IPC, VDA-QMC and IATF enable global know-

how to be imparted and turn the organisation into a com-

petent partner. Quality Austria cooperates with some 50

partner and member organisations. Quality Austria is a sta-

ble factor when it comes to creating valuable synergies at

the economic site of Austria.

ContactAlfred GreimelExecutive Vice President

Sector Management Food Industry,

Forestry and Agriculture

Auditor, Trainer

alfred.greimel@qualityaustria.com

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HACCP

Quality AustriaTraining, Certification andEvaluation GmbH

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