EVALUATING EXISTING FOOD SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

Although some establishments have formal HACCP plans in place.

 Many do not. Evenwithout a HACCP system, every establishment needs to have active managerial control

of risk factors. This may be achieved through several means, such as training

programs, manager oversight, or standard operating procedures. For example, some

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establishments incorporate control measures into individual recipes, production

schedules, or employee job descriptions to achieve active managerial control.

While a person in charge may require the maintenance of in-house written records by

employees to ensure that monitoring is being performed using the correct method and

at the proper frequency, risk factors may be managed without the use of formal record

keeping. Monitoring, whether through direct observations or by taking appropriate

measurements, is by far the most important step to ensuring food safety. If an operator

is effectively monitoring all critical activities in the establishment and taking corrective

actions when needed, safe food will result. With a few exceptions, maintaining formal

records at retail is not required; therefore, records may not be in place for use during

your inspection. As a result, it will be necessary to use direct observations and

interviewing to determine whether an establishment is adequately monitoring risk

factors in their existing food safety management system.

Every establishment has some type of set pattern of procedures even if it is simply

described as “the way we do things.” A small, independent operation may not have

written procedures, yet it may have adequate procedures that are routinely followed.

Good communication is required to discover these types of informal management

systems.

Many retail and food service establishments have implemented effective food safety

management systems by establishing controls for the food preparation methods and

processes common to their operation. Control of food preparation processes rather

than individual food items is often called the “process approach” to HACCP. The

process approach using the principles of HACCP can best be described as dividing the

many food items in an operation into three food preparation processes then analyzing

the risk factors associated with each process. By placing managerial controls on

specific operational steps in the flow of food, foodborne illness can be prevented.