FSIS Announces Meetings on Draft HACCP Validation Guidance for Meat/Poultry Establishments
The Food Safety and Inspection Service has announced that it will hold a series of public meetings, with the first on June 14, to discuss and receive public input on its draft proposed guidance concerning Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) Validation for meat and poultry establishments.
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Comments on the preliminary draft guidance are due by June 19, 2010.
(HACCP validation is the process of collecting scientific and technical information for establishments to establish that a HACCP system, when properly implemented, will effectively prevent or control the relevant hazards.
The HACCP regulations require that there be two aspects to validation: (1) scientifically demonstrating that the HACCP system is designed to address effectively the relevant hazards; and (2) that the system will function as designed.)
Guidance to Help Meat/Poultry Establishments With HACCP Requirements
FSIS states that the guidance is being created to help meat and poultry establishments understand existing requirements for what they will need to do to demonstrate that their HACCP system will function as designed and will result in the production of safe and wholesome products. The guidance does not impose new testing or microbiological requirements.
FSIS to Hold Two More Meetings After June 14 Meeting
After the first meeting on June 14, FSIS will review public comments on the preliminary guidance. FSIS will then announce an updated draft document in the Federal Register in July for a second round of comments.
As part of the second comment period, FSIS will hold two additional public meetings. Each meeting will include presentations, a question and answer period, and a public comment period. FSIS will issue a press release with the details on the second and third public meetings once they are finalized.
Draft Guidance Provides Documentation Requirements, Etc.
Among other things, FSIS’ draft guidance states that 9 CFR 417.4 requires that each meat and/or poultry establishment validate the adequacy of its HACCP plans in controlling food safety hazards identified during a hazard analysis.
The hazard analysis must have supporting documentation for each step of a HACCP plan in order to show that the establishment accounts for all hazards likely to occur. Examples of supporting documentation that may be used are scientific journal articles; FSIS regulations, compliance guidelines, or directives; trade association guidelines; etc.
(See ITT’s Online Archives or 03/29/10 news, 10032935, for BP summary of a FSIS proposed rule to impose additional recall and HACCP requirements on official establishments that are inspected by FSIS.)
The preliminary draft guidance and more information on validation are available here.
(Press release dated 06/04/10)