Principle of certification according to HACCP

[haccp-ppt-3-2-728] The certificate issued by an independent accredited certification body guarantees that the food quality and safety management system has been established, documented and used in accordance with the requirements of HACCP standard.

HACCP is a prevention based food quality and safety management system. It provides systematic methods for analysing agricultural and food industry production processes, identification of all possible risks, hazard analysis, determining the critical control points necessary for ensuring quality and safety of food products and consistent management and control of such critical points. HACCP is based on Codex Alimentarius, developed by Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations and World Health Organization.

Benefits of certification

Attestation of suitability, efficiency and effectiveness of the established critical points system by a third independent party;
Attestation of meeting the HACCP requirements beyond the scope of the minimum requirements laid down by the national legislation;
Meeting the requirements of the most demanding customers (trade chains and multinational companies);
Guarantee of production process stability;
Optimizing costs;
Enhancing trust of the public and public monitoring bodies;

Certification process

The certification process consists of 3 basic phases:
1) Elaboration of documentation
2) Putting QMS into practice
3) Certification by an accredited certification body
The times of elaboration of documentation and putting the system into practice are individual (it usually takes several months).

Certification by the accredited certification body

Assessment and registration of the client”s application for certification;
Signing an agreement for conducting a certification audit (Note: the certification audit is conducted in two stages);
Appointing a team of auditors;
Preparing an audit plan;
Verification of facts in the following stages:
a) examination of the client’s documentation
b) checking facts on site;
Elaboration of the Certification Audit Report;
Evaluation of the Audit Report by the Certification Body;
Issuing the Certificate.

During the three year validity period of the certificate, a surveillance audit takes place once a year. One of the following is issued depending on the surveillance findings

Decision on confirmation of the certificate validity until the next surveillance;
Decision on suspension of the certificate;
Decision on withdrawal of the certificate in case of fundamental deviations from requirements of standards.