How to map your HACCP documents

This episode covers mapping your HACCP documents, how to risk assess raw materials, a round-up of recent food poisoning outbreaks and a great case study video on the PCA outbreak investigation.

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Welcome to Episode 40 of HACCP Mentor Review

The year is definitely flying past with only five and a bit weeks left until the end of 2013. I am very proud that I have stuck at putting together and releasing these episodes each week (bar a few). I am definitely inspired by your questions and positive feedback, so keep them coming. This episode covers mapping your HACCP documents, how to risk assess raw materials, a round-up of recent food poisoning outbreaks and a great case study video on the PCA outbreak investigation.

Mapping your HACCP documents in your Food Safety Quality System

When you have multiple requirements / standards that you need to comply with I would recommend having a mapping document for each standard. If you write and number your system to one standard it can become troublesome in the future when other standards or customer requirements are required by your business.

Setting up your HACCP food safety documentation logically in the first place will make this whole process a lot easier. When I say to use logic, break down your system into the individual pre-requisite programs and then reference/map to the standard.

For example, if you get audited to x standard and it says you have to have a pest bait map, in your mapping document for that x standard, you state where in your FSM system that can be found.

 

Example of HACCP Food Safety Mapping Document

Map HACCP documents

Raw material risk assessment

If you are looking to find out more on how to undertake an effective risk assessment on your raw materials, I have written an article titled “3 tips on how to do a raw material risk assessment”.  I will also be looking to run a webinar on this topic in the future so if you are interested just let me know here.

Click here to View Raw material risk assessment article here

Action of the week

For episode 40 of HACCP Mentor Review, the action item that I have set is for you to check that all rodent bait stations are secured. You or your pest control contractor can secure these rodent bait stations with chain or glue. The purpose of securing is to make sure that they stay in place and are effective in controlling rodent activity at your food premises.

How food poisoning outbreaks are investigated

This week I published a great video that was developed by the USFDA on how they went about investigating the Peanut Butter Food poisoning outbreak (2009/2010). If you’re interested in how they linked illness in the community to the actual food company involved in this outbreak, it is an interesting watch. You can find a link to this video in Episode 40 of HACCP Mentor Review.

Food Poisoning Outbreaks

While we are talking about food poisoning outbreaks, some of the ones getting around at the moment include:

  • From the USA – The investigation continues of E.Coli contamination in ready to eat salads produced by Glass Onion Catering and sold at Trader Joe’s grocery store locations. So far 32 people have been reported infected with the outbreak strain of STEC O157:H7.
  • As of mid-November, 2013, 389 people have been infected with seven outbreak strains of Salmonella Heidelberg across the USA. Government investigators indicate that consumption of Foster Farms brand chicken is the likely source of this outbreak.
  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have reported an increase in Vibrio parahaemolyticus illnesses associated with consumption of shellfish from several Atlantic coast harvest areas in the USA. Reports posted on October 21st indicate 104 people affected.
  • From my home country of Australia, the biggest horse-race of the year is held at the beginning of November. It is such a monumental event that parts of Australia even have a public holiday designated on the race day. Anyway…getting to the point. Investigations continue into the Melbourne Cup Salmonella outbreak from food supplied by Piccalilli catering company. To date, the outbreak has been linked to the death of a 77-year old woman, 11 hospitalisations, 25 confirmed cases and 165 additional people reporting symptoms that have not been verified by laboratory analysis.  Initial reporting linked the illness to raw egg mayonnaise.

Wrap Up

Well, that is Episode 40 done and dusted. I have some interesting topics coming up in the following weeks inspired from your feedback. If you have anything that you would like to see covered just leave a comment below this episode. Until next time, I am Amanda Evans from www.haccpmentor.com

 

2 thoughts on “How to map your HACCP documents”

  1. It must have been a long year if you believe we are close to the end of 2013! Keep up the good work, I appreciate your efforts

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