HACCP Training ~ By Olive Safety

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Hygiene in Hospitality –

 by David MacHale, Olive Safety

 Seven Principles of HACCP

 The seven principles of HACCP have been universally accepted by government agencies, trade associations and the food industry around the world:

  1.       Analyze hazards. Potential hazards associated with a food and measures to control those hazards are identified. The hazard could be biological, such as a microbe; chemical, such as a toxin; or physical, such as ground glass or metal fragments.

  2.       Identify critical control points. These are points in a food`s production--from its raw state through processing and shipping to consumption by the consumer--at which the potential hazard can be controlled or eliminated. Examples are cooking, cooling, packaging, and metal detection.

 3.       Establish preventive measures with critical limits for each control point. For a cooked food, for example, this might include setting the minimum cooking temperature and time required to ensure the elimination of any harmful microbes.

 4.       Establish procedures to monitor the critical control points. Such procedures might include determining how and by whom cooking time and temperature should be monitored.

 5.       Establish corrective actions to be taken when monitoring shows that a critical limit has not been met--for example, reprocessing or disposing of food if the minimum cooking temperature is not met.

 6.       Establish procedures to verify that the system is working properly--for example, testing time-and-temperature recording devices to verify that a cooking unit is working properly.

 7.       Establish effective recordkeeping to document the HACCP system. This would include records of hazards and their control methods, the monitoring of safety requirements and action taken to correct potential problems. Each of these principles must be backed by sound scientific knowledge: for example, published microbiological studies on time and temperature factors for controlling foodborne pathogens.

 Musing over the menu of seemingly endless delights that will soon appear on the table in front of us, the very idea about the mechanics of how the food is served is perhaps placed towards the back of our imagination. However, behind the scenes there are very stringent hygienic measures in place to make sure your food doesn’t reappear at a later date.

 Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) is a systematic approach to identifying and controlling hazards (i.e. microbiological, chemical or physical) that could pose a danger to the preparation of safe food.  HACCP involves identifying what can go wrong and planning to prevent it. In simple terms, to control the safety of ingredients and supplies coming into a food business and what is done with them thereafter. Businesses are legally obliged to put in place, implement and maintain a permanent procedure or procedures based on HACCP principles (Reg. EC No 852/2004).

 Healthy Standards, Healthy Profits

HACCP is a European standard and in Ireland there are several organisations to help businesses setting up a food serving business in the hospitality sector comply with the law in terms of its hygiene and food preparation. Adrian Aungier, senior safety consultant at Olive Safety, the leading Irish health and safety solutions provider, said that the Hospitality sector has come on leaps and bounds in the last few years in terms of investment in their food safety management systems. “There’s a level of quality that the owners are looking to implement HACCP standard would be internationally recognised and legally required,” said Aungier.

 According to Aungier managers, owners and staff need to understand the principles of food safety and that if the management and owners take food safety seriously, “you can be guaranteed that the ethos with trickle all the way down to the those involved in the final handling and serving of the food.” Food Business Operators (FBO) training is a requirement by law for the business, and it makes sure that the owner or site manager has a level 5 training in food safety

 Aungier believes that if a bar, restaurant, hotel, or café has a high food safety standard it helps to put bums on seats. The opposite is true of somewhere that’s not up to speed on their hygiene and it can have serious implications. “The return on investment from proper food safety procedures is important for shop owners and stores to realise… the quality of the food being served increases when it is stored and served at the correct temperature for instance. If your food management systems are not up to scratch, the legal and financial implications, plus the adverse affects from bad publicity could cripple your business and your name in the hospitality sector.”

 How the System Works

Olive Safety provides advise, consultancy and training in area of health and safety and are specialists in the food safety sector. Aungier explains how the process works, “We will generally begin with an audit of the premises and an audit of the food safety management within the business. We will look at and evaluate the HACCP system in place; obviously looking at, among others, critical control points, such as the temperature food is cooked at or stored in. Since the premise of the system is all about ‘one step forward, one step back’, if the client wishes, we can carry out an audit of the suppliers processes.”

 Olive Safety then provides advise on how to improve the food safety management process. Such improvements may come in the form of a new process for recording of procedures or from the audit it may become apparent that some of the staff have not received HACCP training and will need to attend a course. Aungier says, “We don’t just walk away at this stage. With the introduction of new dishes and foodstuffs to the kitchen, HACCP is constantly evolving. We run periodic site audits for our clients to make sure they continue to achieve their high standards in the area of food safety on an ongoing basis.”

 About Olive Safety

Established by a team of experienced professionals, Olive Safety is Ireland’s leading health and safety solutions provider. Based in Dublin, Olive Safety provides a number of other Health and Safety training courses and consultancy for the hospitality sector. The organisation prepare safety statements, which are a requirement by law. Other areas such as Chemical Handling, Manual Handling, First Aid and Fire Safety training can be completed at the Olive Safety training centre or at the client’s premises. For more information visit www.olivesafety.ie or telephone 01 4111 011.

 Special Offer for Hospitality-Jobs-Ireland members:

 Olive Safety are offering a 10% discount on any food safety training courses to members of Hospitality-Jobs-Ireland. Simply quote this website offer when phoning 01-4111 011 or include it in your email to info@olivesafety.ie.