How to get certified in 2009
SAFETY STANDARDS
“Food safety standards in the Middle East range from excellent to awful,” points out Muscat Food Safety Consultancy general manager Fran Collison.
It is this diversity that can make consumers — even those who have had good food experiences here in the past — wary about the region’s food hygiene standards. But with Middle Eastern governments steadily increasing their support for the implementation of strict food safety regulations, it is time for outlets to rise to the challenge.
To set you on the right path for 2009, Caterer Middle East brings you all the information on why, when and how to get your outlet certified.
JohnsonDiversey’s Abdul Rashid asks: What is your food safety resoIution for 2009?
How about getting HACCP certified, or implementing ISO 22000, so as to minimise food safety risks?
HACCP or ISO 22000 certification will ensure compliance with specific legislative requirements and facilitate the use of the due-diligence in any food borne illness allegation against your business.
HACCP
Businesses which are already HACCP certified will have already experienced the benefits of HACCP, which include:
• Reduction in business risk
• Generates a food safety culture
• Brand protection
• Taking proactive remedial actions
• Reduction in product loss and avoidance of costly reworking
• Internationally recognised
• Production of safe food
• Complements quality management systems
ISO 22000
ISO 22000 provides a number of advantages to the food industry wishing to improve their food safety management system (FSMS).
The standard ensures that the FSMS uses a systems approach to the management of food safety. In addition, the standard is fully compatible with an ISO 9001-based quality management system.
This allows the company to benchmark the current best industry practices and develop systems to ensure the company remains competitive in the marketplace.
Benefits include:
• More efficient and dynamic food safety hazard control
• Systematic management of prerequisite programmes
• Valid basis for taking decisions
• Increased due diligence
• Control focused on precisely what is necessary
• Saves resources by reducing overlapping system audits
• Organises and targets communication among partners
• Resource optimisation
• Improves documentation
Separation of Validation and Verification
Traditionally, HACCP classified validation as a system under verification.
Recently, food safety experts are rethinking this concept and are separating validation activities from verification activities.
Currently, Codex is developing a standard that describes the guidelines for the validation of control measures
The following definitions can help clarify validation, verification and monitoring:
• Validation: obtaining evidence that the control measures managed by the HACCP plan and the operational PRPs are capable of being effective. This is an assessment conducted prior to starting operations.
• Verification: confirmation through the provision of objective evidence that the specified requirements have been fulfilled. This is an assessment carried out during and after operations.
• Monitoring: conducting a planned sequence of observations or measurements to assess whether control measures are operating as intended. This is an activity undertaken during operations.
ISO 22000 requires that all control measures must be validated to ensure that they are capable of controlling the hazards.
Validation consists of ensuring that performance of the control measure meets or exceeds specified expected outcomes.
HOW TO SUCCEED
It is essential to set objectives which are specific, attainable, relevant, and time-framed.
The policy and the objectives have to be communicated, implemented and maintained across all levels of the organisation.
Top management should conduct periodic management reviews of the food safety management system, in order to assess the overall effectiveness of the food safety management system.
In addition, it provides a mechanism that allows every one to commit to the food safety issues that are a priority to top management.