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HACCP Principles and Prerequisites
HACCP Principles
A Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan is a systematic evaluation of the potential hazards that may occur in a food operation and identification of control methods to prevent those hazards from occurring. The concept was introduced in the 1960s by NASA as a means to prevent astronauts from contracting a foodborne illness while in outer space. Today, HACCP is widely recognized as the most effective way to prevent food contamination from occurring in a product. Meat, poultry, and seafood processors, and now juice processors, are required to develop HACCP plans.
In any HACCP plan, the following seven procedures must be applied:
1. A hazard analysis is conducted that describes all potential hazards that may occur and methods for their control. Potential hazards in juice products may include microbiological contamination, unlawful pesticide residues, natural toxins, unapproved use of food or color additives, presence of metal or glass fragments, and undeclared ingredients that may be allergens. The FDA has ruled that control measures for juice processing must include a treatment that ensures a 5-log reduction in harmful bacteria;
2. Critical control points (CCPs) are established for each of the identified food hazards that are reasonably likely to occur before, during, and after harvest and during processing. Typical CCPs in a cider making operation might include receipt of raw materials, pasteurization, and foreign matter detection;
3. Critical limits are then established that must be met at each of the critical control points; i.e., target levels and allowable tolerances that ensure the CCP is under control;
4. Procedures and the frequency with which they are to be performed are developed that will be used to monitor each of the critical control points to ensure compliance within the critical limits;
5. Corrective action plans are set in place that are to be followed when monitoring indicates that a particular CCP is not under control;
6. Procedures for verification that the HACCP system is working effectively are developed; and
7. A record-keeping system that documents the monitoring and verification of the critical control points is established.
Precise times and temperatures depend on the type of juice you make and the process you use. The Food and Drug Administration recommends that processors consult the scientific literature for information on effective pasteurization treatments. FDA specifically recommends that processors refer to the study "Thermal Inactivation of Stationary-Phase and Acid-Adapted Escherichia coli 0157:H7, Salmonella, and Listeria monocytogenes in Fruit Juices," by Alejandro S. Mazzotta (Journal of Food Protection, 1998, Vol. 64, No. 3, 2001, pages 315-320). Consult with an extension specialist in food science for assistance in determining an effective process
On November 29, 2000, FDA announced that it has approved the use of ultraviolet (UV) radiation to pasteurize juice and cider products (21 CFR 179.39). The ruling has specific requirements for the light source and the characteristics of the juice flowing through it.
In any type of pasteurization used, juice processors must show evidence, as part of their HACCP plan, that a treatment is effective in achieving a 5-log reduction and that they are operating the equipment correctly. Cider makers may wish to read the list of suppliers found at the end of Part 7, Cider Production, for equipment sources.
HACCP Prerequisites
For a HACCP plan to be effective, a strong foundation of safety-related prerequisite programs must be developed. Such programs are not specific to a single product, as is the case with CCPs. Instead, they serve to control the environment in which processing occurs. Prerequisite programs include implementation of Good Manufacturing Practices (21 CFR Part 110) as Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOP), recall programs, employee hygiene and training, product labeling and coding, facilities design, equipment maintenance, and equipment calibration. As part of a total food safety plan, they are documented and regularly verified for appropriateness and accuracy. The recommendations provided in this chapter as Good Management Practices for Cider Operations include the key features of the federally enforced GMP document. Nevertheless, cider processors are advised to obtain a copy of this regulation and make sure they comply with each point.
In their HACCP ruling, FDA has sought to emphasize the importance of Good Manufacturing practices by specifically requiring Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOPs) in several key sanitation areas, namely:
1. Safety of the water that comes into contact with food or food contact surfaces;
2. Condition and cleanliness of food contact surfaces, including utensils, gloves, and outer garments;
3. Prevention of cross-contamination from unsanitary objects to food, food packaging material, and other food contact surfaces, including utensils, gloves, and outer garments, and from raw product to processed product;
4. Maintenance of hand washing, hand sanitizing, and toilet facilities;
5. Protection of food, food packaging material, and food contact surfaces from adulteration with lubricants, fuel, pesticides, cleaning compounds, sanitizing agents, condensate, and other chemical, physical, and biological contaminants;
6. Proper labeling, storage, and use of toxic compounds;
7. Control of employee health conditions that could result in the microbiological contamination of food, food packaging materials, and food contact surfaces;
8. Exclusion of pests from the food plant.
Developing a HACCP plan can be a challenging without assistance from experienced individuals. For this reason, the FDA requires that plans be developed by individuals who have successfully completed training in the application of HACCP principles to juice processing. Juice and cider makers, therefore, should contact an extension specialist in food science for information on upcoming training opportunities.