Building your HACCP Plan—Part 2

In our previous blog post, we shared some essential tips for taking the first steps in creating a HACCP plan. We asked the question, “How do you develop a HACCP plan?” Here's a quick recap of Part 1. First, we recommended gaining a solid understanding of the seven core HACCP principles. Second, based on our experience working with various food processors, we’ve found it crucial to involve key department managers from quality control, engineering, maintenance, and operations in the planning process. Third, if your company produces multiple products, consider identifying all relevant products that will be included in your HACCP plan. One reader even mentioned that reviewing each ingredient through a HACCP lens helped improve their overall control.

So where should your HACCP planning go next? The next critical steps involve deep, honest, and thoughtful analysis of your entire production process—from the moment ingredients arrive at your facility to when finished products are shipped out. To guide your team, ask these important questions:

• Do we have complete documentation of all our processes?
• Where could potential hazards occur in our workflow?
• Are there Critical Control Points (CCPs) in place, and if so, what controls do we need to implement to manage those risks?
• Is there enough documentation to communicate our procedures and food safety efforts to new employees and visiting auditors?

By addressing these questions with your team, you'll be on the right path to developing a tailored HACCP plan. You may also find the following steps helpful based on the experiences of other successful food manufacturers.

1. Map every step of your process visually.

Even long-established food producers often benefit from conducting a thorough review of their processes, no matter how well they know them. By visually mapping each stage, you can uncover hidden food safety issues that might have gone unnoticed. Many successful companies use a Process Workflow Chart to clearly illustrate each part of their operation. From raw material intake to packaging, labeling, and shipping, documenting every step helps ensure a safer, more controlled environment.

2. Assess hazards and identify CCPs.

According to the International HACCP Alliance, your HACCP plan should identify and prioritize hazards, define their critical limits, and establish actions to eliminate or reduce them. A common approach is using a Decision Matrix, as recommended by the FDA. This tool helps evaluate each step in your workflow and determine the likelihood of hazards occurring. Once a hazard is identified, it’s assessed to see if it qualifies as a Critical Control Point.

3. Develop a Hazard Analysis Worksheet.

You might wonder, "Isn't every hazard also a CCP?" Not always. If a control measure is already in place to address the hazard, it doesn’t need to be classified as a CCP. However, if no such control exists, then it becomes a CCP and requires a mitigation strategy. CGMPs (Current Good Manufacturing Practices) are one example of a control measure that can help manage hazards without needing to label them as CCPs. We’ll explore CGMPs in more detail in future posts.

To better understand the severity of each hazard, many food processors use a Hazard Analysis Worksheet. Below is an example. It includes columns for the ingredient or process step being evaluated, the type of hazard, whether it's a CCP, and its risk rating (from 1 to 5). Going through this worksheet helps clarify why not all hazards require CCP status.

4. Maintain and update your HACCP Plan regularly.

Creating a HACCP plan is just the beginning. Regularly monitoring and updating it is essential to maintaining food safety standards. Assigning a dedicated HACCP Coordinator within your organization can help keep things on track and allow you to proactively address any new risks that arise. Any changes in your process—such as hiring new staff, switching suppliers, or updating packaging—should prompt a re-evaluation of your plan.

For a deeper dive into the HACCP planning process, don’t miss our HACCP Planning white paper.