Developing a HACCP ProgramSome tips for the farmstead cheesemaker

Heading for HACCP?You may find it oppressive, confusing, and time consuming but if you arereading this then you must be interested in learning more about HACCP,or Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points. Like Tang™, cordless drills,and biomedical lasers, the HACCP system got its start in the space pro-gram. The U. S. Army Natick Laboratories, along with NASA (NationalAeronautics and Space Administration) and the Pillsbury Company,designed the HACCP system to produce safe foods for the astronauts.They didn’t start out to develop a new system, initially they focused on100% assurance of safe foods. Once they realized standard quality controlmethods wouldn’t be enough, this group developed a logical systemfocused on identifying and controlling potential hazards to prevent food-borne disease. Within two years of the 1969 Apollo missions, Pillsburybegan to apply HACCP in plants producing food for the rest of us. Sincethen, HACCP has gone international—from Europe to the far East,HACCP is recognized as an effective tool to produce the safest foodpossible.

Should you be using HACCP? Creating a HACCP plan takes time, workand commitment. However, done correctly, HACCP is a system that willhelp prevent food safety problems. In addition, as HACCP spreadsthrough the food industry, your customers might be asking if you have aHACCP system in place. Your competitors might say yes.

HACCP is a safety programAs you explore the HACCP system remember that HACCP is a safetyprogram. Keep in mind the distinction between safety and quality andrealize that HACCP is one part of your total program. After all, it ispossible to produce a very safe product that just doesn’t meet your qualitystandards.

Several resources are available to help you plan and implement HACCP.Consider starting with the Dairy Product Safety System, a technical manualpublished by the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA).Thiscomprehensive manual will take you from defining HACCP all the waythrough the steps needed to implement a program, including modelprograms for dairy plants. They are currently working on an updatededition, which should be ready in 2001.

This document is specifically adapted for the farmstead cheesemaker,although much of the information comes from the IDFA publication,which is a more thorough book that also covers manufacturing butter, icecream and processing fluid milk.

Take the task apartOne of the challenges that farmstead cheesemakers face as they develop aHACCP plan is carving out the time. Most cheesemakers already have toomuch to do, and, of course, many are doing it alone. It is unrealistic tothink you can sit down and work out an entire HACCP plan. Instead,consider breaking it into parts. Annie Lamott, novelist and writing instruc-tor, in her book “Bird by Bird” relates a story about her brother, frustratedand overwhelmed because he had a term paper due and he had procrasti-nated so long the task was feeling impossible. Desperate and tearful, hecouldn’t imagine finishing his entire paper, which was about birds.Lamott’s father’s advice was to “Just take it bird by bird.” So, to paraphraseLamott, you should take the task apart, approach it curd by curd and workon one cheese at a time.

Don’t get hung up on the critical control points, or CCP’s. Before starting aHACCP program, IDFA suggests that you evaluate and review existingprograms. You might not have any formal program, but you probablyalready do some of these tasks informally. “Prerequisite programs” are theuniversal procedures, like GMP’s (Good Manufacturing Practices) thatcontrol environmental conditions in a dairy plant in order to produce safeproducts. The name is deceptive, it doesn’t have any key words like criticalor hazard in it but don’t be fooled—a prerequisite program is the foundationof every HACCP plan.

The IDFA manual outlines six prerequisite areas, including details to checkand forms you can use to evaluate your program. The prerequisite areasinclude physical premises, receiving and storage, equipment performanceand maintenance, personnel training programs, sanitation, and recallprograms. See Appendix A for a chart adapted from IDFA which you canuse to evaluate what you are already doing and what you might need towork on. Consider focusing on one prerequisite area each week, or eachmonth, using IDFA’s Prerequisite Programs Evaluation Form.

Start by describing each productYou might want to start your plan by describing each product you make.You’ll eventually need a separate plan for each of your products, but justpick one cheese to start with. Consider composition, structure, processing,packaging systems, storage, and shelf-life. To keep on track, keep askingyourself, “Is this a hazard or a quality issue?”

Now, you’ll need to organize a flow diagram. This is not an engineeringfeat, instead use words in boxes to illustrate the steps used to produce eachproduct, like the example shown on page 17.

When you have a good, simple flow diagram you are ready to conduct ahazard analysis. Now you are getting to the core of the HACCP experience.For this purpose, a hazard is any microbiological, chemical, or physicalproperty that threatens the safety of your product. Analyzing hazardsinvolves asking a series of questions to get at the varied factors that influ-ence the safety of food. For example, you might ask about the chances thatyour product could be contaminated with hazardous substances. Or thelikelihood that your product will contain viable spore-forming pathogens.You also need to consider what preventive measures, if any, are available.When you are finished, you should be able to list the significant hazards ofeach step in the flow chart, along with the severity of the risk and preven-tive measures.

Identifying critical control pointsNext, you can identify critical control points, or CCP’s. They originate fromthe hazard areas you already identified and include things like the tempera-ture of incoming milk, or pasteurization times and temperatures. Manyhazard areas may already be controlled by your prerequisiteprograms, the ones that aren’t must be identified as CCP’s.

Now that you have a list of CCP’s you need to set some parameters forthem. Start by setting critical limits for each CCP, the limit that must be metto assure safety. Use regulatory standards, literature searches, experimentalstudies and your experiential knowledge to set your critical limits. Monitor-ing these critical limits is also built into your HACCP plan and you use it todetermine and record when a CCP has exceeded the critical limit. Ideally,monitoring should be 100% accurate and quick. That’s why physical andchemical methods, like measuring pH and temperature, are more effectivetools than microbiological testing.

Documentation and verification are built into HACCP plans. Correctiveaction plans for dealing with deviations from CCP’s need to be documentedand recorded. Your documentation should also include all records forCCP’s, the monitoring systems, a list of the team, the flow diagram, etc.

Like many other systems and processes, HACCP is really never finished.You should conduct a full review at least annually. In addition, new productdevelopment, new hazards, and manufacturing changes are all situationsthat prompt a HACCP evaluation. Employee training and education isanother ongoing process. Your entire staff needs to become familiar withthe overall principles of HACCP and their part in the HACCP system.

Resources

The USDA/FDA Foodborne Illness Education Information Center is anexcellent source of information about foodborne illness and how to preventit. Two databases are maintained: The Foodborne Illness EducationalMaterials Database and the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points(HAACP) Training Programs and Resources Database. Start at their websiteand follow the links.

http://www.nal.usda.gov/foodborne/about

Mary Falk’s Prerequisite Program

ForTrade Lake Cedar

Mary’s Notes

6

Milk receivingMilk is stored in sterile disposable milk bags and stored in ice water in achill tank that is kept below 35ºF. The temperature of the chill tank ischarted twice a day. The temperature chart is hanging on the milkhouse wall.

The milk is screened for antibiotic residue and sampled for plate countand SSC on a “per vat “ basis. If milk is verified as “positive “ for drugresidue, the milk is discarded. Test results of antibiotic screening arecharted. The chart is on the shelf in the cheese make room. Tests resultsfor PLC and SSC are dated and filed in “Milk History” folder. If testsresults violate LoveTree’s milk receiving guidelines, patron is notifiedand receives a warning. If milk is again received from same patron thatviolates LoveTree’s receiving guidelines, milk will be refused frompatron until tests prove that problem has been resolved.

Milk equipment is washed in accordance with good dairy hygienepractices after every milking. Twice a week the equipment is washed indairy grade acetic acid, and twice a week the equipment is washed in achlorinated alkaline cleanser. The rest of the washings use a food gradedetergent. After every washing the equipment is sanitized with a foodgrade chlorine sanitizer using no less than 100ppm. The chlorine level istested with chlorine test strips and charted. When the milk “bucket “ isfull, it is immediately strained and placed in disposable bags in the chilltank.

Dave Falk starts the cheesemaking process bymilking the sheep at Lovetree Farm

Dave and I realizedthat it was necessary todemonstrate to ourcustomers (and our-selves) that we producea safe and wholesomeproduct. In order toachieve this, we neededto implement aHACCP plan forLovetree Farmsteadcheese.

Mary’s Notes

7

Milk storageThe temperature of the chill tank is monitored twice a day and kept under35ºF. The milk is stored in sterile disposable bags made specifically for milkstorage. (The bags are purchased from General Film Inc.) The chill tanktemperature is charted twice a day. The chart is kept hanging on the wall inthe milk house. The chlorine is added to the chill tank water and monitoredat 100ppm on a daily basis, and that chart hangs on the wall, too.

In accordance with theregulations of the stateof Wisconsin andMary Falk’s certifica-tion, all milk isscreened for antibioticresidue utilizing thePenzyme test kit. Themilk is tested on a “pervat” basis. If milktesting procedurevalidates positive drugresidues in milk, thenmilk is discarded. Thechill tank is cleanedout once a week withdetergent and an acidwash.

It takes a while todevelop a new habit.Charting the milkstorage temperatures issimply recording whatyou do with your eyeson a daily basis. Hangthe clipboard by thechill tank so it is inplain view. Tie the penor pencil to the clip-board so you don’t haveto look for one whenyou are in a hurry.

Mary’s Notes

8

Dry ingredientreceiving/storageSalt is received in 50 poundbags and poured into a sealedtote that protects it frompossible contamination.(water, dust, chemicals, etc)The lot number of the bag ofsalt is charted and dated andkept in the Dry Ingredientfolder.

Cedar boughs are washed andsanitized and air dried onsanitized racks in the cheeseroom. The sanitizer is moni-tored for 100 ppm by usingchlorine test strips. The chartfor monitoring the sanitizer iskept on the desk in the makeroom.

Implementing aHACCP plan made usmotivated to getorganized. Even thoughwe “knew” that theproducts we used in theplant were approved foruse in food manufac-ture, HACCP showedus how to organize theingredient information.Now, if we ever need torecall our product wesimply need to followthe audit trail.

Mary’s Notes

9

Cheese vat

The cheese vat is washed afterevery make of cheese. The vat isalso cleaned weekly with a chlori-nated detergent and an acid wash.The vat is sanitized using a chlo-rine sanitizer of no less than100ppm. The chlorine level ismonitored using chlorine teststrips and charted no less thantwice per production day, and/ orwhenever a new solution is made.The chart is kept on the wall in thecheese make room. The cleaningchemicals are kept on the bottomrack of the storage shelf next tothe sink in the cheese make roomand are measured out according tomanufacturers directions.

When you order yourchlorine test strips,order as many as youcan afford. That waythey will be always bein stock. It is easier toget out of the habit oftesting if you run outof supplies like thechlorine test strips.

Mary’s Notes

10

StarterThe starter is a direct vat set purchased from a starter company. The lotnumber is charted and dated and kept in the Dry Ingredient section of theIngredient Receiving folder. The starter is stored in the freezer, for longterm storage (10ºF.), or in the cooler for short term storage (38ºF). Thetemperature of the refrigeration units are charted twice a day, and the chartis kept in the unit. All starters are stored in Ziploc bags to preventcontamination.

RennetRennet is purchased from a reputable supplier. The lot number is chartedand dated and kept in the Fluid Ingredient section of the Ingredient Re-ceiving folder. Rennet is stored in a cooler at 38ºF. The temperature of thecooler is charted twice a day, and the chart is kept in the cooler.

WaterWater is tested according to the regulations in Wisconsin for dairy plantwater testing. Test results are kept in my Regulatory file.

This is a good time toget in the habit ofcharting the lot num-bers of your starter. Theinformation can helpyou track down anyproblems in productionquality along withhelping you follow anaudit trail in the eventof a recall.

Mary’s Notes

11

FormsThe cheese forms are food grade approved and washed and cleaned aftereach cheese make with an acid wash or a chlorinated alkaline cleanser. Theforms are sanitized with no less than 100ppm. Sanitizer is tested no less thantwice during a production day, and whenever a new solution is made.

Drain tableThe pH of the cheese is monitored using pH test strips to check for properacid development before salting (A sample of the cheese is pureed in anelectric mill and then tested.) A pH of 5.10 is the target pH.

The pH of the cheese is charted on the corresponding Cheese Make Sheet.If the pH is higher than 5.2, then the cheese is not salted and allowed to sitfor another 12 hrs. If, after 12 hrs, the pH is still not at 5.1, then the cheese issalted and the information is charted on the Make Sheet for future refer-ence. The cheese is dry salted and the whey allowed to drain off. The wheyis disposed of by feeding to livestock.

I used to routinely usea pH meter but since Ihad chronic problemswith my meter, Iswitched to pH teststrips. I compared teststrip readings to pHmonitor readings andwas pleasantlysurprised to see howaccurate the strips are.

Mary’s Notes

12

Drain table, continuedEach wheel of the raw milk cheese is permanently identified with it’scorresponding lot number etched into the wheels with a hot brand. The lotnumbers are printed on the cheese Make Sheets and stored in the MakeSheet folder where the date of each lot number of cheese is also recorded.

The drain table is washed after every make of cheese using a chlorinateddetergent at least once a week, and an acid wash at least once a week. Thedrain table is sanitized using a chlorine sanitizer of no less than 100ppm.The chlorine level is monitored using chlorine test strips and charted no lessthan twice during a production day, and/ or whenever a new solution ismade. The chlorine test chart is kept on the wall in the cheese make room.The cleaning chemicals are kept on the bottom rack of the storage shelfnext to the sink in the cheese make room and are measured out accordingto manufacturers directions.

By permanentlyidentifying each wheelof cheese I retainflexibility in the agingroom. I can now shufflemy cheeses aroundwithout worrying aboutlosing track of “whothey are!”

Mary’s Notes

13

AgingThe cheese is carried to the cave in clean, sanitized and sealed totes. Thecheese is place on top of sanitized cedar boughs which are place on waxedboards in the fresh air aging cave for no less than 2 months at no less than38ºF. The cheese is aged at an average temperature of 55ºF. The temp ofthe cheese “cave “ is charted daily and the chart is kept in the aging cave.The cheeses are turned and inspected no less than twice a week.

The cheese shelves are washed on a weekly basis with a mixture of aceticacid and water. The cedar boughs are disposed of after the aging cheesehas been removed, or if the integrity of the cedar starts to degrade.

By charting the agingtemperatures, I cantrack fluctuations intemperature. This helpsme to evaluate cheesecharacteristics and/ordefects while alsoshowing that we aremeeting the legaltemperaturerequirements.

Mary’s Notes

14

Aging, continuedThe floor of the cave is washed and swept at least twice a week. Worn bootsare left at the door of the cave, and clean boots that are designated for caveuse only are put on when entering the cave.

I absolutely LOVE thesmell of a good, moldy,clean cave! When wewash the floors, wehelp the humidity levelin the cave at that sametime that we disruptany nasty bacterialactivity. We preferusing manual acidcleaners on the floorand only occasionallyuse chlorine. (NEVERuse chlorine and acidtogether!!!!)

Mary’s Notes

15

PackagingCheese that is at least 61 days old is transported in clean, sanitized andsealed totes to the cheese make room where the cheese is readied forshipping.

The cheese is placed in clean and sanitized racks and washed with a 50/50solution of apple cider vinegar and allowed to air dry. The cheese is thenweighed and wrapped for shipping/delivery. The customer’s name ( andstore location if required), lot number and the weight of the cheese ischarted and kept in the Customer Log folder. When not being used, theCustomer Log folder is kept in the sealed tote in the storage room. Thepackaged cheese is then stored in the cooler to chill overnight before beingshipped.

By disciplining yourselfto follow through onthis step, you willgreatly simplify yourbilling and improvecommunication withyour customers. Whena customer calls with aquestion on a shipmentof cheese, I can readilytrack which lot of cheesethey received. Thisobviously simplifies anyrecall issues or productquality issues.

Mary’s Notes

16

ShippingCheese is wrapped and taped in freezer paper and then placed inside ofpaper bag or covered a second time in freezer paper. The product is thenplaced in a thick cardboard box that is packed with large curl pine shavingsand or clean hay, and freezer packs (in hot weather). Typically, an 8 poundwheel of aged cheese will require two one pound freezer packs.All cheese is shipped by 2nd day air if the temperature upon departure isover 60ºF, or if the temperature of the destination point is over 60ºF.All freezer packs are first wrapped in white butcher paper before beingplaced in packaging material.

All packages are transported to a UPS Authorized Shipping Station sinceLoveTree currently does not have a area that is separated from the coolerfor the courier to retrieve packages from.To prevent possible contamination of product storage area (from courier)transporting packages to a Designated Shipper is now necessary.

Rodent and insect controlRodent control for premises:Ferrets are used in the outside perimeter (non cheese make and non cheeseaging and storage facility)In ferret absentia, bar bait is placed in the outside perimeter in bait stations.All open air vents are screened for insects and also screened with hardwarecloth for rodents.The walls of the milk house and cheese room are washed with ShakleesBasic H for fly control, and selective “swatting” is also used.

Don’t cut corners onshipping. Properlypackaged cheese willgreatly reduce anypossibility of damagedor destroyed cheese andwill help to ensurehappy customers—and ahealthy bank account.

Mary’s flow diagram for HACCP

DAIRY INGREDIENT RECEIVING

(SHEEP MILK)

BOX/MOLD FILLING

DISTRIBUTION

PRESS

AGING

STORAGE

WHEY DISPOSAL (LAMBS)

CHEESE VAT

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DRY INGREDIENT RECEIVING

DAIRY STORAGE

RENNET

STARTER

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LoveTree’s HACCP for Trade Lake Cedar ProductionMilk ReceivingMicrobiological/Pathogens Proper temperature is monitored to prevent

bacterial growth /staph toxins CCPEach vat of milk is screened for PLC and SSC

Chemical -Animal Drug Residue Milk is screened for presence of drug residuesPhysical-any physical hazards Prerequisite Program in place to prevent

contamination

Milk StorageMicro/Pathogens Temp control is necessary to prevent bacterial CCP

growth in fluid milk/staph toxinsChemical -any hazardous chemical Prerequisite Program in place to prevent

contaminationPhysical-any physical hazards Prerequisite Program in place to prevent

contamination

Dry Ingredient ReceivingMicro/Pathogens Prerequisite Program in place

for ingredient receiving and storageChemical -any hazardous chemical Prerequisite Program in place to prevent

contaminationPhysical-any physical hazards Prerequisite Program in place to prevent

contamination

Dry Ingredient StorageMicro/Pathogens Prerequisite Program in place

for ingredient receiving and storageChemical -any hazardous chemical Prerequisite Program in place to prevent

contaminationPhysical-any physical hazards Prerequisite Program in place to prevent

contamination

Cheese VatMicro/Pathogens Milk is heated to ripening temperature quickly

to prevent pathogen growth. Starter isadded as soon as milk is at ripening temperature

Chemical -any hazardous chemical Prerequisite Program in place to preventcontamination

Physical-any physical hazards Prerequisite Program in place to prevent contamination

StarterMicro/Pathogens Prerequisite Program in place for ingredient

receiving and storageChemical-any hazardous chemical Prerequisite Program in place for ingredient

receiving and storagePhysical-any physical hazard Prerequisite Program in place for ingredient

receiving and storage

RennetMicro/Pathogen Prerequisite Program in place for receiving

and storageChemical- any hazardous chemical Prerequisite Program in place for receiving

and storagePhysical- Any physical hazard Prerequisite Program in place for receiving

and storage

WaterMicro/Pathogen Prerequisite Program in place to prevent

unwanted microbial/pathogen growth

FormsMicro/Pathogen Pre Requisite Program in place to prevent

unwanted microbial/pathogen growthChemical/Any hazardous chemical Pre Requisite Program in place to prevent

contaminationPhysical/ Any physical hazard Pre Requisite Program in place to prevent

contamination

Drain TableMicro/Pathogens Prerequisite Program in place to prevent

contamination.Ph monitoring to check for CCPproper acid development before salting

Chemical/Any hazardous chemical Prerequisite Program in place to preventcontamination

Physical/Any physical hazard Prerequisite Program in place to preventcontamination

NACIMicro/Pathogen Prerequisite Program in place for ingredient

receiving and storage

Chemical/Any Chemical Hazards Prerequisite Program in place for ingredientreceiving and storage

Physical /Any Physical Hazards Prerequisite Program in place for ingredientreceiving and storage

AgingMicro/Pathogen Prerequisite Program in place to ensure proper

aging temperature and timeCedar Boughs Prerequisite Program in place

to prevent contaminationChemical/Any Chemical Hazards Prerequisite Program in place for proper

cheese storagePhysical/ Any Physical HazardsInsect /rodent control Prerequisite Program in place for prevention of

insect and rodent contamination/damage

PackagingMicro/Pathogen Prerequisite Program in place for purchasing

packaging suppliesPrerequisite Program in place to track product

Chemical/Any Chemical Hazards Prerequisite Program in place forreceiving and storage of packaging supplies

Physical/ Any Physical Hazards Prerequisite Program in place for receiving and storage ofpackaging supplies

Storage Properly packaged product contains no hazards

Distribution Properly packaged product contains no hazards

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afe,

app

rove

d, r

ecor

ds s

houl

d be

kep

t

Stor

age

Ade

quat

e co

ntro

l, ke

ep r

ecor

ds o

f tem

pera

ture

and

hum

idity

, han

dled

to p

reve

ntda

mag

e an

d co

ntam

inat

ion

Non

-food

che

mic

als

Lab

el a

nd s

tore

pro

perl

y, d

ispe

nse

and

hand

le in

an

appr

oved

way

Sect

ion

2R

ecei

ving

/Sto

rage

Prer

equi

site

Pro

gram

Eva

luat

ion

N/A

OK

Nee

dsW

ork

Yike

s!

Prer

equi

site

Pro

gam

Ite

ms

Ada

pted

from

“D

airy

Pro

duct

Saf

ety

Syst

em”

publ

ishe

d by

the

Inte

rnat

iona

l Dai

ry F

oods

Ass

ocia

tion

Eval

uati

on

Co

mm

ents

Gen

eral

equ

ipm

ent d

esig

nSh

ould

be

desi

gned

and

mai

ntai

ned

to p

reve

nt c

onta

min

atio

n an

d re

sist

corr

osio

n. F

ood

cont

act s

urfa

ces

shou

ld b

e no

n ab

sorb

ent,

non-

toxi

c, s

moo

than

d fr

ee fr

om p

ittin

g. A

re th

ey u

naffe

cted

by

food

, equ

ipm

ent,

c hem

ical

s,lu

bric

ants

? C

oatin

gs a

nd p

aint

s sh

ould

be

appr

oved

.

Equ

ipm

ent i

nsta

llatio

nM

ake

sure

ther

e is

ade

quat

e sp

ace,

pro

per

vent

ilatio

n. N

o du

al u

se, e

quip

men

tsh

ould

not

be

shar

ed b

etw

een

edib

le a

nd in

edib

le s

ubst

ance

s.

Equ

ipm

ent c

alib

ratio

nL

ist f

ood

safe

ty r

elat

ed e

quip

men

t and

mon

itori

ng d

evic

es, p

roto

cols

and

calib

ratio

n m

etho

ds, f

requ

ency

, per

son

mon

itori

ng, v

erifi

catio

n, c

orre

ctiv

eac

tions

, rec

ord

keep

ing,

rea

gent

con

trol

s.

Prev

enta

tive

mai

nten

ance

Do

you

have

a w

ritte

n pr

ogra

m fo

r sa

fety

rel

ated

equ

ipm

ent t

hat s

peci

fies

serv

icin

g, fr

eque

ncy,

res

pons

ible

per

son,

mon

itori

ng, v

erifi

catio

n an

d re

cord

keep

ing?

Sect

ion

3Eq

uipm

ent

perf

orm

ance

and

mai

nten

ance

pro

gram

s

Prer

equi

site

Pro

gram

Eva

luat

ion

N/A

OK

Nee

dsW

ork

Yike

s!

Prer

equi

site

Pro

gam

Ite

ms

Ada

pted

from

“D

airy

Pro

duct

Saf

ety

Syst

em”

publ

ishe

d by

the

Inte

rnat

iona

l Dai

ry F

oods

Ass

ocia

tion

Eval

uati

on

Co

mm

ents

Prog

ram

Prog

ram

nee

ds id

entif

ied,

pro

gram

impl

emen

ted

and

veri

fied

effe

ctiv

e

Man

ufac

turi

ng c

ontr

ols

Eve

ry fo

od h

andl

er is

trai

ned

and

unde

rsta

nds

resp

onsi

bilit

y fo

r m

onito

ring

criti

cal e

lem

ents

and

taki

ng a

ctio

n.

Hyg

ieni

c pr

actic

esO

ngoi

ng tr

aini

ng th

at c

over

s pe

rson

al h

ygie

ne a

nd h

ygie

nic

food

han

dlin

g. N

ofo

od h

andl

ing

by p

erso

nnel

with

com

mun

icab

le d

isea

ses,

ope

n w

ound

s, u

nsan

i-ta

ry c

loth

ing,

exp

osed

jew

elry

, unc

over

ed h

air.

Was

h yo

ur h

ands

bef

ore

ente

ring

prod

uctio

n ar

ea. F

ood

and

toba

cco

used

onl

y in

app

ropr

iate

are

as. F

oot a

nd h

and

dips

whe

n re

quir

ed.

Con

trol

led

acce

ssV

isito

r an

d pe

rson

nel t

raffi

c co

ntro

l

Sect

ion

4Pe

rson

nel T

rain

ing

Prog

ram

Prer

equi

site

Pro

gram

Eva

luat

ion

N/A

OK

Nee

dsW

ork

Yike

s!

Prer

equi

site

Pro

gam

Ite

ms

Ada

pted

from

“D

airy

Pro

duct

Saf

ety

Syst

em”

publ

ishe

d by

the

Inte

rnat

iona

l Dai

ry F

oods

Ass

ocia

tion

Eval

uati

on

Co

mm

ents

Prog

ram

You

will

nee

d a

wri

tten

prog

ram

that

cov

ers

all e

quip

men

t, ut

ensi

ls a

nd th

ew

ork

envi

ronm

ent;

wal

ls, f

loor

s, c

eilin

gs, o

verh

ead

stru

ctur

es, d

oors

, etc

.E

quip

men

t sho

uld

be c

lean

ed a

t lea

st d

aily

and

maj

or e

quip

men

t sho

uld

bedi

sass

embl

ed.

Sani

tatio

n pr

ogra

m a

dequ

acy

You

need

an

appr

oved

pro

gram

that

spe

cifie

s th

e pe

rson

res

pons

ible

, the

chem

ical

s yo

u us

e, fr

eque

ncy

and

type

of p

roce

dure

.

Sani

tatio

n pr

ogra

m a

dher

ence

Rec

ord

sani

tatio

n m

onito

ring

, eva

luat

e ef

fect

iven

ess

and

reco

rd d

evia

tions

and

corr

ectiv

e ac

tion

take

n.

Pest

con

trol

pro

gram

ade

quac

yW

ritte

n pr

ogra

m s

peci

fyin

g pe

rson

res

pons

ible

, lis

t of c

hem

ical

and

met

hods

,fr

eque

ncy

of m

onito

ring

and

pes

t sur

vey

and

cont

rol r

epor

ts.

Pest

con

trol

adh

eren

ceM

onito

r an

d re

cord

adh

eren

ce to

wri

tten

prog

ram

. Ver

ify a

nd r

ecor

d ef

fect

ive-

ness

, res

ults

and

act

ion

take

n.

Sect

ion

5Sa

nita

tion

pro

gram

Prer

equi

site

Pro

gram

Eva

luat

ion

N/A

OK

Nee

dsW

ork

Yike

s!

Prer

equi

site

Pro

gam

Ite

ms

Ada

pted

from

“D

airy

Pro

duct

Saf

ety

Syst

em”

publ

ishe

d by

the

Inte

rnat

iona

l Dai

ry F

oods

Ass

ocia

tion

Eval

uati

on

Co

mm

ents

Wri

tten

reca

ll in

clud

es:

1. P

rodu

ct c

odin

g sy

stem

2. D

istr

ibut

ion

reco

rds

for

peri

od e

xcee

ding

she

lf lif

e

3. H

ealth

and

saf

ety

com

plai

nt fi

les

4. R

oles

and

res

pons

ibili

ties

of r

ecal

l tea

m

5. S

tep

by s

tep

proc

edur

es to

follo

w th

at d

escr

ibe

the

exte

nt o

f rec

all

6. L

ist h

ow y

ou w

ill c

onta

ct th

e af

fect

ed c

usto

mer

s

7. C

ontr

ol m

easu

res

for

retu

rned

pro

duct

8. H

ow w

ill y

ou a

sses

s th

e pr

ogre

ss a

nd e

ffica

cy o

f the

rec

all?

Rec

all i

nitia

tion

(Min

imum

info

rmat

ion

need

ed fo

r re

gula

tory

age

ncie

s)1.

Rea

son

for

reca

ll2.

Rec

alle

d pr

oduc

t ide

ntifi

catio

n3.

Qua

ntiti

es d

istr

ibut

ed a

nd r

emai

ning

4. A

reas

of d

istr

ibut

ion

5. I

nfor

mat

ion

abou

t any

oth

er a

ffect

ed p

rodu

ct

Sect

ion

6R

ecal

l pro

gram