Beef HACCP Plan Guidelines

Are you preparing for a USDA inspection? We have beef processing HACCP plan templates and food safety plan templates that are easily customizable.

Beef HACCP Plan
Guidelines - Introduction

A guide for beef based HACCP plans.

Beef products currently fall under the regulatory rules of the United State Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) program. This plan guidance page will walk through the basics of developing a HACCP plan in order to achieve compliance with the USDA.

Types of companies that would use this plan would be:

Types of food products that would use a version of this guidance would be:

Why HACCP /
Food Safety Plan?

The HACCP program plan is only one part of a bigger food safety system, not a complete solution on its own. The foundational programs that are part of the food safety system are frequently termed prerequisite programs. The term was coined to indicate that they should be in place before HACCP based systems are implemented in order to effectively manage risk from food borne hazards. The Current Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) regulations address requirements for many prerequisite programs. USDA section 402(a)(3) outlines the conditions and practices the regulated food industry must follow for processing safe food under sanitary conditions, including personnel, plant and grounds, sanitary operations, sanitary facilities and controls, equipment and utensils, processes and controls, warehousing and distribution, and defect action levels considerations. Elements of GMPs that are not covered in the HACCP are still required by regulations.

We Can Help You Develop Your
Food Safety Documentation

Process Flow

The process flow of a food safety plan (HACCP) is the center of a food product’s food safety story. It tells how a company makes its products and what hazards and controls are associated with each step. Here’s an example process flow for beef jerky:

Suggested
Logs and Records

Monitoring records and logs must include the actual values or observation that document the actual implementation of a Food Safety Plan . For example, if a temperature is being measured, the actual temperature must be recorded rather than a checkmark indicating that the temperature complied with the critical limit. To comply with regulations, information must be recorded at the time it is observed.

Here are suggested record and log types to use:

Customer Complaints
Corrective Action Forms
Employee Training
Food Safety Quarterly Audit
Food Safety Checklist
Raw Materials/Receiving Log
Worker Illness Log
Freezer Log
Thawing Log
Refrigerator Log
Assembly Log
Shipping Temperature Log

Potential Hazards

Biological

Enterobacteriacae — Salmonella
Enterobacteriacae — Escherichia coli O157:H7
Proteobacteria — Campylobacter jejuni
Parasites — Taenia saginata
Bacteria — Staphylococcus aureus
Anthelmintics
Antibiotics

Chemical

Environmental chemical contaminants

Physical

Metal

Suggested Standard
Operating Procedures (SOPs)

SOPs are related to both GMPs and Controls of Hazards in the Food Safety Plan. SOPs define the specific steps of how GMPs and Controls of Hazards mitigate food safety hazards and define a repeatable process.

Using and Calibrating Thermometers
Transporting Food to Remote Sites
Cooling Potentially Hazardous Foods
Cleaning and Sanitizing Food Contact Surfaces
Storing and Using Poisonous or Toxic Chemicals
Preventing Cross-Contamination During Storage and Preparation
Receiving Deliveries
Cleaning Building and Facility
Allergen Control Program
Washing Hands – To Prevent Foodborne Illness by Contaminated Hands
Employee Illness Program

Additional Components for
Compliance (Recommended)

The following associated food safety components are recommended to achieve compliance with State and Federal rules and regulations.

Recall Plan

According to the Food Safety Modernization Act, Preventive Controls for Human Food regulation requires the development of a written Recall Plan when a hazard analysis identifies a hazard requiring a preventive control. Recalls are actions taken by an establishment to remove an adulterated, misbranded or violative product from the market. In other words, a product for which FDA or a state could take legal action against the company would be subject to recall.

Verification

Verification is an important component of supply chain, sanitation, allergen and critical controls. It confirms that the HACCP Plan is operating as intended. Validation confirms the effectiveness of the HACCP Plan in controlling food safety hazards. The purpose of verification is to provide a level of confidence that the HACCP Plan is 1) based on solid scientific principles that are adequate to control the hazards associated with the product and process, and 2) that the plan is being followed correctly every day of operation.

Speak with our
Expert Consultants

Get a Free Consultation With Our Food Safety
and Quality Experts Today!

+1 844-596-0962

Beef HACCP Plan Guidelines