tion, available chlorine in can cooling water, or level of preserv-
ative;
(iii)sensory informationsuch as texture, appearance, or odour; or,
(iv)management factors such as the correct labelling of products
with instructions for use and handling, or efficient stock rota-
tion.Critical limits can be derived from a number of sources such as in-house
expertise, published data, expert advice, mathematical models or from
experiments conducted specifically to provide this information.
11.6.4 Monitoring Procedures for CCPs
Crucial to the application of criteria at CCPs is the introduction of
monitoring procedures to confirm and record that control is maintained.
It is important to remember that the assurance given by monitoring
procedures will only be as good as the methods used and these too must
be regularly tested and calibrated.
To achieve the on-line control of a processing operation, monitoring
procedures should wherever possible be continuous and give ‘real time’
measurement of the status of a CCP. In some cases, the availability of
appropriate monitoring procedures could govern the choice of criteria. If
continuous monitoring is not possible then it should be of a frequency
sufficient to guarantee detection of deviations from critical limits, and
those limits should be set taking into account the errors involved in
periodic sampling.
The long elapsed times involved in obtaining microbiological data
means that microbiological criteria are not generally used for routine
monitoring of CCPs, other than perhaps the testing of incoming raw
materials. Microbiological testing does however play an important part
in verification.
Records should be kept of the performance of CCPs. These will assist
in process verification and can also be analysed for trends which could
lead to a loss of process control in the future. Early recognition of such a
trend would allow pre-emptive remedial action to be taken.
11.6.5 Protocols for CCP Deviations
When routine monitoring indicates that a CCP is out of control there
should be clearly described procedures for its restoration, who is respon-
sible for taking action and for recording the action taken. In addition to
measures to restore the process, it should also prescribe what should be
done with product produced while the CCP was out of control.
Chapter 11 431