4 replies to this topic

[Jennyb723]

We are starting a HACCP plan from scratch for a business that is very similar to a grocery commissary in operation. We have thousands of items which is making the Hazard analysis very difficult. We are approaching the hazard analysis from a process prospective but it keeps growing! So for veggie cooked but not shelf stable we have:
Veggie steamed/sauted that could go into a mix, then further cooked, or just go into a mix then package, or simply packaged
Veggie boil (cooked in a sauce) somewhat similar scenario
Veggie roast, dido
and on and on.

Since there are so many items, would it be more efficient to anaylze this based on the food item? Ie veggie casserole, veggie and rice...etc. Does anyone have HACCP informaition related to a grocery commissary?

Thank you,
Jennifer

[MKRMS]

I would work my way from simple to complicated: Start with a collection of products you use and try to group them as much as possible based on their storage conditions/shelf stability or likely hazards (.eg. shelf stable ambient, fruits and vegetables, etc).

Next step: Sketch out a schematic product flow, using processes (e.g. storing, preparation, cooking) rather than recipes first and develop this chart to the level of complexity you need, keeping it at the process level as much as possible. If you need more detail, break it down and make a sub-chart for each recipe you use.

In your hazard analysis, you will have to bring ingredients and processes together. If you have your ingredients grouped by hazards (e.g. specific organisms you need to control in a group of ingredients) or hazard types (physical, chemical, biological), you may get valid results by looking at the group rather than having to go through the analysis for every single ingredient. Nevertheless, your hazard analysis will be a large document.

For your hazard control plan, try to limit CCPs to a minimum by using the same CCP in more than one recipe (e.g. acidification, cooking, cooling) and define critical limits, monitoring and corrective action that can be applied to processes rather than recipes.

Hope this helps,
Matt

[JesLyn]

I'm not sure if this helps at all; however, at the end there are contact numbers to call for questions.

From the US FDA website:
http://www.fda.gov/d...s/UCM077957.pdf

[Charles.C]

Dear jennyb,

Must admit I had never heard of a commissary before, let alone a grocery one.

I deduce we are referring to some kind of centralised food service system ? eg something like the concept in these attachments ?

 introduction to foodservice systems.pdf   193.92KB   53 downloads
 food safety in centralised food service systems.pdf   6.23MB   65 downloads

I presume by yr comment that you are currently utilising the "process" approach, do you mean a system similar to that described in the attachment of jeslyn (one of the popular documents on this site.)

I also presume you are familiar with the USDA treatise on this topic for school meals systems which simplifies / lists their types of meals into a few groups (<5 from memory), based on group members using the same 1-4 CCPs (similar idea to jeslyns attachment but massively put into practice). (I hv previously posted attachments / examples detailing this system here). It is possible that yr range of meals is not compatible with the FDA/USDA method ?

I think MKRMS is proposing the standard simplification procedure whereby materials / processes with effectively the same significant hazards are grouped together. As he notes, the size of the haccp reduction will inevitably depend on the amount of grouping which is possible and the net result may still be very large depending on yr actual food varieties.

I also recall that a very well-known food safety guy, Snyder, has a whole website (hi-tm.com from memory) oriented on food service safety systems and presents a grouping method using approx. 6 processes. The idea is worked out with many detailed examples. Not sure how much reduction that might offer you though.

Other than the above, i don't think i hv seen any other alternatives. No doubt, examples of any such options would be very welcome.

Rgds / Charles.C

[Jennyb723]

Charles, yes it is exactly the same as a centralized food system or as we like to call it central production center (CPC).

JesLyn, thank you for the link. It is useful but HACCP is not voluntary in our case. We will have an actual plant owned by the hospital where we will produce food. Initially we will only distribute food for the hospitals and small catering, then retirement homes, maybe schools, and much more. So we will have to have a Food safety plan in place. Since we have so many products that we will produce we are similar to a commissary which makes the hazard anaylsis a night mare.

MKRMS, thank you for the new thoughts. Simple to more difficult should help us weed through this process.