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Critical
Control Points (CCPs)
December 2006
What are CCPs?
Critical Control Points (CCPs) are the steps, when run through the CCP
decision trees, that come out as being critical to the process. These
steps require special control to be put in place to control the hazard.
What is the CCP Decision
Tree?
The CCP Decision Tree has four questions that must be answered honestly
to determine if a hazard is a Critical Control Point. If the hazard comes
out as being a CCP, then specific procedures will have to be developed
to control that hazard. If the hazard comes out as being controlled by
other methods, you must record where the hazard will be controlled in
the HACCP Plan and carry on to the next hazard.
Determine if the
hazard is completely controlled by pre-requisite programs.
- If yes, list pre-requisite
program bullet(s) used to control hazard and carry on with next hazard.
- If no, proceed to
question #1
Question #1
Could a control measure(s) be used by the operator to control the identified
hazard at any processing step?
- If yes, describe
control measure and proceed to next question;
- If no, identify
how the identified hazard will be controlled before or after the
manufacturing process and proceed to next question.
Question #2
Is it likely that contamination with the identified hazard could occur
in excess of the acceptable level or could increase to an unacceptable
level?
- If yes, record
and proceed to next question;
- If no, not
a CCP and identify how this hazard will be controlled before and
after the process; proceed to the next identified hazard.
Question #3
Is this process step specifically designed to eliminate or reduce
the likely occurrence of this identified hazard to an acceptable level?
- If yes, a CCP,
enter CCP # in last column of form number 8 and move hazard to form
10 where the CCP procedures are developed;
- If no, then
proceed to next question.
Question #4
Will a subsequent step eliminate the identified hazard or reduce its
likely occurrence to an acceptable level?
- If yes, this
is not a CCP. Identify subsequent step(s) to control identified
hazard and proceed to next hazard.
- If no, a CCP,
enter CCP # in the last column of form number 8 and move hazard
to form 10 where the CCP procedures are developed.
Some Critical Control
Point Examples:
- Inspection Steps:
These steps are set up to specifically control the hazard, whether it
be inspecting for bone, abscesses, blood clots, plastic, wood chips,
etc.
- Nitrite or Cure
Additions: These allowable levels are regulated through the Meat Hygiene
Manual. There are minimum and maximum allowable limits depending upon
the product being produced.
- Cook Steps:
Products must meet a set cook time-temperature relationship to kill
the bacteria of concern (e.g. E.coli 0157:H7, Listeria, Salmonella,
etc.).
- Cooling Steps:
If a product does not cool quickly enough, it will encourage the
growth of bacteria. Therefore, you must ensure that products cool in
a set pre-determined time. For meat products, this is regulated through
the Meat Hygiene Manual.
- Metal Detection:
This is a CCP because the metal detectors, magnets, or x-ray machines
are set up specifically to find metal contaminates in the product.
- Testing product
pH, water activity or BRIX: These may be CCPs if the limit is critical
to food safety or is a regulatory requirement.
- Beef Receiving:
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has said that beef receiving
must be recognized as a CCP for E.coli 0157:H7.
- Label Checks:
Ensure that all allergens have been properly labeled and the correct labels
are being applied to the correct products.
- Others:
Specific to your product or process as the hazards are run through the
CCP decision tree.
Common CCP Errors:
Often, companies will create more CCPs than required for their product or
process.
Always ensure that the
step is not controlled through pre-requisite programs or controlled at another
step prior to making it a CCP.
Another important thing
to remember is that CCPs are not meant to control quality issues, only
those of a food safety nature. The following are examples of steps often
recognized as CCPs but that are generally not CCPs:
- Shipping &
Receiving (with the exception of beef receiving) -- The carrier and
product temperatures, conditions and handling are controlled through Transportation,
Receiving & Storage Pre-requisite Program.
- Pre-operational
Inspections -- This is part of your Sanitation & Pest Control
Pre-requisite Program, which states that operation only begins after sanitation
requirements are met.
- Smoking a product
that is not RTE (Ready To Eat) -- This is not a CCP because the product
is going to be cooked at the consumer level; therefore, the temperature
it reaches in the smoking process will not affect food safety.
- Product Quality
Characteristics -- These are quality control checks and should not
be mistaken or added into the HACCP System (e.g. colour, shape, cook
shrink, etc.).
- Employee and Product
Flows -- These are part of your employee training programs and personnel
pre-requisite program, therefore not a critical control point.
For more information,
contact:
CFIA
Or
Kelly Bettschen
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
Telephone: (306)
933-7173
E-mail: kbettschen@agr.gov.sk.ca
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