HACCP & Food Safety Plan

HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) data documents how food businesses identify and control hazards throughout production. It includes documented HACCP plans identifying biological, chemical, and physical hazards with critical control points (CCPs), critical limits, monitoring procedures, and corrective actions. Supporting data includes CCP monitoring logs (continuous or periodic records for each control point), FSMA compliance records (preventive controls, food defence plans, supply chain verification), and allergen control programmes (risk assessments, cross-contact prevention, cleaning validation). HACCP is the internationally recognised framework for food safety management and is mandatory in most jurisdictions.

HACCP is legally mandated by food safety regulations worldwide. The EU Food Hygiene Regulations require HACCP-based procedures for all food businesses. The US FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) mandates preventive controls based on HACCP principles. The Codex Alimentarius, recognised by the WTO, establishes HACCP as the international standard for food safety. Beyond regulatory requirements, HACCP data is essential for third-party food safety certifications (BRCGS, IFS, SQF, FSSC 22000) that major retailers and food service companies require from their suppliers. Without documented HACCP evidence, food businesses cannot access retail and food service markets.

HACCP plans are the core document — they identify hazards, establish critical control points, set critical limits (temperature, time, pH, etc.), define monitoring procedures, specify corrective actions, and document verification and record-keeping procedures. CCP monitoring logs provide continuous or periodic records for each control point — cooking temperatures, cooling rates, metal detection checks, pH measurements, and chlorine levels — demonstrating ongoing control. FSMA compliance records include preventive controls documentation, food defence plans, supply chain verification programmes, and facility registration. Allergen control programmes include risk assessments, cross-contact prevention measures, cleaning validation studies, and labelled ingredient declarations — essential for allergen safety compliance.

HACCP plans, monitoring logs, and food safety records are uploaded to Sustalium. Data maps to FSMA 204 traceability requirements, food contact material declarations under EU and US regulations, and buyer-mandated food safety questionnaires. Continuous monitoring logs can be connected via API from IoT sensor systems (temperature sensors, metal detectors, pH meters) — enabling real-time compliance monitoring. Sustalium organises food safety evidence by product line, facility, and applicable framework — so a single HACCP plan for a production line supports multiple regulatory and customer compliance requirements simultaneously.

FSMA 204 (Food Traceability Rule) requires traceability records for foods on the Food Traceability List — HACCP production records provide the batch-level data needed. EU Food Hygiene Regulations (EC 852/2004, 853/2004) mandate HACCP-based procedures — documented HACCP evidence demonstrates compliance. EU General Food Law requires traceability at all stages of production, processing, and distribution. EU food contact material regulations (EC 1935/2004) require documented evidence of food contact safety. The EU General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) covers food-related products. Export certification to markets like China, Japan, and South Korea requires HACCP certification or equivalent documentation. BRCGS, IFS, SQF, and FSSC 22000 certification audits require comprehensive HACCP documentation.