HACCP Pre-requisite Program Fresh Vegetable Packing House

Hello everybody, my name is Isabel. I'm currently working at a fresh vegetable packing house, and I need to develop all the Pre-requisit Programs for HACCP; I've been investigating but I can't find an idea to conduct those programs. Do you know if there's a format I can follow???? or how can I know exactly all the details a program should include??

Thank you very much!!!

Dear Isabel,

Welcome to the forum !

Do you mean you have the prps already and are seeking examples of SOPs for them or ...? If you are trying to decide on the PRPs themselves, there are many lists of possibilities. Pls give a little more info.

Rgds / Charles.C

Thanks Charles!
Well, the company doesn't have any manual or any written procedures or programs, so now I'm in charge to make them. I've conduct a hazard analysis and aparently there are no CCPs, and that's why I need the PRPs to be as detailed as possible. My main problem is that I don't know what are the guidelines to compose the PRPs.

Our principal products are Sno Peas and Sugar Snaps, packed fresh and un-washed, since the customer is supposed to wash and cook them before eating.

I'm greatful for your atention
best regards

When you did the work to identify there are no CCPs, you must have found some hazards, e.g. "contamination of the vegetables with pathogenic bacteria; e.g. Salmonellae, Staphylococcus aureus, E. Coli O157:H7 from operators due to poor hand hygiene or unreported illness" in that case you would have controls in place which aren't CCPs, e.g. illness reporting, handwashing (and associated training) etc.

What I would do is work through your process again and think of any biological, chemical or physical hazards at each stage and how you control them, you will then find the prerequisites you have in place will start to fall out of the process.

Other ones to consider which might not get picked up throughout your process are; preventative maintenance, water quality (and associated testing), pest control, clothing control (and laundry) etc.

I could go on and if you like I'm sure we could all come up with a long list for you but not all will apply to your site and we might miss some which are particular to your site.

Dear Isabel,

Some thoughts -

If you want a suggestion for a starting appraisal of HACCP Methodology in general including prp's and the like, the links below illustrate the American, Canadian and European viewpoints-

http://seafoodhaccp....anuals_pdf.html

http://www.inspectio...cp/haccpe.shtml

http://www.fao.org/D...00.htm#Contents

For many people, another primary step is to search IT for model HACCP plans similar to yr product. For example there is an expanded plan for peas on CFIA site, I know not same process as yours but may help things along. Model plans are vilified by some but any validation is worth considering IMO.
I presume vegetables requires knowledge of GAP principles, eg this document for packing tomatoes -

tomato_gap.doc   83.5KB   290 downloads

There is also a lot of information on various aspects of vegetable processing on this forum, eg -
http://www.ifsqn.com...wtopic=4695&hl=

Rgds / Charles.C

Thanks guys!!!

What I would do is work through your process again and think of any biological, chemical or physical hazards at each stage and how you control them, you will then find the prerequisites you have in place will start to fall out of the process

I've done that, and I realized i need at least: Sanitization Program, Personnel Health, Pest Control, Chemicals control, Alergen Control, Foreing Material, Water Quality, Traceability, Complaints, Recall, Equipment Maintenance.

What isn't clear yet to me is that, if all of them are part of the GMPs and SSOPs or those two are completely different programs????.

I presume vegetables requires knowledge of GAP principles,

We are Global GAP certified on our fields, wich for the matter is kind of a relief, since they are taking good care of the crops, and the pestiside residues are under control before the vegetables come into the packing house.

I appreciate your guidance.

Dear Isabel,

IMEX, interpretations of GMP, SSOP, etc can vary. You may be required to conform to a particular format, geographically speaking. Anyway, I would offer -
GMP tends to be a set of generalised and semi-specific practices / procedures for producing safe and wholesome food.
SSOP is expected to include detailed “how to do it’ information for selected GMP topics as related to sanitation. In practice a SSOP document often inevitably pulls some GMP type (explanative material as well depending on the author’s style. I suspect the Americans pioneered “SSOP” for HACCP since there are many examples in their literature, other countries may hv different preferred terminology although the result will probably be similar.

For example compare the stated GMP info in this official ref.

http://www.cfsan.fda...lrd/cfr110.html

to the (1) GMP-type items and (2) SSOP-type expanded “work instructions” in this ref for US vegetables –

http://www.cfsan.fda...dgui3.html#ftn5
(added - now, 2008, updated to http://www.cfsan.fda...s/prodgui4.html )
(note that I was led to the second link from this –

<<FDA Issues Final Guidance For Safe Production of Fresh-Cut Fruits and Vegetables

" In new, voluntary rules, announced Monday by the Food and Drug Administration, farms that are fruit and vegetable processors are urged to adopt food safety plans similar to those in the meat industry to help prevent foodborne illness outbreaks.

"FDA, March 12, 2007 - The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today published a draft final guidance advising processors of fresh-cut produce how to minimize microbial food safety hazards common to the processing of most fresh-cut fruits and vegetables, which are often sold to consumers in a ready-to-eat form. The document suggests that fresh-cut processors consider a state-of-the-art food safety program such as the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) system, which is designed to prevent, eliminate, or reduce to acceptable levels the microbial, chemical, and physical hazards associated with food production.

" 'Americans are eating more fresh-cut produce, which we encourage as part of a healthy diet. But fresh cut-produce is one area in which we see foodborne illness occur. Offering clearer guidance to industry should aid in the reduction of health hazards that may be introduced or increased during the fresh-cut produce production process,' said Andrew C. von Eschenbach, MD, Commissioner of Food and Drugs.' "
”>>

Rgds /Charles.C

PS - don't forget the SOP's

added - as an example of ,IMO, questionable interpretation, I saw this -

Manitoba HACCP Advantage was adopted from Ontario’s HACCP Advantage. It contains two components:

* Prerequisite Programs to control environmental and personnel-related hazards; and
* HACCP Plans to control product and process-related hazards.

Operationally this segregation might be a specifically accurate description but conceptually, I don't agree

Hello everybody, my name is Isabel. I'm currently working at a fresh vegetable packing house, and I need to develop all the Pre-requisit Programs for HACCP; I've been investigating but I can't find an idea to conduct those programs. Do you know if there's a format I can follow???? or how can I know exactly all the details a program should include??

Thank you very much!!!

Hola Isabel,

You need to consult specific Codes of Practices from the Codex. I hope this documents can help you.
Saludos desde México

Gracias Erasmo, de mucha utilidad los links!!!

Thank you very much guys all the information and the links were pretty useful, of course if there is someone else who can help me, I'll be glad to get more.

I just finished the Hygiene Procedures Manual, I've written it in spanish, but I'll translate it and upload it so you can give me your opinions.

Dear Erasmo,

Wish I could read Spanish, the docs. look very interesting

I had a look at the (English) eurepgap (seemingly) official haccp document. The risk analysis seems nicely laid out but unexpectedly poorly executed in that there seems to be lack of consistency in the decision step for CCPs. Surprising and disappointing. Perhaps the "H" risk results are further justified in the text somewhere but I couldn't see it.

Rgds / Charles.C

HELLO EVERYBODY!!!!!

It's been some time now, I just wanted to let you know that on December we got the certification on BRC Version 5.0, we didn't got the A, so we are still working on some papers and manuals hopefully this year we'll achieve the A. We still are the first company in Central America to be certified under that version though.

So thank you all for your help!!!

Best regards from Guatemala!!!

congrat Isabel... thats great sound from central America...

Best regards from Indonesia

Dear Isabel,

Congratulations indeed !



Rgds / Charles.C