How do you monitor and control the critical control points in your HACCP plan?

Un CCP ou point de contr?le critique est une étape du processus de fabrication où il y a obligation de respect de certains paramètres pour avoir des produits s?rs. Les CCP représentent pour le domaine alimentaire, ce que sont les textes de loi pour une magistrature. Ils constituent la base de la prise de décision et garantissent l'application équitable de la loi ou le code du consommateur

As a food safety expert, I've encountered CCPs (Critical Control Points) countless times in my career. These are pivotal stages in food processing where we implement control measures to mitigate food safety hazards. For instance, during pasteurization, we ensure harmful pathogens are eliminated to safe levels. Another example is when cooling cooked foods rapidly to prevent bacterial growth. Identifying CCPs involves a meticulous hazard analysis, followed by establishing critical limits for parameters like temperature or pH to uphold food safety standards. It's the backbone of any robust HACCP plan, ensuring consumers enjoy safe, quality food products.

Maybe you should include in the definition that a CCP addresses a "significant" hazard, and that the control measure is "essential". Use of a decision tree is not obligatory.

Os Pontos Críticos de Controle (PCCs) devem ser monitorados na frequência estabelecida e por responsáveis capacitados. Todas as medidas de controle devem ser validadas e os relatórios devem ser mantidos como informa??o documentada. Ao detectar um desvio de PCC, deve-se realizar a corre??o e a a??o corretiva. Todo produto n?o conforme é considerado potencialmente inseguro e deve ser imediatamente retido e identificado para que seja avaliado por pessoa designada.

In addition to monitoring CCPs, ensuring their success in operation involves training personnel responsible for monitoring, maintaining and calibrating monitoring equipment, conducting regular reviews of monitoring procedures, updating procedures based on any changes in processes or hazards, and implementing corrective actions when deviations from critical limits are detected. Regular communication and feedback among team members also play a crucial role in ensuring the effectiveness of monitoring CCPs.

In my extensive experience with food safety protocols, monitoring CCPs (Critical Control Points) is paramount. It involves regular checks, using various tools like thermometers or pH meters, to ensure critical limits are maintained. For instance, in a dairy processing plant, we employ thermometers to monitor pasteurization temperatures rigorously. Another example is using pH meters to verify the acidity levels during fermentation in a brewery. These monitoring procedures are meticulously documented, and responsibilities are clearly assigned to ensure compliance with safety standards. It's a proactive approach to safeguarding consumer health and upholding quality in food production.

Microbiological methods are not to be applied for monitoring. They are verifying procedures. Basically you need to establish WHO, "measures" or "checks" WHAT, WHEN (frequency) and HOW (very briefly). It is better to compare with "operational limits" and not directly with "critical limits", to have a "cushion".

The control measure itself is "preventive". The "control" at a CCP, when there is a deviation, or hints or trends towards a deviation, is always described as "corrective action". Of course a corrective action at a CCP can "prevent" shipping potentially unsafe product, or even an outbreak. It depends on how you define the event. Verification is an essential part of "controlling" CCPs too.

Checking that records are adequately completed and used, is also a very important verifying procedure, including corrective actions.

Improvement per se? Improvement should be triggered when you confirm that something is not working well. For example if you are having too many deviations, or if verification is giving signs of poor assurance. You can improve the design of a CCP or how it is executed. One simple improvement could entail just clearer instructions and better design of the recording form. Also automation. All improvements or changes (either in the process or the CCP) should be thoroughly validated.