HACCP food safety management system made simple.

HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points. HACCP is a management system in which food safety is addressed through the analysis and control of biological, chemical and physical hazards - from raw material production, procurement and handling, to manufacturing, distribution and consumption of the finished product. The goal of HACCP is to prevent and reduce the occurrence of food safety hazards.

While HACCP is not a law, its use is often mandatory to meet regulatory requirements and industry standards. In the United States, it is a mandatory requirement for certain food products regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Department of Agriculture (USDA). These include seafood and juice (FDA), and meat, poultry and egg products (USDA). Many U.S. states and industry organizations also have their own HACCP requirements and guidelines.

Additionally, HACCP is part of food safety regulations in Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom and the European Union (EU).

Creating an HACCP plan revolves around seven principles, which define potential hazards and where they can best be prevented (critical control points), and form steps for addressing the potential hazards. The seven steps are outlined below:

1. Conduct a hazard analysis
2. Identify critical control points (CCPs)
3. Establish critical limits for each critical control point
4. Establish monitoring procedures
5. Establish corrective actions
6. Establish verification procedures
7. Establish record-keeping procedures

HACCP certification shows regulatory bodies and customers that your business is committed to food safety practices. Most major food processors around the world are HACCP certified. Other industries also may utilize the system, including cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. HACCP certification requires an audit by a qualified food safety auditor who will assess the facility’s policies and procedures, and its food safety training for employees.

Individuals can also get HACCP certified, which allows them to create, sign and manage the documentation and systems required by an HACCP system.

QT9 QMS is a highly rated quality management solution geared toward compliance and efficient systems. We offer more than 23 modules that come standard, including Document Control, Audit Management, Nonconforming Products, Corrective Actions, Employee Training and Electronic Batch Records integration.

Our QMS is backed by free software updates, full customer support, an available ERP integration and Business Intelligence tool. Contact us for more information.

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