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Develop a HACCP Plan for Acidified Foods By Dr. John Rushing, Professor of Food Science, North Carolina State University Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) techniques are becoming the accepted norm for controlling food safety. Each plant should have its own written plan to incorporate HACCP principles in the operation. This article provides generic guidance in developing a HACCP plan for use in operations for acidified foods. In order for HACCP to effectively prevent food safety hazards, processing plants must be operating in accordance to GMPs and under sanitary conditions. A written sanitation plan is recommended… Hazards Analysis A hazard analysis of a typical acidified foods operation reveals several potential hazards: Raw materials must be inspected for wholesomeness and be free from decay and unsound tissues which might harbor harmful micro-organisms Raw materials must be purchased from reputable suppliers and be grown on fields using safe agronomic practices. Any fertilizers from human or animal waste should be properly composted and applied. Pesticides should be approved and applied in accordance with label procedures Raw produce shall be washed in potable water to remove surface residues and foreign materials Other ingredients shall be purchased from reputable suppliers, be produced in inspected processing establishments and be of food grade All ingredients must be protected from contamination or spoilage using refrigeration or other appropriate means Formulated ingredients, which are not shelf stable shall be held under refrigerated conditions to prevent the growth of harmful micro-organisms Workers with communicable diseases and those with skin infections shall be excluded from handling foods or utensils because of the danger of spreading harmful micro-organisms Control Point A critical control point is a step in the process which must be controlled to assure food safety. A finished equilibrium pH of 4.6 or below to prevent botulism is always a critical control point for acidified foods. Other points such as those considered below may also be critical, depending on the product and process. A terminal heat treatment of 180^o F will reduce the population of harmful and spoilage micro-organisms in the product Materials such as peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers may need to be sliced, chopped or pierced to provide intimate contact with the brine Container closures shall be intact and free from food product on sealing surfaces in order to provide proper hematic seal The critical control point for acidified foods is a finished equilibrium pH of 4.6 reached within 24 hours Critical Limits/Monitoring Critical control points are measurable and must have established critical limits. These critical limits should be monitored as in the example below. One critical control point for all acidified foods is a finished equilibrium pH of 4.6 or below. This determination must be made within 24 hours by the following procedure: Drain and rinse the solid material. Chop peppers and such materials as necessary to allow brine to drain Place solids in a blender and blend thoroughly Check the pH with a properly calibrated pH meter calibrated with pH 4 and pH 7 buffers If the pH is below 4.0, record the pH for the lot If the pH is between 4.0 and 4.5, repeat the procedure If the pH is above 4.5, follow the corrective actions and record as a process deviation Record all observations next page...