Critical Control Point (CCP) in HACCP

What is Critical Control Point in HACCP?

• A critical control point (CCP) is a step at which control can be applied and is essential to prevent or eliminate a food safety hazard or reduce it to an acceptable level.  HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points. It is a systematic approach to identifying, evaluating, and controlling food safety hazards throughout the food production process.

• The concept of CCPs is fundamental to HACCP because they are the points in the process where you can intervene to prevent foodborne illness.  By identifying and controlling CCPs, food businesses can significantly reduce the risk of producing unsafe food.

• There can be multiple CCPs in a single HACCP plan, depending on the specific food product and process.  For example, when cooking raw meat, CCPs might include monitoring the internal temperature of the meat to ensure that it reaches a high enough temperature to kill harmful bacteria.  Another CCP could be the cooling process, where the cooked meat is rapidly cooled to prevent the growth of bacteria.

Here are some of the factors that can influence whether a step is a CCP

• The severity of the hazard

• The likelihood of the hazard occurring

• The ability to control the hazard at the step

• The consequences of not controlling the hazard at the step

Examples of CCPs in Food Processing

1. Thermal Processing (Cooking): This CCP ensures that food is cooked to a sufficient temperature for a specific amount of time to eliminate harmful bacteria.

Parameters

Meat: Minimum internal temperature of 160°F (71°C) for ground meats and 145°F (63°C) for whole muscle cuts, held for at least 15 seconds.

Milk Pasteurization: Heat treatment at a minimum of 145°F (63°C) for at least 15 seconds, or following another FDA-approved pasteurization method.

2. Chilling and Cold Storage:  This CCP controls the growth of bacteria that can multiply rapidly at warm temperatures.

Parameters

Refrigerator: Maintain a temperature of 40°F (4°C) or below.

Freezer: Maintain a temperature of 0°F (-18°C) or below.

3. Formulation Control:  This CCP focuses on managing the ingredients and additives used in a product to prevent the creation of a hazard.  For example, this could involve controlling the amount of salt or acidity in a food to prevent the growth of certain bacteria.

Parameters

Canned vegetables: Minimum pH of 4.6 or lower, or water activity (Aw) of 0.95 or lower, to inhibit the growth of Clostridium botulinum spores.

Cured meats: A specific combination of salt, nitrite, and refrigeration to control the growth of Listeria monocytogenes.

Identifying CCPs in Your HACCP Plan

Identifying CCPs is a vital step in HACCP. Here's a breakdown of the process

1. Conduct a Hazard Analysis: This involves identifying potential biological, chemical, and physical hazards associated with your specific food product and process.

2. Develop a Flow Diagram: Create a visual representation of each step involved in your food production process, from receiving ingredients to final product storage.

3. Apply the CCP Decision Tree: This tool asks a series of questions about each step in the flow diagram to determine if it's a CCP. There are various CCP decision trees available, but they typically follow a similar logic:

• Can a hazard occur at this step?

• Can the hazard be prevented, eliminated, or reduced to acceptable levels at this step?

• If the hazard is not controlled at this step, will it increase to an unacceptable level?

• Can subsequent steps eliminate the hazard or reduce it to acceptable levels?

By answering these questions for each step, you can systematically identify CCPs in your HACCP plan. Refer to step by step guide in developing a HACCP plan.

What are the different types of CCPs?

CCPs can be categorized based on the control method applied

1. Chemical Controls: These involve adding substances that inhibit or eliminate hazards, such as adding preservatives to prevent bacterial growth or using chlorine to sanitize surfaces.

2. Physical Controls: These controls utilize physical methods to manage hazards, like using filtration systems to remove contaminants.

3. Biological Controls: These involve using biological processes to control hazards. For instance, fermentation introduces beneficial bacteria that crowd out harmful ones, or using starter cultures in yogurt production creates an acidic environment that inhibits pathogens.

What happens if a CCP is not met?

Your HACCP plan should outline specific corrective actions to take if a CCP parameter is not achieved.  These actions may include:

• Discarding Product: If the CCP deviation poses a significant food safety risk, the product may need to be discarded to prevent potential illness.

• Reprocessing Product: Depending on the severity of the deviation and the stage in the process, it might be possible to reprocess the product to meet CCP requirements.

• Adjusting the Process: The HACCP team may need to identify and implement adjustments to the process to regain control of the CCP. This could involve adjusting cooking times, temperatures, or ingredient ratios.

It's crucial to document any CCP deviations and corrective actions taken. This recordkeeping helps identify trends and allows for continuous improvement of the HACCP plan.

How do I monitor CCPs?

Monitoring procedures are essential to ensure CCPs are consistently under control. The specific monitoring methods will depend on the CCP itself. Here are some common examples:

• Thermometers: Used to monitor cooking temperatures, chilling temperatures, or hot holding temperatures.

• Timers: Track cooking times, cooling times, or fermentation durations.

• pH Meters: Measure acidity levels in foods, which can influence microbial growth.

• Water Activity Meters: Assess the available water in a food product, which can impact bacterial growth.

• Calibration Records: Ensure all measuring instruments used for CCP monitoring are regularly calibrated for accuracy.

Who is responsible for CCPs?

The HACCP plan should assign clear responsibility for monitoring and maintaining CCPs.  This typically involves designating specific personnel (viz. Quality Personnel, Lab Technician, Production Operator) within the food business who are trained on the HACCP plan and understand the importance of CCP control.  These individuals may be responsible for taking measurements, recording data, and notifying supervisors of any CCP deviations.

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