4 replies to this topic

[moshes]

Delighted with the web.
Keep doing the right things right.
Can anyone suggest CCPs along the line in a plastic plants for flexible laminated and printed packs or a plant for rigid printed containers ?
Tks

[Jan Verhoeven]

You asked: "Can anyone suggest CCPs along the line in a plastic plants for flexible laminated and printed packs or a plant for rigid printed containers ?"

As a matter of fact one could SUGGEST a lot of CCPs. Please be aware that the standard offers you the opportunity to put your specific processing and hazard occurrence knowledge in the analyses and assessment (see section 3.2):

Risk = a function of P and E:

P = probability of occurrence of a hazard (a potential risk)
E = adverse effect

Regarding E: is the effect on consumer health and/or on product quality. The technique is applicable to quality control points as well as to food safety issues.

It can be simple arithmetic in case you assign appropriate numbers to P and E.
(Similar to the FMEA technique in assessing automotive hazards , but even more simple). Do not copy CCP's from others; it will result in a unmanagable system. Make it your own system.

Regards,

Foodfocus - Jan Verhoeven

[Simon]

Hi Guys,

I hope I haven't confused you by moving the topic into here.

It's best to try and discuss The BRC/IoP Packaging Standard and HACCP separately where possible, as although the Standard is very relevant in Europe - it has not been adopted worldwide - yet! Obviously there will be some crossover discussion.

Moshes

Don't get too hung up on Critical Control Points (CCP's), this is where countless people trying to develop a HACCP system in a non-food environment struggle. I think Jan answered your question very well. I totally agree with him when he says 'you must make the system your own'.

Do the flow diagram, list all the hazards associated with each process step and then carry out the hazard analysis (risk assessment) on them. You may find that your hazard analysis doesn't identify any CCP's - which is fine - it's your system and you will have considered the hazards and controls very carefully with your team.

Hazard analysis (risk assessment)
L X S = risk rating
(L) = Likelihood of the hazard occurring
(S) = the Severity of the outcome

I think Jan said P (probability) E (effect) - It's the same thing!

That said if you are not asking for a CCP prescription (and I'm sure your not). Your question then is what kind of things could be considered CCP's in my operation?

A lot of things will be very undesirable like insects, lubricants, dust, dirt, hair, blood, wood, waste material, and these should be controlled by factory-wide systems and procedures such as pest control, personal hygiene, cleaning etc. In my experience though it is blades and glass that have the real potential to cause injury (food safety hazards), especially I would say in the manufacture of containers (there is a place for them to sit). Therefore it is imperative that you have a glass control/glass breakage system in place and a blade control (issue and disposal) system in place - an additional control might be to invert the containers before packing. Is this a Critical Control Point?

I'm not sick but, I like to imagine a mother giving a child a dessert and a spoon - what must not be in there?

YOU could determine all of the above as CCP's or conversely NONE of the above. The important questions are what is the likelihood? What is the severity? Has it happened before? The numerical risk rating previously discussed is important for pointing you in the right direction but you must also use your teams experience, judgement and process knowledge to determine the level of risk and controls required.

There is an example HACCP manual you can download on the site here http://www.saferpak.com/haccp.htm. I must stress though it's a guide to the layout and structure for documenting the HACCP study only. There are some other example documents in there also.

Anyway glad you could join the forum Moshes - feel free to ask any question, anytime.

For my own interest were you aware of the BRC/IoP Packaging Standard before visiting the site? And, is there a similar food packaging hygiene/ technical certification standard in operation in Israel?

Regards,
Simon

[moshes]

Dear Simon,



Tks very much for the detailed answers. BRC Standard for food products and BRC/IOP for packaging products are becoming quite familiar in Israel, due to the need of the Plants in Israel exporting to U.K. to be certified against the BRC Technical Standards. There are also Large Food Companies in Israel requesting all their packaging suppliers to meet the full HACCP requirements as a food plant (NSF HACCP) and not only the BRC/IOP. Would like to hear your opinion on that.



Regards and tks again,

Moshes

[Simon]

Hi Moshes,

I have to be honest Moshes I am aware of NSF http://www.nsf.org but I am not up to speed with the requirements for this HACCP scheme, or whether they are all relevant, practical and implementable in a food packaging context. Maybe somebody else could help us out on this one?

The one thing I can say is that it sounds like the "Large Food Companies" in Israel are following the same path as the food companies in the UK prior to the release of the BRC/IoP Packaging Standard. (It was a mess). Without a relevant standard and a real understanding of the packaging industry food safety auditors are liable (in pursuit of due diligence) to try and impose the same standards they operate in their organisations. Historically in the UK this was the case.

Until you have a Food Packaging Standard in operation in Israel, which is supported and endorsed by all the interested parties (retailers, food producers, packaging companies, certification companies), all you can do is fight your corner against unrealistic requirements - it's hard work but commonsense usually prevails.

Regards,
Simon