Be work Safe and Food Safe,

Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) provides an effective and practicable management tool for identifying food safety hazards and ensuring that adequate controls are in place.This qualification covers the importance of HACCP-based food safety management procedures, the preliminary processes for HACCP-based procedures, development of the procedures, monitoring of critical control points and corrective actions and the evaluation of the procedures.Learners will have the appropriate knowledge and understanding to be an integral part of a HACCP team and to supervise the implementation of a HACCP-based system in the work environment.

WHO IS IT FOR?

This qualification is primarily aimed at supervisors/managers working in meat plants, but it is also an ideal qualification for those who wish to become part of the HACCP team.

This qualification is regulated by Ofqua

Description The objective of the RSPH Level 3 Award in Understanding how to develop a HACCP plan for the Meat Industry is for learners to be able to develop and implement Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) procedures in a meat plant. HACCP is a well-established system of food safety management that all meat related businesses must implement and maintain. This Level 3 qualification covers the importance of prerequisite programmes, HACCPbased food safety management procedures for the meat industry, the preliminary processes and development of the HACCP plan using Codex principles. This qualification enables the learner to develop a HACCP-based food safety management system that is appropriate for the meat industry. Holders of this qualification will have the appropriate knowledge and understanding to be an integral part of a HACCP team within a meat plant and to supervise the operation of a HACCPbased system.

COURSE CONTENT.

1. Understand the requirements for HACCP for the meat industry

1.1 Importance of HACCP: The importance of HACCP is due to the need for HACCP based Food Safety Management Procedures for the meat industry and legislative requirements. 1.1.1 Need for HACCP based food safety management procedures in a meat establishment: Role of HACCP based food safety management procedures in ensuring meat establishments produce safe meat and meat products, definitions of food safety, food safety management and food safety management procedures; effect and consequences of poor food hygiene and safety in a meat establishment; effect on consumer confidence.

1.1.2The HACCP approach to food safety management in a meat establishment: HACCP described as a proactive, preventative food safety management system; overview of HACCP; the seven HACCP principles; HACCP terminology; definition of HACCP terms as stated in Codex Alimentarius; importance of pre-requisite programmes in meat establishments, education and training; advantages and benefits of HACCP systems in a meat establishment.

1.1.3 Legislation relating to HACCP: Relationship of European legislation to UK food safety legislation; legal status of Acts of Parliament, Regulations; importance and main provisions of Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs and Regulation (EC) 853/2004 on specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin; The Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013, The Food Hygiene (Scotland) Regulations 2006, The Food Hygiene (Wales) Regulations 2006 and the Food Hygiene Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 or any superseding legislation; enforcement of legislation and consequences of non-compliance; relevance of Codes of Practice and Industry Guides produced by Government departments and the meat industry; the role of HACCP in a due diligence defence for a meat establishment.

1.2 Preliminary processes for HACCP based food safety management procedures for meat establishments: Preliminary processes include prerequisite programmes, description of the product and its intended use and development of the process flow diagram.

1.2.1 Prerequisites for effective HACCP systems in a meat establishment: Management commitment, need for meat establishments to have effective prerequisite programmes (policies and procedures) in place prior to the development of a HACCP-based food safety management system; prerequisite programmes to include food chain information, livestock handling, resources and facilities, approval systems for suppliers, staff training, staff hygiene procedures, effective cleaning and disinfection procedures, pest management, waste management (including management of animal by-products), labelling, food chain information, traceability and recall procedures. 

1.2.2 The product and the intended use: Description of the product and procedures in the meat establishment; consideration of raw materials; transport and receipt of raw materials; processing/treatment; storage of ingredients, fresh meat, offal, minced meat, mechanically separated meat, meat preparations and meat products, intermediate and final products; packaging; distribution; identification of at-risk groups

1.2.3 Process flow diagrams: Purpose and use of flow diagrams; correlation to scope of study; all steps in the specified operation; confirmation of the flow diagram.

1.3 The HACCP team: Benefits of a team approach in a meat establishment; multidisciplinary and inter hierarchical with appropriate knowledge, competence and expertise; responsibilities of the team such as defining the scope of the study, developing and maintaining the HACCP plan.

2. Understand the practical application of HACCP principles in the meat industry

2.1 Development of the HACCP plan for meat establishments: Procedures include hazards and controls, critical control points, critical limits, monitoring procedures within the meat establishment and corrective actions.

2.1.1 Hazards and controls: Biological, chemical, allergenic and physical hazards; examples of each type of hazard; hazards associated with purchase of raw materials, delivery of raw materials, storage, handling, preparation, processing, cooling, post-processing treatments, packaging of finished product, transport of finished product; correct description of hazards to include manifestation and source/cause; determination of significant hazards based on likelihood and severity; availability of support, information and advice for hazard identification; validation of information and advice obtained; control measures; possible controls for hazards associated with purchase of raw materials, delivery of raw materials, storage, handling, preparation, processing, cooling, post-processing treatments, packaging of finished product, transport of finished product.

2.1.2 Critical control points: Definition of critical control points, identification of critical control points in the meat establishment; use of decision trees.

2.1.3 Critical limits: Measurement of parameters such as temperature, time, pH, water activity, concentration (eg of preservatives and additives); target levels and their benefits; relationship of critical limits to food safety; sources of information for critical limits; availability of support, information and advice for establishing critical limits; validation of information and advice obtained.

2.1.4 Monitoring procedures at critical control points: Purpose of monitoring within a meat establishment; continuous and batch monitoring; frequency of monitoring; calibration and testing of monitoring equipment; responsible personnel;  monitoring procedures for different critical limits; importance of accurately recording parameter values when monitoring; supervision of personnel; verification of meat establishment monitoring procedures.

2.1.5 Corrective actions: Development of corrective actions for each CCP if critical limits not met (deviation), or if monitoring indicates a trend towards loss of control; assigning responsibility for implementing corrective actions; importance of restoring control; need for action plans for maintaining control; importance of monitoring after control restored; the need for review and verification of corrective actions; treatment of product produced during deviation; importance of record keeping and reporting procedures for the use of corrective actions at critical control points.

2.2 How HACCP plans are implemented, validated, verified, maintained and documented within meat establishments:

2.2.1 Implementation: Need for staff training; barriers to the implementation of HACCP, development of written procedures for meat establishments.

2.2.2 Validation: Validation of HACCP plans for meat establishments; information required for validation; need for independent experts; methods of validation.

2.2.3 Documentation and record keeping procedures: Importance of documentation and record keeping; examples of HACCP records and documentation; retention of completed records.

2.2.4 Verification: Verification of HACCP plans; importance of verification; elements in the HACCP system requiring verification; frequency of verification; methods of verification; role of audits and inspections; end-product testing; verification reports

2.2.5 Maintenance of HACCP: Importance of review of meat establishment HACCP plans and systems; frequency of scheduled reviews, circumstances which would prompt a review. 

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