544 Chapter 30
HACCP Plan Updating
In meat - processing industries, as in other
industrial activities, there are constant
changes over the years regarding products
and new products produced, the environ-
ment, people, and expected hazards. It is
important that the effects of changes are
evaluated and effectively introduced into the
food - safety management system. Making
advances in the meat products business and
introducing production innovation without
matching these to the safety system will be
catastrophic.
Internal and external audit reports and
records of corrective actions and client com-
plaints provide output for an HACCP plan
revision. HACCP plan requirements must be
revised when any modifi cation in production
or equipment occurs.
Revision will contribute to the constant
improvement of the plan, with the main
responsibility being held by the industry
itself. Also, regulatory agencies in many
countries will provide useful additional veri-
fi cation when assessing the HACCP system,
thereby contributing their input to improving
the system.
Recognition of a Food
Safety Management
System Implemented in
a Food Industry
Compliance of a food - safety management
system, with a specifi c reference, such as
ISO/FDIS 22000: 2005 or other normative
references, given by an independent and
qualifi ed institution, certifi es the system and
confers recognition to clients and consumers
that that producer is able to control food
safety hazards.
External audits, to check agreement with
the standard of all data recorded and direct
measurements produced in a HACCP
working system, are performed by experi-
enced, trained audit teams.
All procedures for safety - management
system certifi cation imply costs that small
companies cannot afford. However, the
stated standard can be used by small, devel-
oped meat industries to evaluate their own
safety - management system.Conclusions
The main purpose of generic HACCP plans
is to assist with the creation and implementa-
tion of a specifi c HACCP - based food safety
management system by any business whose
dimensions (small or less - developed compa-
nies) do not allow it to have the critical mass
necessary to undertake by itself the objective
development of a HACCP system adapted to
its own reality.
In fact, following the administration ’ s
agreement and commitment to food safety,
the main diffi culty involved with implement-
ing a HACCP - based food safety management
system in a food company is a lack of knowl-
edge or understanding of HACCP and a real
desire to do it.References
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