We have a client who asked us to literally follow the FDA HACCP guidance but we think it is an illustrative guide and not mandatory and that HACCP team must asses the risks in our plant to determine if it is or not a CCP. we want to compare the FDA guidance with European requirements on HACCP.
Does anyone know of a guide for seafood haccp in Europe?
Does the FDA take any action if do not follow a CCP that they suggest, even if you have it covered without being a CCP?
Dear ajrfrank,
Sorry but i don't fully understand yr post/query.
Are you trying to compare the typical
HACCP requirements if exporting seafood from El Salvador to USA and Europe respectively ?
I presume by "FDA
HACCP Guidance" you mean the the US publication - "Fish and Fishery Products Hazards and Controls Guidance"? There is also a FDA official document which spells out the detailed reguirements for seafood
HACCP Plans (approx 50-100pgs, from memory).
This is slightly old knowledge but AFAIK (assuming no country-to-country special agreement exists), your importer in USA is typically required to have on file (for possible vetting by FDA if required) a copy of yr
HACCP plan. It makes sense if yr
HACCP plan
does conform to the basic US
HACCP requirements (mostly similar to Codex) of the US documents quoted above but this might not always be 100% possible due, for example, yr own local regulatory requirements. Certain types of seafood also IMEX may face specific restrictions for export to USA, eg clams, scallops, etc.
For EC, I am not aware of any standard reference text as in the case of USA. There is an EC directive(s) containing a generic set of
HACCP requirements for seafood imports from 3rd World countries which I guess may be yr case ?. Additionally the EC operates a system of approved suppliers based on hygiene / process /
HACCP inspection by a so-called "competent authority" in each exporting country.
Rgds / Charles.C