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Clarifying the beginning of HACCP and flow for different products

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StoneMill

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Posted 29 October 2018 - 10:01 PM

Hello,

 

I am updating our HACCP plan in the footsteps of previous QA.

 

My question is on creating separate HACCP/Flow Charts for the different product categories. Specifically on where to begin each product category. Our "main" product category is flour, but we also bag "raw" grain, lentils, seed, and beans. Our current HACCP/Flow for flour, our primary product line, begins at receiving and follows through the natural process (receiving, storage, bin transfer, mill, sifter, etc.). Now as I was updating our old plan the previous QA began other product HACCP/Flow at the "raw grain" storage step which is after receiving, of course. From there the plan and flow follows the natural course- he just began the process in/at our storage.This would make for shorter work for me, but I am not sure this is correct. I was under the impression I needed to begin each HACCP/Flow at the very beginning which is receiving.

 

Any suggestions are appreciated.

 

Plus I am using the FDA's Food Safety Plan Builder. Not sure if I like it, but it's really not up to me? Does anybody have an opinion on the plan builder and how it is received by others/auditors?

 

Thanks again.

 

 

 

 



Mr. Wallace

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Posted 29 October 2018 - 11:50 PM

I would agree with your assumption of starting the flow chart/HACCP from the first stage (receiving) to the last stage (shipping). I've never heard of doing it the way the previous QA did. Was that ever audited by a 3rd party? what did they say?



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Jaskaran Singh Saini

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Posted 30 October 2018 - 01:25 AM

Hello
We are using complete haccp system. If you have any inquiry during project ask me.

Firsty you know each and every activity of machine and manpower doing in manufacturing area in step wise.

Sent from my Redmi Note 5 Pro using Tapatalk



Charles.C

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Posted 30 October 2018 - 03:05 AM

Hello,

 

I am updating our HACCP plan in the footsteps of previous QA.

 

My question is on creating separate HACCP/Flow Charts for the different product categories. Specifically on where to begin each product category. Our "main" product category is flour, but we also bag "raw" grain, lentils, seed, and beans. Our current HACCP/Flow for flour, our primary product line, begins at receiving and follows through the natural process (receiving, storage, bin transfer, mill, sifter, etc.). Now as I was updating our old plan the previous QA began other product HACCP/Flow at the "raw grain" storage step which is after receiving, of course. From there the plan and flow follows the natural course- he just began the process in/at our storage.This would make for shorter work for me, but I am not sure this is correct. I was under the impression I needed to begin each HACCP/Flow at the very beginning which is receiving.

 

Any suggestions are appreciated.

 

Plus I am using the FDA's Food Safety Plan Builder. Not sure if I like it, but it's really not up to me? Does anybody have an opinion on the plan builder and how it is received by others/auditors?

 

Thanks again.

 

Hi StoneMill,

 

HACCP typically focuses on the "Manufacturing Process" although deviations at either end can occur.

 

If you look up any standard haccp texts, you will find that what you are referring to is known as the "Scope" of the haccp plan, ie the starting / ending points of the hazard analysis.

 

The Scope is most commonly initiated from the stage where the manufacturer has direct control, ie the receiving materials stage (and, implicitly, the hopefully approved supplier(s)). Nonetheless some plans also include the purchasing step.. Similarly the most common end point is point of departure prior to exit  from the facility, ie Storage.. Again, some plans include shipment, distribution, etc but this is obviously usually outside the manufacturer's control.

 

I started to try the "Builder' but found it too intricate for my patience levels. However most users seem to love it. Mea culpa.


Kind Regards,

 

Charles.C


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StoneMill

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Posted 30 October 2018 - 06:51 PM

Thank you. I appreciate everyone's input.

 

Mr. Wallace: Your question raises so many more questions and my blood pressure. Since I have begun working for company we finally had our first 3rd party audit. It was a GMP audit conducted by AIB. Before this we had 2 other prominent flour producers/distributors come through our facility to determine if we could do business. Needless to say they needed us to arrange for a 3rd party audit among other things before entertaining a business arrangement any further. All three parties reviewed our old HACCP plan and while they did find discrepancies they never noticed nor mentioned this issue. Mind you there were many glaring issues which were needing attention. Thanks!

 

Jaskaran17: Thanks for the offer. I might just take you up on it. As I am still relatively new to my position and the only acting QA in the facility I am always looking for information. Thanks!

 

Charles C: I have only recently finished HACCP. It was conducted online and I feel I would have learned more in a classroom environment. This being said I will look into the "scope" to refresh and hopefully get a better grip on the information. It does seem to make sense that if I have already proven through a "primary" HACCP that steps beginning at receiving to storage have proven safe, I could then take said "safe" inventory out of the storage and continue to process a separate product on another HACCP plan using the raw materials which had already been approved. In other words our inventory becomes the first step for all other product lines once it is in primary HACCP (all other products are made from the same ingredients). Anyway- I may have just confused the issue more but I think I have enough to make a safe bet on where to start. Thank you for your time.



Gerard H.

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Posted 31 October 2018 - 08:26 AM

Dear StoneMill,

 

Following what's said above, the process flow is based on the process steps. Between the different product categories there can be a lot of overlap, as the processing could be for example for 90 % the same. That's where you can save time.

 

For the 10 % of exceptions, you will build dedicated flow charts for that specific part of the process. To make it possible, it's better to divide your process in blocks and make a process flow for each block. (Then you will obtain for example 3.1 Preparation of wheat grain / 3.2 Preparation of lentils / 3.3 Preparation of beans):

  1. Reception
  2. Storage
  3. Preparation
  4. Milling
  5. Sieving
  6. Packaging
  7. Storage
  8. Expedition

As an other example, you can observe that for some product categories you may skip the Milling and Sieving processes. It makes you more flexible.

 

When all the steps are included you can proceed with the next phase of your HACCP study.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gerard Heerkens



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MsMars

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Posted 01 November 2018 - 01:59 PM

The FDA's Food Safety Plan Builder isn't really a HACCP based plan builder (although Preventive Controls and HACCP plans have many similarities when it comes to performing a hazard analysis).  Perhaps this is also creating some confusion. 

 

Personally I enjoyed using it because it was easy to input a lot of information I had from a HACCP plan that we were using for SQF certification and the Food Safety Plan Builder tweaked the information into an FDA compliant plan that I know the FDA inspectors will like to see. From what I know about current inspections, they prefer that you use the format that is used in the PCQI course example (although certainly not required as long as you can justify your own format!) That format is what the Food Safety Plan Builder spits out.



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adamperry2235

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Posted 01 November 2018 - 03:22 PM

Good Morning StoneMill,

 

We are also a flour manufacturer. I started my HACCP flows at receiving as this could potentially be a CCP, if your supplier approval program isnt adequate. It ends at Shipping. We have numerous different products along with a white and whole mill. I made my flows for each different process rather than trying to group them all in to one flow chart. So instead of one, I have four. But most of the work was done with the first chart because it is just copy and paste from there. Let me know if you need any help, Id be willing to give you a hand.



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