A HACCP plan is only as good as the groundwork behind it. Before the seven principles can be applied, the business needs the right people, a clear scope, and a full understanding of its products and the people who will eat them.

This module covers management commitment, and the first three of the twelve steps.

HACCP cannot work without the full support of senior management. Managers must:

• Make food safety a priority, and say so clearly.
• Provide the time, money, equipment and training that the HACCP team needs.
• Give the team the authority to make changes.
• Act on the team’s findings, and lead by example.

The HACCP team should bring together people with knowledge of the products, the processes, the equipment and the hazards. In a larger business it may include:

• A team leader, trained in HACCP, who coordinates the work.
• Production or kitchen staff who know how things are really done.
• Quality, engineering, purchasing and hygiene staff.

In a small business, the team may be one or two trained people. Where the knowledge is not available in house, expert advice should be obtained.

The team must agree exactly what the HACCP plan covers. The scope should state:

• Which products, menus or processes are included.
• Where the plan starts and ends, for example from delivery of raw materials to service to the customer, or dispatch from the factory.
• Which types of hazard are covered: biological, chemical, physical and allergenic.

A clear scope makes sure that nothing falls between the gaps.

Each product, or group of similar products, should be fully described. The description includes:

• The ingredients, including any allergens.
• Key characteristics, such as acidity, salt or sugar content and water activity, that affect the growth of bacteria.
• How the product is processed, for example cooked, chilled, smoked or frozen.
• The packaging, storage conditions and shelf life.
• How it is distributed, and the instructions given to the customer.

The team must identify how the food will be used, and who is likely to eat it. For example:

• Will it be eaten as it is, or cooked first by the customer?
• Could it be misused, for example kept too long or not reheated properly?
• Will it be eaten by vulnerable groups, such as babies and young children, pregnant women, older people, or people who are ill?

Food for vulnerable groups needs stricter controls, because these groups are more likely to become seriously ill.

Picture a care home kitchen that prepares meals for older residents.

• The team is the chef manager, a cook and the home manager, with advice from a consultant.
• The scope covers all meals, from delivery to service in the dining room.
• The intended consumers are older people, a vulnerable group.

Because of this, the team decides not to serve soft-boiled eggs or other lightly cooked high-risk foods, and to take extra care with allergens and texture-modified diets.