Prerequisites

Before developing a HACCP plan, the HACCP team should have in place basic operating procedures validated as effective by internal auditing systems. These procedures are referred to as ‘prerequisites’ i.e. required as a prior condition for the HACCP.

What is a prerequsite program?

The World Health Organisation defines a prerequisite program as the “practices and conditions needed prior to and during the implementation of HACCP and which are essential to food safety.”Robust prerequisite programs help to reduce and/or prevent the introduction of microbiological, chemical and physical hazards into feed production and provide a strong foundation for an effective HACCP system.

What practices and conditions are defined in prerequisite programs?

The prerequisite requirements include:

• Site Requirements and approval
• Approved suppliers and raw material specifications
• Premises and equipment well design, constructed and maintained
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  Good manufacturing practices
• Effective cleaning and disinfection
• Analytical control programs
• Pest Control
• Water and air control ice used in production should be potable
• Waste management
• Staff training
• Finished product specifications
• Labeling, traceability and recall procedures
• Internal audit schedules and inspections

NB: This list of prerequisites is not exhaustive and there may be others relevant to different businesses. Establishments should continue to review and revise their prerequisite programs to ensure they remain effective.

Documentation

Once the feed business identifies what prerequisites are relevant to their business, it is important to ensure they are incorporated into relevant documentation, i.e. written procedures, standard operating procedures and records, which support the HACCP plan.For each prerequisite, the following points may be considered in the written procedure:

• The title of the procedure
• A brief statement on the purpose of the prerequisite measure
• The measures necessary to prevent the desired outcome
• Who will be responsible for ensuring the requirements are met
• The nature and frequency of checks and by whom
• What to do if the requirements are not met
• How, where and by whom the checks are recorded
• When and who reviews the procedure

The records generated from the prerequisite plan should be monitored by inspection personnel or supervisors. If the prerequisite programs fail to prevent contamination and/or adulteration of a product appropriate corrective action must be taken.