HACCP Plan Implementation

And

 Record Management

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


HACCP Plan Implementation

and

 Record Management

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lynn Knipe, Ph.D.

Extension Meats Specialist

The Ohio State University

2029 Fyffe Road

Columbus, OH 43210

 

 

 

 

Funded by the

President’s Food Safety Initiative

Washington, DC

 

 

 

 

December, 1999

 

 

 

Table of Contents

 

Introduction……………………………………………………………………….1

 

Fully-Cooked, Not Shelf Stable Process…………………………………………1

 

          Figure 1.  Partial Flow Chart. …………………………………………….2

 

          Figure 2. HACCP Form B, CCP-1………………………………………...4

 

          Figure 3. HACCP Form B, CCP-2 ………………………………………..5

 

Figure 4. Monitoring Form………………………………………………..6

 

Figure 5. Monitoring Form, Pre-shipment Review …………………….10

 

Figure 6.  HACCP Form C……………………………………………….10

 

Raw Ground Process……………………………………………………………11

 

          Figure 7. Flow Chart……………………………………………………...12

 

          Figure 8. HACCP Form B………………………………………………..13

 

          Figure 9. Monitoring Form………………………………………………14

 

          Figure 10.  HACCP Form C……………………………………………...16


Slaughter Process………………………………………………………………...17

 

          Figure 11. Flow Chart…………………………………………………….18

 

          Figure 12. HACCP Form B………………………………………………19

 

          Figure 13.  Monitoring Form…………………………………………….20

 

Appendix………………………………………………………………………….21

           

            Fully Cooked Process, Cook and Chill Monitoring Form……………...21

 

Corrective Action Log…………………………………………………….22

 

          Jerky Monitoring Form…………………………………………………..23

 

          Temperature Regulations and Guidelines………………………………24

 

          Lot Identification of the Products That You Produce………………….25

 

         


Introduction

 

This manual accompanies the HACCP Plan Implementation and Record Management video.  The total package is designed to provide you, the very small meat processor, with some examples of Critical Control Points (CCPs), plus how to do process verification, pre-shipment review, as well as how to manage the records that will be generated from the CCPs.  Neither the manual or the video will discuss HACCP plan writing, and it is assumed that you have written your plan before you read through the manual or watch the video.

 

Not all CCPs shown in the video will apply to your operation, and not all of every company’s CCPs may be shown in the video.  Only your hazard analysis can determine what is needed for your HACCP plan.  Additional examples of monitoring forms for CCPs of other processes are shown in the appendix of this manual.

 

Heat Treated, Fully Cooked Product

 

Critical Control Points

 

Through hazard analysis of its process (See Figure 1), Schad Meats, Inc., has identified several processing steps as CCPs in their HACCP plan, such as:

   

CCP-1  Cooking/Smoking

CCP-2   Listeria monocytogenes control during packaging

 

Note in Figure 1, that not all of the flow chart would fit onto one page, so only the portion of the flow chart that includes the CCPs is shown.  Schad Meats has additional CCPs in its plan, that are not demonstrated in this video.  Also, a CCP for cooling of cooked products is not demonstrated in the video, but an example of a monitoring form for cooked product cooling is presented in the appendix (p. 21). 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Figure 1. Partial Flow Chart for Fully Cooked, Not Shelf Stable Process

 

 

 

Critical Limits

 

The critical limits for each CCP, in the video, seen in the second column of Form B (Figure 2), include:

 

CCP-1   minimum of 148°F internal ham temperature

CCP-2   minimum of 160°F water temperature in shrink tank

 

Monitoring Procedures

 

Monitoring procedures for CCP-1 include checking final, internal product temperature in the geometric center of the largest ham, at the end of the cooking cycle, using two thermometers:  a digital recording thermometer and a continuous chart recording probe (See Figure 2).  Monitoring procedures for CCP-2 involve monitoring the water temperature of the shrink tank at the beginning and end of the packing process (See Figure 3). 

 

To monitor CCP-1, the smokehouse operator watches for the digital display on the front of the house to reach 153°F.  At this point the employee compares the digital reading to the temperature indicated by the chart recorder on the side of the house, and records the date, time, digital temperature and initials the record all on the same recording chart paper (See Figure 4).

 

With an internal temperature recording chart, it is also possible to monitor the length of time that the internal temperature was at a selected temperature.  For example, Schad Meats has set 148°F as its critical limit, based on processing history, that the interior of each ham has been held at 140°F or higher for at least 30 minutes.  This time-temperature combination satisfies the Salmonella Lethality Performance Standards (FSIS Appendix A, Updated June 1999).  Your critical limit could possibly be the total time that the internal temperature has exceed 140°F, etc., if you have a working recording chart.  If you do not have a recording chart, an example of a monitoring form for recording cooking and cooling temperatures can be found in the appendix (p. 21). 

 

It should also be noted that Schad Meats has set 153°F as its company target for an endpoint cooking temperature to minimize deviations from their critical limit. 

 

For CCP-2, the designated employee checks the water temperature of the shrink tank at the beginning and end of ham packaging, and records both temperatures on

 

 

 

Thermal Processing (CCP-1)

 

 

PROCESS/STEP

CRITICAL LIMIT

MONITORING PROCEDURES

BY WHOM

CORRECTIVE ACTIONS

Thermal Processing (Cook/Smoke) CCP1

³148° inter-nal ham end- point temperature

Measure temperature in the geometric center of the largest ham in the lot/batch with two internal ham probes, one which records continuously on the recording chart and a second one which gives a digital reading.  The temperature shall not be less then 148°.

Note: Both readings are recorded on the chart.

Person assigned to take the hams from the smokehouse.

Meet criteria of CFR 417.3.  If the  internal temperature recorder or digital recorder is less than 148°, the supervisor or person in charge will:

1.       Determine the reason for not meeting the CL.

2.       Subject the product to additional thermal processing until it exceeds the required critical limits.

3.       Chill the product until such time as the product can be thermally processed to meet the CL.

4.       Determine the disposition of product.

 

Prevent the potentially adulterated product from entering into commerce.

 

Take corrective actions to prevent re-occurrence of same root cause of deviation.

 

Figure 2.  HACCP Form B, Fully Cooked, Not Shelf-Stable Process


 

 

 

Product Surface Heat Treatment (CCP-2)

 

 

PROCESS

STEP

CRITICAL LIMIT

MONITORING PROCEDURES

BY WHOM

CORRECTIVE ACTIONS

Product Surface Heat Treatment

(Packaging)

CCP-2

³170° water temperature in shrink tank at beginning and end of packaging. instantaneously  (time/temperature sufficient for inactivating surface pathogens, based upon the Salmonella Performance Standards)

At the start and finish of each lot/product, the digital read out of the temperature of the shrink tank shall be recorded.  The water temperature will exceed 160°.

Packaging Clerk

Meet criteria of CFR 417.3.

If the digital recorder is less than 160°, the packaging clerk shall suspend any further processing and notify the supervisor.  If any product has been product surface heat treated at less than 160°, then

1.       The product shall be inspected for vacuum-package integrity.

2.       If packages are intact, then the product will be resubmitted to the surface heat treatment, until it meets the CL set forth here.

Disposition of product will determined after all corrective actions have been taken and plant determines if any food safety issues exist.

 

Figure 3.  HACCP Form B, Fully Cooked, Not Shelf-Stable Process

 

 

 

 


 

Figure 4.  Continuous Recording Chart, Used for Monitoring and Verification

a label that is added to the recording chart.  While the critical limit is 160°F or higher, Schad Meats has a company target for water temperature of 190°F. 

 

Worth Noting

 

For smaller diameter cooked products, the critical limit for the cooking step would likely need to be higher than 148°F, and reflect inactivation temperatures of Listeria, such as 160°F, due to the much shorter cooking times and lower oven temperatures.

 

Verification

 

Verification is to a HACCP plan, what monitoring is to a CCP.  The verification process can be summarized by three major procedures: 

 

1.     Review of the monitoring record

2.     Review of the person doing the monitoring, or “checking the checker”

3.     Verification of instrumentation accuracy or equipment calibration

 

Additional points of verification, which are not demonstrated in the video are:

HACCP plan reassessment, which needs to be done at least annually, and process validation.  Reassessment involves verifying that all significant hazards have a CCP, confirming that critical limits are appropriate, and establishing that corrective actions are in place and effective, to prevent future food safety hazards from occurring.  Things that would trigger a HACCP system reassessment include: new information concerning product safety, your own monitoring results, product link to outbreak, your processing system being modified, such as: changes in formulation, processing, distribution and consumer use.

 

 Process validation involves assembling data to demonstrate that your HACCP plan works (early, mock implementation of your plan), product testing for pathogens, metal, etc., and scientific literature that supports the safety of your HACCP plan.

 

In the video, Linda Slover of Schad Meats, Inc., describes how she will review the records made that morning.  First, she had a couple of rubber stamps made that allow her to stamp verification and pre-shipment review forms onto her recording chart, wherever she needs, without interfering with the chart recording.  Again, one stamp allows her to document that she has reviewed the record itself.  The other stamp is for the pre-shipment review, which they do after all CCP’s have been monitored.  Stamping the recording chart allows for this company to do all of the record keeping on one chart.  The things that she looks for in her review are:

 

1)     that they have met their critical limit,

2)     that the date and time of the monitoring have been recorded

3)     and that the employee who made the record have put their initials on the chart.

 

When all of these points are found to be adequately completed during the original monitoring, she signs off by putting her initials, the date and current time on the “reviewed by” stamped form.  This reviewed record will be held until the product is packaged.  Likewise, she demonstrates how she reviews the second CCP (water temperature of the shrink tank) for the product that was cooked the previous day and packaged today.  For that review, she goes to her review stamp on the recording chart and signs off on the review by initialing and dating a sticker that is applied to the product label.

 

In the video, the designated employee verifies the accuracy of the two internal probes that were used in the original monitoring by checking the internal temperature with a third, hand-held thermometer, and she marks “V” on the recording chart (Figure 4), and records this third temperature there, to make it obvious that this is a verification step.  Thermometers used for heat-treated products, are also typically calibrated by inserting them into boiling water, and comparing thermometer temperature to boiling point temperature.

 

Also, as part of verification, when checking the checker, this company marks the “v” (to denote verification), date, and verifiers’ initials next to the checkers’ entry on the recording chart, if this verification determines that the checker is completing the monitoring task satisfactorily.  

 

Pre-Shipment Review

 

The designated employee is able to do the pre-shipment review, when all of the CCP monitoring records are completed, showing that all of the critical control points have been met, and corrective actions taken if necessary.  When an employee determines that the product is ready to release for shipment, the employee records his initials, that day’s date, time and quantity of product (pieces, pounds, etc.) in the lot.

 

 

Lot Identification

 

In the video example, the lot of fully cooked hams is identified by the numbers 00002, which is the 21st day after packaging or the 2nd day of the year 2000.  January 2nd is converted to a Julian date and the first two zeros represent the year 2000.  This date is used to signal the last date that this lot of product may be shipped from their plant.  Additional information regarding lot identification is available in the appendix (page 23). 

 

The accuracy of your records is as important as meeting your critical limits.  By having verifiable and accurate records, you are ensuring that you have done everything possible to put the safest meat products on the market.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Figure 5.  Monitoring Form for CCP-2, in Center of Product Label

 

 

 

 

Cooked Ham

HACCP Form C

 

Process

Step/CCP

Verification Activities

Recordkeeping Activities

CCP-1

Cooking

Calibrate thermometers and house chart recorder - weekly

Daily verification of monitoring & corrective action records.

Check the checker weekly.

Pre-shipment review – each          batch.

Reassess plan – annually.

Product sampling - monthly.

Monitoring & Verification (meat temperatures) records

Corrective action records

Pre-shipment review records

Calibration records

Microbial sampling records

CCP-2

Packaging

Daily verification of monitoring & corrective action records.

Check the checker – each batch.

Pre-shipment review – each batch.

Reassess plan – annually.

Product sampling - monthly.

Monitoring & Verification (meat temperatures) records

Corrective action records

Pre-shipment review records

Calibration records

Microbial sampling records

Figure 6.  Form C, Fully Cooked, Not Shelf Stable

 

 

 

 

Raw Ground Product

 

Critical Control Points

 

Through hazard analysis, this very small establishment, Carle’s Bratwurst, has identified the mixing step (after grinding ) as a critical control point (CCP) for a biological hazard in its raw ground product HACCP plan (See Figure 7).  Checking product temperature during cutting and packaging would also be a logical CCP for biological hazards determined likely to occur in a raw, not ground processes. 

 

Critical Limits

 

Their critical limits for this CCP, seen in the second column of Form B (Figure 8):

 

50°F maximum, internal ground meat temperature

 

Monitoring Procedures

 

Monitoring procedures for CCP-1 (See Form B, Figure 8), involve checking ground product temperature once per batch, at the time of mixing.  

 

The designated employee, in this case, the person mixing the bratwurst, monitors this CCP, which involves temperature measurement, using a dial thermometer and recording the temperature on the monitoring form (Figure 9).    

 

CCP Deviation and Corrective Actions

 

On another day, the designated employee notices that the mixed bratwurst temperature exceeded the 50°F critical limit, meaning that a deviation from the critical limits of the HACCP plan had occurred.  At this point, the employee refers to the Corrective Action Log (appendix, p. 22) on the monitoring form (Figure 9, p. 14). 

 

 


 

Bratwurst

Flow Chart

 

 

 

 

Receive meat

 

 


Store fresh meat                     Store frozen meat

 

 


                                                Thaw frozen meat

 

 


Weigh and grind meat

 

 


Mix bratwurst – CCP-1

 


                                               

 

Package product

 

 


Store in freezer                               

 

 

Figure 7.  Flow Chart for Raw Ground Process

 

 
 
 
 
Bratwurst

HACCP Form B

 

Process

Step/CCP

Critical Limits

Monitoring Procedures

Corrective

Action

What
How
Frequency

Who

CCP-1

Mix meat

Raw ground and mixed bratwurst temperature not to exceed 50°F

Ground and mixed bratwurst temperature

Dial thermometer

1 reading per batch

Mixer operator or supervisor

Follow 417.3:

 

1. Room

temperature too

warm, because

of processing

room refrigeration

units both

defrosting at the

same time.

 

2. After problem

fixed, room

temperature

monitored by

recording chart

for 3 days.

 

3. Plan modified

to include

checking room

and meat

temperature prior

to processing.

 

4. Entire lot

moved to another

cooler or freezer,

until meat

temperature is less

than 40°F.

 

Figure 8.  HACCP Form B, Raw Ground Process

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

The Corrective Action Log requires that the four points of 417.3 of the regulation (See Form B, Figure 8) be described, such as:

1.     Cause of the deviation identified and eliminated:  processing room was found to be warmer than normal, because both refrigeration units were in the defrost cycle at the same time.    

2.     CCP is under control after corrective action taken, as room temperature is monitored for three days. 

3.     Measures to prevent recurrence of deviation: include modifying plan to include checking room temperature and ground meat temperatures before mixing.

4.     Measures to prevent distribution of adulterated product:  Entire batch moved to another cooler, until meat temperature 40°F or less.

 

Verification

 

According to this plant’s HACCP plan, verification will occur once per day, and it will be performed by a second employee.  Verification in this establishment involves both “checking the checker” and checking the records for accuracy and completeness (Fig 10).  Verification is documented in this operation on the temperature monitoring form (Fig. 9).  Note that the second employee doing the verification, uses a red ink pen for verification, which is understood to be used only by that person. 

 

Thermometer Calibration

 

Calibration of thermometers used in this HACCP plan must be done and documented at the bottom of the temperature monitoring form.  For thermometers used in colder temperature ranges, ice water is used for calibration.

 

Pre-Shipment Review

 

Prior to shipment, every lot of product produced under HACCP must go through a “pre-shipment review” process.  In this operation, designated employee reviews all records related to this lot of bratwurst, to determine that all records including monitoring, corrective actions, verification, etc. have been properly completed, and that no deviations to critical limits have occurred. Note that the person doing the pre-shipment review is the same person who did the monitoring, which is not unusual for very small meat plants, with very few employees.

 

 

Lot Identification

 

This lot of bratwurst is identified by the date of processing, and sublotted by the order of processing (a,b,c, etc.), so the first batch made on December 13, 1999 is coded as 91213a.  Again, additional information on lot identification is available in the appendix (p. 23).

 

 

 

 

 Bratwurst

HACCP Form C

 

Process

Step/CCP

Verification Activities

Recordkeeping Activities

CCP-1

Mix bratwurst

Calibrate thermometers – daily

Daily verification of monitoring & corrective action records.

Check the checker weekly. 

Pre-shipment review - each batch. 

Reassess plan – annually.

Product sampling - monthly.

Monitoring & Verification (meat temperatures) records

Corrective action records

Pre-shipment review records

Calibration records