What does HACCP mean?

The abbreviation HACCP stands for “Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points” and can be translated into German as “Gefahrenanalyse und kritische Kontrollpunkte”. The concept behind it addresses the production of and handling of food and offers various tools to avoid and prevent hazards and risks associated with food.

HACCP certificate

The Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points concept (HACCP) is a clearly structured tool focused on preventive measures that is used to avoid hazards related to food. As a company operating in the field of food processing, Ebbecke Verfahrenstechnik follows the HACCP guidelines and has acquired a corresponding certificate. Such a HACCP certificate is relevant for all areas of the food industry and its suppliers. With a HACCP certification, high quality demands on food safety are confirmed.

HACCP measures

The HACCP standards comprise a whole range of measures to ensure proper food handling. Here, the focus is already on important preparatory considerations in advance, such as the initial performance of a hazard analysis, the identification of possible danger points, instructions for action in the event that defined limit values are exceeded, and final analysis and evaluation tools with which the effectiveness of the system can be traced.

HACCP measures at a glance

• Carrying out a hazard analysis
• Identification of critical control points for food safety
• Establishment of intervention limits at the respective critical control points
• Establish appropriate monitoring procedures at the critical control points
• Establishment of corrective actions in case of deviations
• Establishment of evaluation measures to verify the efficiency of the established HACCP system
• Establishment of documentation of the measures

HACCP benefits

The implementation of a HACCP system offers numerous benefits for both the company and the client. The main focus is on ensuring safe food production and meeting all legal requirements. In addition, an HACCP system can contribute to more economical production, simplify processes and communication, and reduce costs overall.

HACCP benefits at a glance

• Ensuring safe food
• Compliance with legal requirements
• Savings in quality costs and improvement of the system
• Reduction of friction losses between individual departments
• Proactive management

Risk management according to HACCP

Every company that produces or handles food must have a HACCP concept and document it. Thus, in German legislation, the concept is part of the Food Hygiene Ordinance. It makes the implementation of the HACCP concept mandatory in all companies that produce, process and/or distribute food.

This also has significance throughout Europe: the EU’s hygiene package, which came into force in 2006, stipulates that only foodstuffs that comply with the HACCP guidelines may be traded in or imported into the European Union.

Although all companies that produce or handle food in any way were already required to demonstrate an HACCP concept, since 2006 this must be available in a documented version. Large companies in particular, where there are a large number of sources of danger and risk, are obliged to provide comprehensive documentation. For smaller companies, cleaning plans, personnel instructions and other evidence may already be sufficient.

GHP: Good Hygiene Practice

At the beginning of the implementation of a HACCP system is the introduction of Good Hygiene Practice (GHP). It includes preventive measures such as cleaning and training programs, pest control measures, etc., which are issued by various professional associations for the respective occupational groups. From the implementation of Good Hygiene Practice and company-specific assessment, residual risks – in the sense of HACCP “critical control points” – result, which are then managed as part of the actual HACCP concept.