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Script: Designing a HACCP Plan - Part 2 |
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Intro:
Welcome to USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service podcast. Each episode
will bring you cutting edge news and information about how FSIS is working to ensure public
health protection through food safety. While we’re on the job, you can rest assured that
your meat, poultry, and processed egg products are safe, wholesome, properly labeled,
and packaged correctly. So turn up your volume and listen in.
Host:
Hello and welcome! This is Sheila Johnson and Dr. Ron Jones from the Food Safety and Inspection
Service. In part one of Designing a HACCP plan we provided a general understanding of
HACCP. Today we’ll discuss part two in the ten part series on how meat and poultry plants
go about designing a HACCP plan. Let’s get down to the specifics. Developing a HACCP plan
starts with the collection of important information or what we call preliminary steps.
Today we’ll go through these steps.
Ron, what is the first step in developing a HACCP plan?
Guest:
Your first step is to assemble a HACCP team. The team members should be aware of your
product, process, food safety programs, and hazards. One member of the team must be aware
of the 7 HACCP Principles. The team may only be one person in a very small plant and that’s
perfectly acceptable, however the plant must have resources available to assess the microbial
and chemical hazards. You might want to send one or more of your members of the team to
a HACCP course.
Host:
Okay, so once we have determined who is going to be on our HACCP team, what comes next?
Guest:
The next step is to make a complete list of processing methods and distribution for your
product. Describe things such as: “common name,” “How will the product be used?” “What
is the shelf life?” “Who are the intended users of the product?” and “Is special distribution
control needed?” It’s basically an overview of your product and process. A big picture.
Host:
How is HACCP different than traditional inspection?
Guest:
The next step is to make a complete list of processing methods and distribution for your
product. Describe things such as: “common name,” “How will the product be used?” “What
is the shelf life?” “Who are the intended users of the product?” and “Is special distribution
control needed?” It’s basically an overview of your product and process. A big picture.
Host:
Sounds like a lot of information.
Guest:
Plants should answer the questions as completely as they can; however, these answers can
be brief, but specific. For example when answering the question, “How will this product
be used?” You could simply answer ready-to-eat if that’s applicable.
Host:
It sounds like something that should be really easy for plants to answer.
Guest:
Exactly. It’s information your HACCP team should be able to answer very quickly. The next
step is also easy.
Host:
What’s next?
Guest:
The third step is for the HACCP team to develop a list of the ingredients and raw materials
for each product and process. This is basically just a list of everything that goes into
your product including packaging materials. The best way to do it is to draw a flow diagram.
Host:
What is a flow diagram?
Guest:
A flow diagram is a schematic picture of your production process. The flow diagram doesn’t
need to be complex. One way it works for a lot of people is by looking at their plant’s
floor plan to help them visualize the process from receiving to shipping. To check the
plan for accuracy, or to verify the process flow diagram, simply walk through the plant
to see if the diagram realistically describes what occurs during the production process.
Host:
These steps seem pretty simple.
Guest:
Yes they’re simple and very helpful. Your work through the preliminary steps will produce
two tangible pieces of information…. The first - a comprehensive list of ingredients and
raw materials, the second - a step-by-step production process breakdown, -- all laid out
simply in a flow diagram. Be sure that your diagram includes all of the steps. Your plan
builds on these steps, and if you leave one out, your plan may not adequately address
all of the food safety hazards.
Host:
Thank’s Ron for your time today and for discussing the preliminary steps for designing
a HACCP Plan. And thanks to all of you out there for listening. For more information on
HACCP visit www.fsis.usda.gov. Join us for the
next episode in our series "Designing a HACCP Plan" where we’ll use the flow diagram to
talk more about the first HACCP principle "Conducting a Hazard Analysis."
Outro:
Well, that’s all for this episode. We’d like your feedback on our podcast. Or if you
have ideas for future podcasts, send us an e-mail at
podcast@fsis.usda.gov. To learn more about food safety, try our web site at
www.fsis.usda.gov. Thanks for tuning
in.
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