ISO 22000

The following introduction was written by the United States Department of Agriculture - Food Safety and Inspection Service. Please go to:
www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/nis/outreach/models/HACCP-13.pdf

for the entire document.

Introduction
The Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) system is a scientific approach to process control. It is designed to prevent the occurrence of problems by assuring that controls are applied at any point in a food production system where hazardous or critical situations could occur. Hazards include biological, chemical, or physical contamination of food products.
The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) published a final rule in July 1996 mandating that HACCP be implemented as the system of process control in all inspected meat and poultry plants. As part of its efforts to assist establishments in the preparation of plant-specific HACCP plans, FSIS determined that a generic model for each process defined in the regulation would be made available for use on a voluntary basis by inspected establishments. The generic models have been revised since their initial publication and distribution as DRAFTS. The most important change in the revised versions is to make certain that these models are
fully consistent with the features of the final regulation. Also, other technical and editorial improvements have been made. Throughout this generic model, FSIS discusses a HACCP team with members from different departments. In many very small establishments, there will not be separate departments with different employees. But, there will be employees who perform these different functions – often
several of them. For purposes of explaining concepts, it is easier to speak as if these were different people, even though in many cases, they may be the same person carrying out more than one responsibility.
Each generic model can be used as a starting point for the development of plant-specific plan(s)reflecting actual plant environments and the processes conducted. The generic model is not intended to be used “as is” for plant specific HACCP plans.
The generic models are designed for use in conjunction with the list of process categories found in the HACCP regulations in section 417.2(b)(1).
(b) The HACCP plan. (1) Every establishment shall develop and implement a written HACCP plan covering each product produced by that establishment whenever a hazard analysis reveals one or more food safety hazards that are reasonably likely to occur,based on the hazard analysis conducted in accordance with paragraph (a) of this section, including products in the following processing categories:
(i) Slaughter--all species.
(ii) Raw product--ground.
(iii) Raw product--not ground.
(iv) Thermally processed--commercially sterile.
(v) Not heat treated--shelf stable.
(vi) Heat treated--shelf stable.
(vii) Fully cooked--not shelf stable.
(viii) Heat treated but not fully cooked--not shelf stable.
(ix) Product with secondary inhibitors--not shelf stable.
This generic model is designed for use with the first process category: Slaughter.
The purpose of the process category listing in 417.2 is to set out the circumstances under which a HACCP team may develop a single HACCP plan for multiple products. This may be done when products are in the same process category, and food safety hazards, critical control points, and other features are essentially the same. There is a generic model for each process category, plus two for subcategories which present special issues: irradiated products and mechanically separated products.
In order to select the model or models that will be most useful for the activities performed in any specific plant, the following steps should be taken:
1) For slaughtering operations, select the model for the appropriate species.
2) For processed products, make a list of all products produced in the plant.
3) Examine the list and group like products, considering common processing steps and equipment used.
4) Compare the grouped products with the list of processes in the regulations; this step should reveal how many and which of the generic models might be useful.Deciding on a generic model and which products can be covered by a single plan is an important achievement. If the team does it well, it can save a lot of unnecessary effort and paperwork. Selecting an inappropriate generic model reduces its potential benefits. However, often the HACCP team will discover they have made this error when they develop their process flow diagram or during their hazard analysis. These are early stages in the process when it is relatively easy to make changes.
In any case, establishments must meet all regulatory requirements for their products.