Prerequisite programmes, often called PRPs, are the basic conditions and activities needed to keep the whole food environment hygienic. The Codex guidelines call them good hygiene practices.

They must be in place and working before a HACCP plan is developed. Without them, the plan would be overloaded with hazards that should already be under control, and it would not work.

In this module you will learn about the main prerequisite programmes:

• Suppliers and deliveries.
• Cleaning and disinfection.
• Pest control.
• Personal hygiene, fitness to work and training.
• Premises, equipment, water and waste.
• Traceability and recall.

• Buy only from approved, reputable suppliers, who can show that they control food safety.
• Agree specifications, so that suppliers know what is expected.
• Check every delivery: the temperature of chilled and frozen food, the condition of the packaging, use-by dates, and signs of pests.
• Reject anything that is unsafe, and record it.
• Put deliveries into the correct storage quickly.

A written cleaning schedule should state what is to be cleaned, how, how often, with which chemicals, and by whom.

• Cleaning removes dirt and grease. Disinfection reduces bacteria to a safe level. Food contact surfaces need both.
• Disinfectants must be used at the correct dilution, and left for the correct contact time.
• Clean as you go, and use separate cloths and equipment for raw and ready-to-eat areas.
• Cleaning should be checked, and recorded.

Rodents, insects and birds carry harmful bacteria and contaminate food. Pest control should include:

• Proofing the building, by sealing gaps and fitting screens and door strips.
• Good housekeeping, with food stored covered and off the floor, and waste removed regularly.
• Regular inspections, usually under a contract with a professional pest control company.
• Prompt action, and records, when signs of pests are found.

• Food handlers must wash their hands thoroughly and often, wear clean protective clothing, cover cuts with blue waterproof dressings, and keep jewellery to a minimum.
• Staff must report illness, especially diarrhoea, vomiting, skin infections and infected cuts.
• Anyone with diarrhoea or vomiting must be excluded from handling food until they have been free of symptoms for 48 hours.
• All food handlers must be supervised, and instructed or trained to the level their work requires.

• Premises must be designed for good hygiene, with a logical flow from raw to cooked, and enough hand washing and cleaning facilities.
• Equipment must be easy to clean, kept in good repair, and maintained on a planned schedule.
• Temperature control equipment must be suitable, and checked regularly.
• Only potable, drinking quality, water may be used.
• Waste must be stored in closed containers and removed regularly, so that it does not attract pests.

Traceability means being able to track food and its ingredients one step back, to your suppliers, and one step forward, to your business customers. It is a legal requirement under Article 18 of Regulation (EC) 178/2002.

Good traceability records allow a business to:

• Find out quickly where a problem came from.
• Withdraw or recall unsafe food quickly and accurately.
• Limit the amount of food that has to be destroyed.

Before introducing HACCP, the team carries out a gap analysis, comparing what is in place with what is needed. It checks that the prerequisite programmes are:

• Documented, so everyone knows what is required.
• Followed in practice, every day.
• Effective, as shown by inspections, audits and monitoring.

Any gaps must be closed first. Strong prerequisites provide the safe conditions that allow HACCP to focus on the truly critical points.