One of the most important food safety regulations is the requirement for business operators to fully document their food safety management system. HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) has been around for many years and is a well tried and tested regime. Done fully and properly, it has been shown to guarantee the safety of the food that is produced in accordance with its principles.
As a food business operator you will need to be able to show to the officers who inspect your business that you have your own documented food safety management system based on the seven principles of HACCP.
How to meet the requirements
The following examples provide simple, step by step instructions on how to fulfil the requirement to manage food safety systematically, based on those principles. Choose one that matches the complexity of your business and allows you to fully demonstrate your compliance.
- Safer Food Better Business – (for some types of business only) If you would like to order an SFBB pack, diary refills or the DVD guide, call Food Standards Agency Publications on 0845 606 0667 or email foodstandards@ecgroup.co.uk
- CookSafe – is designed to help catering businesses understand and implement a HACCP-based system. By reading this manual and following the simple instructions, you will be able to develop HACCP-based procedures that fit your needs
- HACCP Principles and Practice (PDF) - from the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health’s food safety management system. A HACCP plan format (PDF) and a food safety records template (PDF) are also available
- Safe catering documents
If you already have a system in place
Many premises have documented systems from their parent company or in-house systems and do not need to change. However, you will need to demonstrate that any generic plans you use are appropriate to the premises and you may need to carry out your own premises specific plans. They must be reviewed annually or with any change of menu.
What plans do you need to do?
How many plans you need to do will depend on your own menus. Look at your menus and group types of food together that have a similar preparation and work flow, such as ready to eat foods, cook to serve foods, batch cooking foods, salads, buffet foods, rice dishes, desserts, shellfish and so on.
Additional training requirements
The law states that those who are responsible for the development and maintenance of the Food Safety Management System based on HACCP principles in their premises need to have received adequate training. This can be accomplished by:
- Holding an up to date Intermediate Food hygiene qualification or higher
- Attending an accredited CIEH course on HACCP Principles and Practice
- Attending in house or inter-company training courses