What is the
System for Hazards Analysis and Control of Critical Points - HACCP
?
According to the Law on Foods this must be a system based on the following:
Analysis of potential hazards of food contamination during production
operations in a restaurant;
Determination
of stages of preparation and offering of food at places with potential
hazards for foods; making decisions about which of them are most substantial
for the harmlessness of foods - critical points;
Determination
and setting procedures for monitoring and control of certain hazards
at critical
points;
Determination
and control of correction measures in case of diversion from critical
points;
Periodical
review of previous activities considering their effectiveness or update
in case of changes which might have emerged;
Documentation
and information keeping related to the system for a period of three
years.
The requirements
presented in this way coincide completely with internationally accepted
ÍÀÑÑÐ principles for food stuff (food safety) management.
The principles of HACCP were formulated first in 1959 in relation
to the development of food for American astronauts. HACCP is abbreviation
of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points. The issue under examination
here is the points of the production cycle (process) of foods in which
possible biological, chemical and physical hazards for the human organism
can be eliminated. If control in these points is not sufficient then
the health and even the life of consumers can be endangered. The constructed,
set and certified HACCP will ensure that this will not happen.
Is the certification of HACCP systems necessary?
The benefits of the HACCP system certification can be sought in
the following:
Objective, internationally acknowledged
proof that the system was put in operation effectively and that it
complies with international requirements;
Greater
commitment of managers to protection of food safety;
Increased
value of the brand and company name;
Advantage
with regard to competitors;
Greater
safety for clients (consumers) and confidence that products were produced
in good hygiene conditions and they are safe;
The system
is under the supervision of competent and independent organization;
Creation
of grounds for non-stop perfection of the restaurant's operation and
organization in general.
System for hazard analysis and control of critical points - HACCP
Good Production and Hygiene Practices
System for Quality Management - ISO 9001:2000
Internal audits - HACCP and GMP
Equipment Documentation Nature of the system - this system is combination of organizational structures, methods, processes and resources necessary to provide quality management; this is designed for satisfying the requirements and expectations of clients and meeting internal needs of the organization's management. Quality management is aspect of the total function of management which will determine and realize policies in the field of quality.
Advantages in the introduction of the Quality Management System (QMS) are in several directions:
Increase of the competitiveness of companies in dynamic market relationships;
Increase of the opportunities to have access to European markets;
Increase of consumer trust toward the Company;
Increase of opportunities for participation in tenders for assignment
of public and other procurement;
Increase of companies' potential as suppliers of other companies which
already work in conditions of QMS;
Better management of own suppliers;
Obtaining assurance that provided products (services) will be manufactured
in controlled environment;
Protection of random risks and unwanted consequences;
Enhancement of the Company's management and, by this, results of the
Company's activity, including financial results;
More successful management of human resources;
Achieving clarity and transparency of processes, rights and responsibilities
of each company employee; The standard is based on eight principles for quality management:
Care for the Client;
Responsibility of Leaders;
Commitment of People;
Process Approach;
System Approach
Non-Stop Improvement;
Factual Decision-Making Approach;
Mutually Beneficial Relationships with Suppliers;
Internal audits according to HACCP and GMP.
Good Manufacturing and Hygiene Practices
G M P -
GOOD MANUFACTURING PRACTICES
According to current regulations in Bulgaria, manufacturers and sales people - in the process of performing their business activities with food - are obliged to observe food hygiene requirements and provide compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).
The Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) are a system of basic hygiene
and technology rules for work, applied in the manufacturing and sales
of foods in order to have minimization to a reasonable level of food
contamination risks (risks which are result of manufacturing or human
activity).
Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) are related
to the following:
Design of factories and equipment;
Condition and maintenance of buildings, premises, machines,
equipment, basic and accessory technical facilities;
Acceptance and storage of main accessory resources and materials;
Hygiene and training of personnel;
Systems for quality monitoring and control and technological
processes;
Documents keeping;
GMP are prerequisite for the development, introduction and successful
operation of ÍÀÑÑÐ in a given sector of the food chain - from agriculture,
processing, manufacturing, storage, distribution to consumption of
foods.
GMP as a part of prerequisite programs of ÍÀÑÑÐ
require:
GMP require that all manufacturing processes were defined precisely
and systematically examined in the light of accumulated experience;
GMP require that manufacturing was performed in suitable premises,
warehouse premises and by using suitable equipment;
GMP require a system of selection, control and evaluation of
suppliers;
GMP require that personnel had suitable qualification and experience;
GMP require that operators were trained to perform operations
correctly;
GMP require presence of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
for cleaning and sanitary processing, control of pests, control of
chemicals and personal hygiene of personnel;
GMP require system for discarding low-quality and dangerous
for the health of people batches of food (returning food from the
market or distributor) and system for examination of received complaints
for non-matching batches in order to undertake suitable measures to
prevent repeated emergence;
GMP require that record and documents showed that all steps
or stages of manufacturing and control were actually performed and
that all substantial diversions were described in detail and registered
properly and provide opportunity for tracing back the complete history
of the batch.
