Developing a HACCP

As America's food system becomes more professionalized and distribution channels widen, small producers and plants have an opportunity to move into new markets.  Consumers are looking for safe, wholesome food, and entrepreneurs are stepping up to provide new products, or put an new twist on established products.

Food however, exists in a regulatory framework.  If you want to make money selling food, someone is going to regulate you.  And whomever that someone is, you are going to have to satisfy them that your food safety plan is adequate to the task of keeping your product safe and wholesome.

Enter HACCP.  Back in the dawn of the food safety movement as it currently exists, some smart folks figured out that testing final product for pathogens was a really expensive, and not terribly effective way of keeping food safe.  So, they came up with a scheme called HACCP.  Hazard Analysis for Critical Control Points.  HACCP plans were first implemented in a regulated way at the FDA with seafood and juice.  Then the USDA adopted HACCP planning for its plants, and no one has ever looked back.

But HACCP is more than just a process diagram.  It is a way of thinking and planning on how to keep your product safe starting before it even comes to your loading dock.  HACCP allows your food safety team to manage your production process to keep the plant and people healthy.  And therein lies one of the keys to HACCP, and to food safety in general: teamwork.  From top to bottom in the company, people must be on board with creating safe food.  The executives must understand how safe food contributes to the bottom line (how expensive would a recall be??) and the line workers must know why the SOPs are there, why and how to follow them.  Food safety isn't just a checkoff list (though, those help a ton).  It is a thought process and corporate culture.

If you are interested in a piece on how to write a HACCP plan, drop me a line at michele<at>dirigoqualitymeats<dot>com.