FOOD SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

FOOD SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM Latest Revision May 2014 Reviewer: H&S Mgr. Next Revision January 2016 Compliance Food Hygiene (England & Wales) Regulations 2006 Associated Policies Contents All H&S Policies 1. Introduction 1 2. Principles of the Food Management Systems 1 3. What is HACCP? (explanation of terminology) 2 3.1 Process Steps 2 3.2 Hazards 3 3.3 Control Measures 3 3.4 Critical Control Points 4 3.5 Critical LImits 4 3.6 Monitoring 4 3.7 Records 5 3.8 Corrective Action 5 3.9 Verification 5 3.10 Documention 6 4. Glossary of Further Terminology 6 1. INTRODUCTION It is the policy of Options that food safety is maintained to the highest standards throughout all Options establishments, and to ensure that all food production and service complies with current food safety regulations. Options has a legal obligation to ensure good food safety practices are maintained and to ensure that catering activities comply with current food safety legislation, including Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 and the Food Hygiene (England & Wales) Regulations 2006. 2. PRINCIPLES OF THE FOOD MANAGEMENT SYSTEM High standards of food safety are imperative to prevent food poisoning and foodborne illness. Without high standards, food businesses not only face the risk of food poisoning outbreaks but also food spoilage, poor productivity, prosecution and business closure for legal contraventions. Everyone involved in the handling of food has a duty of care to do everything possible to minimise the risk of food poisoning. It is therefore essential that our businesses implement policies and systems to maintain food safety throughout all of our food based activities. These systems have been designed to control hazards at all the points which are critical to food safety, based on the principles of HACCP. The letters HACCP stand for "Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point". 1

HACCP is an accepted food safety management system, the main aim of which is to focus attention on critical points in food preparation and storage; and to take measures to ensure problems do not occur. This Food Safety Management System has been developed in line with Cooksafe, the HACCP principle based system developed by the Food Standards Agency; which is subject to Crown Copyright, the use of which has been granted under the Open Government Licence. This system has been developed to provide the necessary instruction on HACCP principles and general food safety advice. The system is based on the most up to date information at the time. The system will be reviewed annually and updated as required. All food handlers must have completed their food safety induction and read through the system and sections relevant to their role, prior to undertaking any food handling duties. Any queries regarding this system should be raised initially with your manager/food safety representative. Further advice can be sought from the group food safety team or your local Environmental Health Officer. The system is split into 5 sections as follows: 1. Introduction Section - Contains information on HACCP 2. Risk Assessment To be used when identifying low risk service users 3. Flow Diagram Section Identifies all of the procedures in the business, from 'purchase of food' through to 'service to customers'. 4. HACCP Charts Section Identifies what can go wrong at each process stage and what controls are needed to rectify them 5. Food Safety Controls Section - Contains assistance and templates on the Food Safety Controls for the day-to-day safe working practices 6. Records Section Contains assistance and templates to be used to tie in with all the other sections Legal Responsibilities This system must only be used as general advice, which is based on the Food Standard Agency's current understanding of the applicable law. This guidance should not be taken as a substitute for the text of relevant legislation or interpretation of the law, only the courts can provide a definitive interpretation of the law. It will remain the duty of food business proprietors to comply with that legislation. In the event of any apparent conflict between the guidance contained in this manual and the relevant legislation, expert legal advice on the application of this guidance in relation to your own circumstances should be taken. 3. WHAT IS HACCP? This manual uses some terms which you may not understand. These are explained below. 3.1 Process Steps To understand HACCP based procedures, you should think of your catering operation as a number of process steps. The first step is the purchase of food and the last step is serving it to your customers. The following simplified diagram shows the process steps which may be involved in a typical catering business: Purchase, Receipt/Delivery, Collect Storage Preparation Cooking Hot Holding Cooling Reheating Service 2

3.2 Hazards A "Hazard" is anything which may harm your customers through eating your food. A HACCP based approach to food safety means you need to be aware of all the hazards at each process step in your business, this is known as "hazard analysis". It is at this point that you need to be aware of the risks and what could go wrong in your business and then put into place the measures that will stop or control these hazards. Hazards can be grouped in to 4 main categories: Microbiological Chemical Physical Allergenic Microbiological hazards include bacteria that may cause food poisoning such as salmonella, e.coli and bacillus cereus which are hazardous because they can: Multiply to harmful levels in food given the right condition, such as failing to safely store high risk foods in a fridge Survive inadequate cooking, if already present in food, e.g., salmonella in chicken Spread from raw foods such as chicken to cooked/ready-to-eat foods either directly or via food handlers, work surfaces and equipment - this is known as "cross contamination" Chemical hazards can be present on some foods in the form of pesticides, herbicides and fertilisers. They may also be introduced through incorrect storage and incorrect use of chemicals such as those used in cleaning. Physical hazards include contamination by materials such as packaging, jewellery, equipment and pests. Allergenic hazards occur when people are allergic to certain ingredients within food. Some common which people may be allergic to are: cereals, shellfish, eggs, milk and nuts. The hazards which are most likely to be found at each step in your business have been identified within the HACCP Charts Section of this system. 3.3 Control Measures Once process steps and the hazards that might occur have been determined, the means of stopping or controlling these hazards must be identified. The steps decided upon on must make all the hazards safe - these steps are known as "Control Measures". Control measures take many forms, for example: Hazard: Presence of food poisoning bacteria in food Control Measure: Thorough cooking of food to 75 C This Manual gives assistance on the Control Measures that are likely to apply to your business. (Refer to the HACCP Charts Section of this manual) 3

3.4 Critical Control Points (CCPs) A HACCP based approach to food safety enables you to pinpoint the issues which are critical to food safety. Critical Control Points (CCPs) are the stages of your process where the hazards must be suppressed for the food to be safe to eat. All hazards at Critical Control Points (CCPs) must be brought down to a safe level or removed totally by a suitable Control Measure. Example of a critical control point (CCP): Cooking a chicken breast from raw: If the breast is not sufficiently cooked, any harmful bacteria present in the chicken will not be destroyed and the surviving bacteria could give whoever eats the chicken food poisoning. In this example, 'cooking' is a critical control point (CCP). This manual focuses on the Critical Control Points (CCPs) which are the most common to take place within your business. (Refer to the HACCP Charts Section of this manual) 3.5 Critical Limits Critical Limits are stated safety limits which your Control Measures at Critical Control Points (CCPs) must attain. Critical limit example: If raw food requires cooking, for example raw chicken, and the minimum safe temperature for cooked food has been agreed as no lower than 75 c, then '75 c' is the 'critical limit' Note: in your temperature control Food Safety Controls, you will set your critical limits 3.6 Monitoring A HACCP based method to food safety demands that all Control Measures at Critical Control Points (CCPs) must be monitored. A Monitoring example: Checking the temperature of cooked food to ensure it is above its critical limit. In this example, the control measure (to kill harmful bacteria) would be temperature control. Here, the critical limit has been set at 75 c. The purpose of monitoring, in this example, would be to check that the critical limit of 75 c has been met. Note: in the temperature control Food Safety Controls, the monitoring requirements and frequency have been set. This manual provides you with HAPP Charts which identifies the type of Monitoring that must be carried out by you. (Refer to the HACCP Charts Section of this manual) 4

3.7 Records A requirement of a HACCP based system is that Monitoring is recorded at a rate that is relevant to the type and size of your business. This will be accomplished by completing the applicable parts of the Recording Forms which can be found in the 'Records' Section of this manual. The records you need to complete are based on whether you work in a commercial kitchen or residential unit. The level of recording required within the residential units is predetermined through the risk assessment at the front of the management system. All relevant records require accurate and timely completion, with appropriate information and signatures completed as required. HACCP Records must be held for a minimum of six months on site, prior to archiving, to allow you to establish that your system is working successfully. 3.8 Corrective Action If you monitor a Control Measure and find that it has not met its Critical Limit, you must undertake an action to make the food harmless or to stop it being used. This is known as a "Corrective Action". Corrective Actions follow on from the Monitoring process and must be recorded. Examples of Corrective Action: If your cooked food critical limit is 75 c but your monitoring check finds that the a cooked food item has only reached 58 c, then your corrective action could be: continue cooking the food until a core temperature of 75 c is achieved If your freezer temperature critical limit is -18 c but your monitoring identifies the freezer is only running at -14 c, then your corrective action could be: call an engineer and consider if the food is still safe to eat Note: your corrective actions are written into your records. Corrective Actions have two functions: to sort out the food in question either by making it harmless or by stopping its use to stop the problem happening again by taking into account the cause of the lack of success of the Control Measure and taking suitable action The Manual provides proposals of the types of Corrective Actions that may be relevant to your business. (Refer to the HACCP Charts Section of this manual) 3.9 Verification Verification involves taking a summary of your HACCP based system to confirm it is working. Verification also involves determining that your procedures are active in controlling hazards and confirming that your procedures are being used in reality. Verification examples: Checking that the control measures at CCP s are being regularly applied Checking that the suitable remedial actions have been taken Checking that monitoring records are reliable and correct Checking that your procedures are still applicable and current Verification actions commenced must be recorded. When you check and authorise the records found in this system you will be carrying out "Verification". (Refer to the Records Section of this manual). 5

3.10 Documentation A HACCP based system must have suitable records to determine that it is working effectively. Records to support your HACCP based systems must include details of your objectives in all the key areas stated throughout this Section. This system supplies you with templates for all of the records required to maintain this HACCP based system. It is vital that your business is committed to operating the system in its entirety or else the advantages will be diminished and food safety compromised. A certain amount of food safety knowledge is essential by the operators of the business before instigating a HACCP based system. ONCE YOU HAVE READ THIS SECTION REMEMBER TO SIGN AND DATE THE INTRODUCTION SECTION OF THE TRAINING PLAN. 3. GLOSSARY OF FURTHER TERMINOLOGY ACTION PLAN ALLERGY AMBIENT TEMPERATURE BACTERIA BACTERICIDAL DETERGENT BEST BEFORE DATE CORE TEMPERATURE CONTAMINATION DISINFECTION HARMFUL BACTERIA HIGH RISK FOOD READY-TO-EAT FOOD SPORES TOXINS USE BY DATE The documented record of actions to be completed by the person using this guidance manual in order to devise a HACCP based food safety management system. An overly aggressive response by the body s immune system to foods that nonsufferers would find harmless. The temperature of the surrounding environment - commonly used to mean room temperature. Groups of single cell living organisms. Some are known to cause food poisoning or food spoilage. A detergent containing a chemical which is designed to destroy bacteria during the cleaning process. The date marked on the label of a food up to and including the date that the food can reasonably be expected to remain in optimum condition if properly stored. The temperature at the centre or thickest part of a piece of food. The introduction to, or occurrence in, foods of any harmful substance which may compromise the safety or wholesomeness of those foods. A part of the overall cleaning process aimed at reducing the level of harmful micro-organisms to a level that will not lead to either harmful contamination or spoilage of food. Bacteria capable of causing illness through contamination of food. Usually considered as food that supports the multiplication of harmful bacteria and is intended for consumption without any further treatment, such as cooking, which would destroy such organisms. High risk food is usually high in protein, requires refrigeration and must be kept separate from raw food. Food which may not require to receive further cooking or reheating prior to consumption. Certain kinds of bacteria are capable of entering a resting phase during which they are very resistant to high temperatures and other adverse conditions. Bacteria in this phase are known as spores. If conditions are right, spores will 'germinate' or start to grow. Toxins are poisons produced by bacteria capable of causing food poisoning. A date mark required on microbiologically-perishable pre-packed food after which its consumption could present a risk of food poisoning. (Definitions sourced from the FSA) 6