A brief analysis of critical control points

Food processing companies carry a major responsibility. Whatever you produce—an innovative product or a traditional one—one aspect is always the same: your product must never pose a risk to public health.

To safeguard food safety, there is the internationally recognised HACCP system (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points). Having this protocol in place—and adhering to it—is a legal requirement for companies working with food, in order to identify and control hazards (microbiological, chemical, physical) within the production process. The starting point is analysing the potential risks in your process. Ideally, the HACCP system then designs measurements to reduce these hazards to a safe level. Yet when it comes to determining critical control points, I am regularly surprised by the approach taken within companies.

There is no shortage of hazards in our industry, but let’s focus for a moment on Listeria. Listeria can enter your process through the product that comes into your facility. It may be present in vegetables, meat and fish, among other things. And then… the tendency is to move straight to a CCP in your decision tree. But controlling Listeria does not necessarily have to be a CCP. Listeria does grow at low temperatures, but the lower the temperature, the slower the growth. Monitoring temperature is a far better control parameter. A combination of temperature control and environmental monitoring provides a highly adequate solution. The residence time of your product is also essential to monitor. Low temperatures, fast processing and environmental control result in reliable production processes. Feel free to get in touch.

My critical point? Those who genuinely secure their critical steps and control points can significantly reduce laboratory analyses. These are then no longer critical moments, but confirmations of the measurable fact that your processes are under control.

Pieter Vos
Consultancy & Interim Management