The importance of HACCP in the food industry begins with the fact that it is legally binding. A food related company cannot trade without a HACCP in place.
A HACCP plan assesses potential hazards in food production and details controls that are in place to mitigate those risks. Risks or hazards can include microbiological, chemical, allergens or physical contaminants.
The ultimate aim of HACCP is to try to ensure food can be safe within science and technological parameters.
Detailing a HACCP plan is one of the most challenging parts of designing and implementing an effective food safety system. It is at the core of all practices, both legal and best practise. Mapping out flow processes often needs support and guidance from a food safety consultant. They know legal guidelines but also how all safety processes can work together and guide in effective risk control.
Benefits of HACCP
Cost Saving…
The importance of HACCP to the food industry is it saves costs and protects the bottom line profit. Having an effective management plan in place helps mitigate food safety failures. Through HACCP, product recalls, fines etc and other food safety failures are more effectively controlled because of the improved internal processes. These processes will be part of on-going food safety routine checks and monitoring.
Compliance with the Law…
By developing a HACCP allows a business to understand the legal framework regarding food safety which they must follow. The Food Safety Act 1990 sets out the legal requirements and responsibilities. These are in the UK Government website. Legal requirements include regulations regarding the altering of foodstuffs and testing of food stuffs at source.
Internal Processing…
A business wide benefit of HACCP is improving management processes. HACCP not only impacts on food production but also the buying, packing etc departments. This in turn should lead to increasing production and supply of safe food. This factor is vital because every food business wants greater production of safe food because safe food sells!
Internal structures continually flow, change and adapt. Therefore, HACCP’s importance in the development of a food safety culture is invaluable. HACCP can only work with good behaviours and attitudes from everyone in an organisation and this is fundamental again to a successful food safety culture.
Staff Organisation…
As a HACCP flow plan is mapped out, it sets out staff roles and responsibilities. Team work should improve. Greater efficiencies from staff training are seen because personnel understand not only what but also why food production must carried out in a safe way.
Food Safety Accreditation…
If a food business decides to prepare for and pass a food safety standard, such as, BRCGS HACCP is at the centre of all preparations. A food safety standard allows a company, on paper at least, to prove to the marketplace and consumers that they follow the highest food safety practices. Therefore, the importance HACCP to the food industry of passing a standard can be a business changing event for that particular food company.
Due Diligence…
Food safety systems and especially food safety accreditation help to prove you are following legal and good practice routines. Daily, weekly, monthly checks are all recorded and over a period of time they are part of a food company’s insurance policy if they have a food safety failure.
Food safety paperwork is important for proof of due diligence in any court proceedings, for example.
Getting HACCP correct is a fundamental requirement for any food business if they are to obtain the maximum benefits of HACCP. Working with a food safety consultant may be the best way forward.
