HACCPSysteme

HACCPSysteme are food safety management systems built on the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points approach. They aim to identify biological, chemical, and physical hazards in a production process and to establish procedures that prevent, eliminate, or reduce these hazards to safe levels.

HACCP originated in the 1960s through collaboration among the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, the Pillsbury Company, and NASA, and has since been codified in international codes such as the Codex Alimentarius. HACCPSysteme are widely adopted across the food industry and are often required by regulators and customers.

The core of HACCPSysteme is seven principles: conduct a hazard analysis; determine critical control points in the process; establish critical limits for each CCP; implement monitoring procedures to ensure CCPs stay within limits; establish corrective actions for deviations; establish verification procedures to confirm that the system works; and maintain documentation and recordkeeping for traceability and accountability.

Implementation typically starts with assembling a cross-functional team, mapping the product and process, performing a hazard analysis, identifying CCPs, setting critical limits, and developing monitoring, corrective action, and verification plans. Documentation is maintained to support consistency and traceability, and the system is reviewed regularly.

HACCPSysteme are frequently aligned with broader standards such as ISO 22000, which integrates HACCP concepts within a formal management system. They are also linked to sector-specific schemes (eg, BRC, IFS) under the Global Food Safety Initiative. The approach is applicable throughout the food chain, from raw material procurement to distribution and service, and is valued for its preventive focus, systematic risk reduction, and improved traceability.