Help Simplifying Existing HACCP Flow Chart

I recently started working for a company that prepares and packages RTE fruits and vegetables (literally every type you can think of...from apples to rutabagas to honeydew to cabbage). One of their 3rd party audit deficiencies was that the HACCP flowchart was too complex. I tried to follow it and it makes absolutely no sense, so I'm probably going to start fresh.

 

Any opinions on how I should divide the charts up? Right now there is only ONE, hence the complexity. I know I at least want to divide them into two charts: fruits and vegetables, but unsure if I should split it up further.

 

Thanks in advance for your help :)

More info on what we do with the products:

 

1. Simply sort through and repackage products (mostly tomatoes)

2. Cut up fruits and vegetables for RTE packages (many different products) -- both manually and with the use of machines

3. Weigh out and vacuum seal products manually OR with automated baggers

4. Some products get washed before they're cut, some get washed after

5. Some products get treated with solutions to prevent browning and some don't

Hi BuckeyeQA,

 

any chance you could upload the flowchart ?

 

Thx,

Sriram

Hi Buckeye,

 

You didn’t mention what FS standard yr haccp plan is for ?

 

The format of  haccp plans is usually determined by the preceding flowcharts.

 

IMEX and textboooks, haccp flowcharts are usually permitted to do some grouping of products to enable a group to be handled by one haccp plan. The products within a group typically comply with  2 rules –

 

(a) Their manufacturing processes have similar flow paths although not necessarily identical.

(b) Their manufacturing processes have identical CCPs although not necessarily identical critical limits.

 

Occasionally the above logic is applied to one or more portions of flowcharts where products have a range of  manufacturing processes but with one or more  sections having similar flow patterns. In this case the final haccp plan for a given product may be achieved by combining the haccp treatment for various flowchart  “chunks”. This variation although simple in principle can get quite complicated in presentation/interpretation. Often seen in foodservice situations or multiple stage processes.

 

As per previous post, you might get more relevant opinions if an example of what you are talking about is possible.

Have you got separate lines for different processes, this is usually a good way to sort out flow diagrams.

 

So you'd have a line where product is washed, and  a line where it isn't  and then run it from there? So you'd have a washed fruit line and a washed veg line ( I'm presuming they are not done together) and an unwashed fruit line etc...

I can upload a copy of it. I'm not sure how to do that on this forum, though! Help?

Buckeye, you won't be able to upload until you posted at least 10 time.  

 

In this process think of the Sesame Street song, " one of these things is not like the other".   Group by likeness whether it is commodity, process or something else.   You could have many flow charts based on this.  HACCP is HACCP, think it through, but don't overthink it.   

Hi Buckeye,

 

Procedure for uploading is detailed here -

 

http://www.ifsqn.com...ion/#entry90036

Buckeye, you won't be able to upload until you posted at least 10 time.  

 

Any member can upload.  Simply click "more reply options" next to the black "post" button bottom right.

Thanks for the help! Here is the current HACCP flow we have.

Hello:

 

I think your process flow is very complicated

If you do a vegetable salad as example include more than one type of vegetables it would be very complicated to make the process flow for the product , so I I think you can make  separated  process flow for each vegetables

for example I have attached a simple one  as a guide

it just include

the type of vegetable steps since intake till dispatch

 

I make it as a guide not perfect process flow

please see it , if you find it simple  add your steps in this manner as example

1- intake

2- storage

3- cutting

 

you can also show the water , packing materials , location , and segregation if you have high care area ,you can show also the waste .

 

I spent a while last night dividing the process up into 3 parts.

1) MOST of our products fall under this category

2) "Special Step" products: Carrots/Potatoes that go through a peeler, Cabbage that goes through a coring machine, and Onions that go through a skin removal process

3) Repacked products (mainly tomatoes) that are not washed and not cut or bagged

 

Do you think this is enough divisions? Or is it still too confusing?

 

Hi Buckeye,

 

The processs is clearly not exactly linear. Frankly i found the first upload incomprehensible. But that may partly be due to a lack of undersanding as to what the various process stages/segments are intended to be achieving. Plus the cryptic labelling such as "White barrel", "RPC", Nature Seal .

 

If i was the auditor, my first request would be for a textual summary of the actual process / interlinkages. Preferably linked to the layouts.

 

Your flowcharts are a visual improvement but still problematic to me. For example IMO the first box of "carolynn" should state the actual product/presentation, not be generic. This is regardless of any title. Alternatively you need a key on the diagram itself.

I'm not really sure how to designate that...some vegetables and fruits get washed prior to cutting, some get washed after cutting, some get washed before and after...some get natureseal, some don't... But it's not as if "all fruits with a rind get this procedure" and "all berries get this procedure" so it's nearly impossible to divide them into certain categories.

Also why is "white barrel" cryptic? The products go into a white barrel at that point in the process. 

I was told to walk through and document exactly how each product here is worked with, and put it on its own flowchart. That is how an auditor is going to do it...


Do some products go to a storage cooler, and some directly go to production?
I am still a little confused by what you have.

We have 4 Products here, so 4 flowcharts. 4 hazard analysis, etc.
I think where the products that use Nature seal should split off into a different flow chart. It's not as if it is placed into the same white barrel as the other products, or does it? Also what happens to the waste after it is shipped to its designated area?
Is a white barrel/ RPC the same thing, if not I would split it up. I would also split up what gets washed before cutting and what gets washed after cutting, because as you had put it, not everything is washed first.

I am not sure that I helped much.

Hi Lisa,

 

Much appreciate yr input but please note that you are replying to a 1-year old post.

 

As I recall, I agreed with some of yr logic but the basic problem was that the flow path was non-linear and also in a confusing way. Looks like you encountered a similar problem.

 

Hopefully Buckeye still looks in occasionally and responds.