HACCP standard

HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) is a system for controlling the processes of production and distribution of food products, which provides:

• Identification and assessment of all possible hazards, i.e., every physical, chemical, or microbiological risk at all stages of the food production process;

• Determination of necessary measures for their prevention and control;

• Ensuring that these measures are successfully implemented in an efficient manner.

The HACCP system consists of two main components:

• HA (Hazard Analysis) represents the risk analysis, i.e., identification of hazards at each stage of food production and evaluation of the significance of these hazards to human health.

• CCP (Critical Control Points) are the stages in production where risks to food safety can be prevented or completely eliminated, or where their impact can be reduced to an acceptable level, and where control is carried out.

The HACCP system is adapted to all types of food products and all phases of production and handling.

Reasons for Implementing HACCP

HACCP is of vital importance for food producers from the consumer protection standpoint, as it ensures the production and distribution of safe food. Its application is widespread in the developed world, and it is legally mandatory in the European Union (Council Directive 93/43/EEC). Therefore, this system is obligatory when exporting to EU member countries.

The main goal of HACCP is to produce the safest possible product by applying the safest possible processes. This means that HACCP implementation does not guarantee 100% protection for consumers, but it ensures that the company produces or prepares food in the best and safest way possible.

Worldwide, supplying consumers with safe and high-quality food products is becoming increasingly important. Because of this, importers from EU countries and other developed nations (USA, Japan, etc.) require that food safety—from the farm and field all the way to final packaging—complies with strict hygiene regulations.

Every individual who owns, manages, or works in food production within the EU must implement the HACCP safety system. The application of this directive forces importers to exclusively bring in higher-quality and safer food products and to demand continuous improvements in production processes in the countries of origin. EU companies dealing with food products have become significantly more selective when choosing suppliers outside the EU, requiring strict HACCP implementation in their countries of origin.

In some cases, maintaining business arrangements requires fulfilling additional hygiene requirements for certain product types, such as meat, milk, and dairy products. Moreover, companies from the EU and other industrialized countries involved in the food industry will not purchase even raw materials from other countries unless they are assured that the product resulting from processing in their factories will be safe for human consumption. Any raw material or processed product suspected of infection or contamination will be rejected. For all these reasons, there is a strong need to introduce the HACCP system into our food industry companies as well.

The application of HACCP is not limited only to large production companies and complexes but can be effectively introduced in medium and small enterprises, cooperatives, hotels, and restaurants where food safety is critically important.

The HACCP system is based on the following principles:

• Analysis of potential hazards.

• Identification of critical control points (CCPs).

• Establishment of critical limits for each CCP.

• Implementation of a monitoring system for each CCP.

• Determination of corrective actions for deviations from critical limits.

• Establishment of verification procedures for the system.