- Print Friendly

- Help

Technical guidance and background: Applying HACCP to the Food Service and Catering off-the-peg Food Control Plan

Introduction
Purpose
Approach to HACCP
References

Introduction

The New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) provides a generic HACCP application for each off-the-peg Food Control Plan produced for use by a specific food sector or sectors.

Purpose

This document describes how HACCP has been applied to the Food Service and Catering off-the-peg Food Control Plan (OTP FCP). It will be useful for operators who want to move to a custom made Food Control Plan.

Approach to HACCP

Practices required prior to HACCP application

Before reviewing the HACCP processes within their operation, food business operators should have a good understanding of the management and basics sections of the OTP FCP. These sections cover the principles of good operating practice and provide the generic overarching information for this HACCP application.

Specific information required prior to HACCP application

The food service and catering OTP FCP provides the generic overarching information for this HACCP application.

Scope

The food service and catering OTP FCP provides information on the range of products, processes and practices that are common to those sectors. A couple of processes have been selected to illustrate the application of HACCP.

This document explains how HACCP has been applied in the food service and catering off-the-peg Food Control Plan (OTP FCP).

Requirements

It is intended that all regulatory requirements will be covered under the Food Act, and subordinate legislation. Proposed regulatory limits applicable to the food service and catering sectors have been identified.

NZFSA also has considered feedback from the food service and catering sectors to determine whether any operator-defined limits should be used when applying HACCP to these sectors. It was determined no operator-defined limits were needed due to the nature of the food sector. Regulatory limits are shown in Table 1

Table 1: Regulatory limits applicable to the food service and catering sectors

Process Step	Hazard of concern	Regulatory limits (interim parameters)
Cooking poultry meat		Temp (°C)	Time (min)
	Campylobacter jejuni	65	10
	Listeria monocytogenes	70	2
	Salmonella spp	75	0
		at thickest part of poultry (slowest heating part)
Hot holding	Various	≥ 60°C
Reheating	Various	≥ 60° C(piping hot)
Cooling	Various	60°C to 21°C in 2 hours 21°C to 4°C in 4 hours
Chilling	Various	≤ 4°C

Hazard Identification and Analysis

Hazard identification and analysis has been applied to the direct process. Specific process steps detailed within the OTP FCP have been considered (eg, cooking, hot holding, cooling, chilling/freezing) when selecting examples. Only hazards that are reasonably likely to occur and their control measures (where available) have been identified. Most of this information has been sourced from NZFSA’s hazard database http://www.nzfsa.govt.nz/policy-law/projects/domestic-food-review/hazard-db.htm for chicken meat. Other sources are referenced in this document.

Note: foods and ingredients to be considered are listed under Food Types in the Hazard Database.

CCP Determination

A decision table has been used to determine when a critical control point (CCP) is necessary. A ‘Yes’ answer to two key questions defines a process step as a CCP (see examples –Tables 2, 3, 4, and 5).

The following examples are simplified presentations of the key steps based on a generic process.

Process 1: Chicken Pasta that is cooked, cooled, reheated and displayed

Table 2: Hazard ID and analysis/ CCP determination

Process Step	Input	Hazard (with justification)¹	Q1. Is there a Regulatory limit or Operator-defined limit? Yes: Go to Q2. No: Step is not a CCP. Consider need for other control measures in GOP.	Q2. Is a control measure(s) essential to achieve the limit from Q1? Yes: Step is a CCP. No: Step is not a CCP. Consider need for other control measures in GOP	Impact of process step on existing hazards / Introduction of new hazards	Control measures to prevent / minimise or eliminate hazard (Essential ones are identified in bold)	FCP Section Reference
1a. Purchase /receive ingredients	Fresh vegetables	None	No	No	Growth of harmful bacteria if food temperature gets too high during delivery.	Vegetable supplier good operating practices Cream supplier good operating practices Delivery requirements, food temperature checks. Visual inspection.	Purchasing and Receiving Goods
	Pasteurised cream	Listeria monocytogenes Bacillus cereus
	Salted butter	None
	Cooked pasta	Bacillus cereus
	Salt	None
	Fresh herbs	None
2a. Store	Ingredients from step 1a.	See step 1a.	No	No	Growth of harmful bacteria if food temperature gets too high.	Effective temperature control. Readily perishable food stored at 4°C or colder. Use within use by date. Ingredients covered and/or protected.	Storage Chilled/Frozen Storage
3a. Prepare	Ingredients from step 1a.	See step 1a.	No	No	Allergens may inadvertently be added to food if incorrect recipe used, or through cross contamination of other ingredients or food contact surfaces.	Ingredients used as per recipe. Ingredients handled hygienically. Cross contamination is minimised. Time perishable food out of refrigeration minimised.	Preparation
1. Purchase /receive	Raw frozen poultry	Campylobacter jejuni Listeria monocytogenes Salmonella spp	Yes	No	Growth of harmful bacteria if food temperature gets too high during delivery.	Supplier good operating practices. Delivery requirements, food temperature checks. Visual inspection.	Purchasing and Receiving Goods
2. Store	Raw frozen poultry	See step 1.	Yes	No	Growth of harmful bacteria if food temperature gets too high.	Effective temperature control. Stored frozen solid	Readily Perishable Food Storage Chilled/Frozen Storage
3. Defrost	Raw frozen poultry	See step 1.	Yes	No	Growth of harmful bacteria if food temperature gets too high during defrosting.	Thawing times and temperatures checked. Tempering done in chiller. Food thawed throughout. Cross contamination from poultry juices prevented.	Defrosting Frozen Food
4. Prepare	Raw poultry	See step 1.	Yes	No	Growth of harmful bacteria if food temperature gets too high during preparation.	Handling to prevent cross contamination between raw and cooked foods. Cross contamination of other food is minimised. Time perishable food out of refrigeration minimised.	Readily Perishable Food Preparation
5. Cook	Poultry and other ingredients	Carried over from step 1 and 1a. Campylobacter jejuni Listeria monocytogenes Salmonella spp Bacillus cereus	Yes	Yes CCP1	Proper cooking reduces harmful bacteria. Harmful bacteria could survive due to inadequate cooking.	Compliance to established cooking parameters for time and internal food temperature. Handling to prevent cross contamination between raw and cooked foods.	Cooking Poultry Checking Poultry is Cooked Poultry Cooking time/ temperature settings Cooking (other ingredients)
6. Cool	Chicken pasta	Bacillus cereus	No	No	If food is not cooled quickly then harmful spore-forming bacteria eg, Bacillus cereus, may germinate and multiply. Recontamination of unprotected food.	Food is held hot until cooling can begin. Cooling is done in accordance with specified time / temperature parameters. 60°C to 21°C in 2 hours, 21°C to 4°C in 4 hours. Food temperature checks. Post-cook handling to prevent recontamination. Food is covered.	Cooling Hot Prepared Food
7. Store	Chicken pasta	Bacillus cereus	No	No	Recontamination of unprotected food.	Hygienic handling of exposed food to prevent recontamination. Effective separation of raw and cooked food Readily perishable food stored at 4°C or colder. Food is covered.	Chilled/Frozen Food Storage
8. Reheat	Chicken pasta	Bacillus cereus	No	No	If food is not reheated quickly then harmful spore-forming bacteria eg, Bacillus cereus, may germinate and multiply. Recontamination of unprotected food.	Hygienic handling of exposed food. Food is reheated quickly and thoroughly to 75°C. Food temperature checks.	Reheating Prepared Food
9. Display	Chicken pasta	Bacillus cereus	No	No	Recontamination of unprotected food.	Food is protected from contamination. Food is hygienically handled. No “topping up” of old batches with fresh food. Food held for no longer than prescribed times and temperatures. Leftovers not reused. Self service displays appropriately supervised.	Display and Self Service Display for Retail Sale

Process 2: Chicken Pasta that is cooked, held hot and served.

Table 3: Hazard ID and analysis/ CCP determination

Process Step	Input	Hazard (with justification)	Q1. Is there a Regulatory limit or Operator-defined limit? Yes: Go to Q2. No: Step is not a CCP. Consider need for other control measures in GOP.	Q2. Is a control measure(s) essential to achieve the limit from Q1? Yes: Step is a CCP. No: Step is not a CCP. Consider need for other control measures in GOP	Impact of process step on existing hazards / Introduction of new hazards	Control measures to prevent / minimise or eliminate hazard (Essential / critical ones are identified in bold)	FCP Section Reference
Same as table 2 up to step 5.
6b. Hot hold	Chicken pasta	Bacillus cereus	No	No	Germination and multiplication of harmful spore-forming bacteria eg, Bacillus cereus. Possible toxin production. Recontamination of unprotected food.	Maintain prescribed temperatures. 60°C or hotter throughout. Food temperature checks. Hygienic handling of exposed food.	Hot Holding Prepared Food
7b. Serve	Chicken pasta	Bacillus cereus	No	No		Serve immediately	Display and Self f Service

Process 3: Chicken Pasta that is cooked, cooled, transported off-site, stored, reheated and displayed (Off-site Catering)

Table 4: Hazard ID and analysis/CCP determination

Process Step	Input	Hazard (with justification)	Q1. Is there a Regulatory limit or Operator-defined limit? Yes: Go to Q2. No: Step is not a CCP. Consider need for other control measures in GOP.	Q2. Is a control measure(s) essential to achieve the limit from Q1? Yes: Step is a CCP. No: Step is not a CCP. Consider need for other control measures in GOP	Impact of process step on existing hazards / Introduction of new hazards	Control measures to prevent / minimise or eliminate hazard (Essential / critical ones are identified in bold)	FCP Section Reference
Same as table 2 up to step 5.
6c. Cool	Chicken pasta	Bacillus cereus	No	No	If food is not cooled quickly then harmful spore-forming bacteria eg, Bacillus cereus, may germinate and multiply. Recontamination of unprotected food.	Food is held hot until cooling can begin. Cooling is done in accordance with specified time / temperature parameters. 60°C to 21°C in 2 hours, 21°C to 4°C in 4 hours. Food temperature checks. Post cook handling to prevent recontamination. Food is covered.	Cooling Hot Prepared Food
7c. Transport	Chicken pasta	Bacillus cereus	No	No	Germination and multiplication of harmful spore-forming bacteria eg, Bacillus cereus Possible toxin production. Recontamination of unprotected food.	Transport chilled at 4°C or less. Food temperature checks. Food is covered.	Transporting Food
8c. Store	Chicken pasta	Bacillus cereus	No	No	Recontamination of unprotected food.	Hygienic handling of exposed food to prevent recontamination. Effective separation of raw and cooked food. Food stored at 4°C or colder. Food is covered.	Chilled Frozen Storage
9c. Reheat	Chicken pasta	Bacillus cereus	No	No	If food is not reheated quickly then harmful spore-forming bacteria eg, Bacillus cereus, may germinate and multiply. Recontamination of unprotected food.	Hygienic handling of exposed food. Food is reheated quickly and thoroughly to 75°C. Food temperature checks.	Reheating Prepared Food
10c. Display	Chicken pasta	Bacillus cereus	No	No	Recontamination of unprotected food.	Food is protected from contamination. Food is hygienically handled. No “topping up” of old batches with fresh food. Food held for no longer than prescribed times and temperatures. Leftovers not reused. Self service displays appropriately supervised.	Display and Self Service

Process 4: Chicken Pasta that is cooked, held hot while transported off-site, displayed and served (Off-site Catering)

Table 5: Hazard ID and analysis/CCP determination

Process Step	Input	Hazard (with justification)	Q1. Is there a Regulatory limit or Operator-defined limit? Yes: Go to Q2. No: Step is not a CCP. Consider need for other control measures in GOP.	Q2. Is a control measure(s) essential to achieve the limit from Q1? Yes: Step is a CCP. No: Step is not a CCP. Consider need for other control measures in GOP	Impact of process step on existing hazards / Introduction of new hazards	Control measures to prevent / minimise or eliminate hazard (Essential / critical ones are identified in bold)	FCP Section Reference
Same as table 2 up to step 5.
7d. Transport	Chicken pasta	Bacillus cereus	No	No	Germination and multiplication of harmful spore-forming bacteria eg, Bacillus cereus. Possible toxin production. Recontamination of unprotected food.	Maintain prescribed temperatures. 60°C or hotter throughout. Food temperature checks. Food is covered.	Transporting Food Hot Holding Prepared Food
8d. Display	Chicken pasta	Bacillus cereus	No	No	Recontamination of unprotected food.	Food is protected from contamination. Food is hygienically handled. No “topping up” of old batches with fresh food. Food held for no longer than prescribed times and temperatures. Leftovers not reused. Self service displays appropriately supervised.	Display and Self Service
8e. Serve	Chicken pasta	Bacillus cereus	No	No		Serve immediately	Display and Self Service

Process 5: Green Salad

Table 6: Hazard ID and analysis/CCP determination

Process Step	Input	Hazard (with justification)	Q1. Is there a Regulatory limit or Operator-defined limit? Yes: Go to Q2. No: Step is not a CCP. Consider need for other control measures in GOP.	Q2. Is a control measure(s) essential to achieve the limit from Q1? Yes: Step is a CCP. No: Step is not a CCP. Consider need for other control measures in GOP	Impact of process step on existing hazards / Introduction of new hazards	Control measures to prevent / minimise or eliminate hazard (Essential / critical ones are identified in bold)	FCP Section Reference
1. Purchase /receive ingredients	Melon	None	No	No	None	Supplier good operating practices. Visual inspection.	Purchasing and Receiving Goods
	Tomato	None
	Lettuce	None
	Capsicum	None
	Carrots	None
	Prepared Vinaigrette	None identified
2. Ambient/ chilled storage	Ingredients from step 1.	See step 1.	No	No	None.	Ingredients covered and/or protected. Separate raw and ready-to-eat food.	Storage Chilled/ Frozen Food Storage
3. Prepare	Ingredients from step 1.	See step 1.	No	No	Cross contamination from food contact surface eg, pathogens, allergens, or chemical	Wash to remove visible contamination. Where this would have an impact, remove outer lettuce leaves, eg, iceberg lettuce. Cross contamination is minimised. Separate equipment and cutting boards used to prepare salad; or equipment and surfaces thoroughly cleaned, sanitised and dried before use.	Preparation
4a. Display	Green Salad	See step 1.	No	No	Contamination of unprotected food.	Food is protected from contamination. Food is hygienically handled. Self service displays appropriately supervised. Leftovers not reused.	Display and Self Service Display for Retail
4b. Serve		None	No	No		Serve Immediately	Display and Self Service

Critical Limits

One CCP was identified for Process 1 in section 3.3.

CCP	Hazard of concern	Critical limits (interim parameters)		Section in OTP FCP
Cooking poultry meat		Temp (°C)	Time (min)	Cooking Poultry Poultry Cooking Time/ Temperature Settings
	Campylobacter jejuni	65	10
	Listeria monocytogenes	70	2
	Salmonella spp	75	0
		at slowest heating part

CCP Monitoring

NZFSA has identified options for expected CCP monitoring within the food service and catering OTP FCP. The details can be found in the following sections of the OTP FCP:

CCP – Cooking poultry meat – Sections: Cooking Poultry, Poultry Cooking Time/Temperature Settings, Checking Poultry is Cooked

CCP corrective action

NZFSA has documented options for corrective action for each CCP within the OTP FCP for Food Service and Catering. The details can be found in the following sections of the OTP FCP:

• CCP – Cooking poultry meat – Sections: Cooking Poultry, Poultry Cooking Time/Temperature Settings

Business operator verification – HACCP

NZFSA has documented requirements/options for Business Operator verification activities related to HACCP application within the OTP FCP for Food Service and Catering. The details can be found in the following sections of the OTP FCP:

• CCP – Cooking poultry meat – Section: Cooking Poultry

• Calibration of thermometer – Section: Diary

• Product/process review – Section: Introduction

• Overarching FCP review – Section: Introduction

HACCP documentation and recordkeeping

NZFSA will maintain, review and update this documentation for the generic HACCP application for the food service and catering OTP FCP.

Records

NZFSA has detailed its expectations for recordkeeping for CCP monitoring, CCP corrective action and Business Operator verification of HACCP within the food service and catering OTP FCP and the OTP FCP Diary. See sections: Management Details, Records, Diary.

References

Food Control Plan – Food Service and Catering - http://www.nzfsa.govt.nz/policy-law/projects/domestic-food-review/Food_Control_Plan.pdf

Hazard Database - http://www.nzfsa.govt.nz/policy-law/projects/domestic-food-review/hazard-db.htm

Joint Food Standards Code - http://www.nzfsa.govt.nz/policy-law/legislation/food-standards/?page_ref=suggested_link

NZFSA Guide to applying HACCP principles (chapter for Food Control Plan Manual) - Pending. July 2009

(2008) Fresh Cuts. What’s New in Food Technology and Manufacturing, Sept/Oct: 34-36. - www.foodprocessing.com.au

USFDA/CFSAN guidance for industry – guide to minimise microbial food safety hazards of fresh-cut fruit and vegetables - http://www.foodsafety.gov/~dms/prodguid.html

¹ Source of hazard information: Hazard Database

All information on this website is subject to a disclaimer.

Contact for enquiries

New Zealand Food Safety Authority
68-86 Jervois Quay
PO Box 2835
Wellington
NEW ZEALAND

Phone: +64 4 894 2500
Fax: +64 4 894 2501

Contact NZFSA about this page