HACCP And Codex

Hello everyone. First of all let me say hi as this is my first post. I hope to gain much useful knowledge here, and I hope at the same time I may contribute as well.

To begin I am prepping for the BRC Audit next coming year. One main question that I have is, HACCP and Codex. The question in the BRC ask if our HACCP plan utilizes the codex guidelines. I am located in the US and becoming more familiar with EU regulations.

1) The codex to follow is "Recommended International Code of Practice General Principles of Food Hygiene" CAC/RCP 1-1969, REV 2003. Is this the main guideline to use?

2)Our HACCP plan was implemented before the codex included the guidelines to establishing a HACCP system, so we never initially used the codex as a guideline . We used an external (company that does HACCP training in US) training to implement our HACCP plan. I am wanting to know if there are any major differences. I have read the guidelines but I really dont think there is any differences from what we have and what the codex suggest. Anyone have any experience who implemented their HACCP before and then went to the codex to see if they are compliant? Are there any major differences?

3) Do you think that it would be practical to include a written summary (intro to our HACCP) of the HACCP plan right at the beginning of the book? for example when it was implemented, we use the codex as the guidelines.... yada yada.

Thanks

Your haccp should have a room for improvement to meet and exceed expectations of codex. Codex guides indicates to you there is a way, its upon you to find the way and reach your destination (safe food) . I believe for any piece of writing may require introduction but that can not beat the may objective of Haccp(food safety) whichever the guidelines. You can do without intro (not neccessary for food safety)but may be neccessary to procedural .

Dear Bets,

If you hv a "traditional" US/HACCP set-up, a comparison with Codex is here -

http://www.fsis.usda...definitions.htm

and here -

http://www.fsis.usda...PPrinciples.pdf

However the Codex doc. is as per 1997 so that some (maybe a lot) will hv changed (updated 2003 as you stated). Not sure if the US philosophy has also changed significantly, prob. not ?.

I believe there is also a more up-to-date table comparison on this forum somewhere.

I included an introduction in my HACCP plan for the benefit of other users and to clarify my own thoughts. I doubt that anyone ever read it though.

Rgds / Charles.C

added - BTW, welcome to the forum !

Very nice... I will be reading on.... thank you

Hi Bets,

Do not forget that BRC requires us to use HACCP Codex and Codex Code of Practices. You should look into the detials for CAC/RCP which is linked http://www/codexalimentarius.net

NY

So I have been working on this topic and have been reading. I have a question on risk assessments. Do you guys interpret the codex as stating that you have to use the decision tree in order to state if it is a CCP or not? Or to state it in better terms... do you have to document the use of the decision tree for each and every single risk assessment.

I have spoke to someone familiar with the BRC and they said you have to document the use of the desicion tree for each risk assesment. Is this correct?

Dear Bets,

I can only speak up to BRCver.4 but the simple answer there was NO. The choice of risk analysis was yours. Many people IMEX dislike the Codex Tree method and the EC directive I was using specifically mentioned that the choice was not limited. The main Codex document itself also contains the equivalent same wording somewhere from memory (of course, all the Codex publications are intrinsically "guidelines" anyway )

Anybody hv updated experience to ver.5 ??

Rgds / Charles.C