HACCP Certification | HACCP Process & Preventive Control Plan Compliance

Monitoring and detecting food safety-related problems throughout the entire food safety process! We also identify hazards and set up preventive control plans (PCP) to prevent food safety hazards, gain customer confidence, and achieve more rigorous quality control. Every business needs a preventive control plan that helps you meet industry regulations while keeping your business in compliance. 

If you work in the food industry, you know how important it is to ensure the safety of your products. One way to do this is by obtaining a HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) certificate. This certification can provide numerous benefits for your business, including improved food safety, increased customer confidence, and compliance with regulatory requirements.  Check out our deep dive into the HACCP Process for more information.

What is HACCP Certification?

HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points. It is a process designed to assure food safety, prevent problems, increase food safety standards, ensure you comply with the law, and organize your process to produce safe food. A HACCP plan consists of 7 principles, including:

  • Hazard Analysis
  • Identifying Critical Control Points (CCP)
  • Establishing Critical Limits
  • Observing And Tracking Procedures
  • Corrective Actions
  • Verification Protocols
  • Documentation & Record Keeping

These principles may seem obvious but implementing and maintaining them through a food organization is a significant undertaking and, in some cases, an organizational cultural shift (possibly a transformational change) that starts from the management level who needs to integrate the HACCP plan into the organization.

haccp licence plan Canada
PCP HACCP Certification USA Canada

What is a Preventive Control Plan (PCP)?

An effective preventive control plan is essential for businesses to remain compliant with industry regulations. Learn the steps you need to take to properly construct a plan, from developing your objectives and identifying potential hazards to implementing effective controls and devising methods of tracking results.

PCP stands for Preventive Control Plan, which is similar in some respects to a HACCP program. But PCP focuses more on written documentation and traceability aspects to identify and control risk to food and food animals. According to CFIA, a PCP allows you to:

  • identify and describe the biological, chemical, and physical hazards associated with food
  • document how you intend to control hazards
  • provide information you can use to develop your plan
  • demonstrate through records that you have implemented in your plan

Preventive Controls must be in place as part of the Safe Food For Canadians Regulations (SFCR). To determine if a HACCP or PCP program is right for your organization and how we can implement one of these programs to fit your food-related activities, feel free to contact us.

How to obtain your HACCP Certificate and develop your PCP plan?

Whether you need to comply with the Canadian Preventive Control requirements or seek GFSI certification, you will need HACCP. Our experts will help you get your food manufacturing or food warehouse business HACCP certified by developing a comprehensive HACCP Plan and implementing your food safety system to pass a certification audit.  Moreover, we ensure your Preventive Control Plan (PCP) stays compliant with the SFCR.

What are the HACCP & PCP Certification Requirements?

HACCP and PCP require organizations (food manufacturers, food transporters, food importers, food storage facilities, and food caterers) to be compliant with certain standards and processes in their system for HACCP certification. Since HACCP is food safety and quality management system, any firm that is working in the industry must apply for HACCP certification. For the successful accreditation of the certificate, they need to complete HACCP audits.  Ready to learn the benefits of having a Preventive Control Plan and how to maintain it?

haccp plan licence canada certification
Process Improvements

HACCP certification helps in improving processes and reducing customer complaints.

Better Understanding

The certification allows a better understanding of issues related to food packaging throughout the organization.

Global Standards

You’ll follow an auditable, clear, global standard to bring together all parts of your Food Safety Management System.

Reduction of Product Recall

Proper implementation of HACCP and PPC setup will reduce product recall, product withdrawal, re-process of food, non-compliance issues, and non-conformances.

How we can help you!

Before a HACCP plan is implemented, we create a preliminary list of tasks so the HACCP program is robust and the 7 principles are integrated smoothly. Also, we ensure your food safety documentation is in compliance with food safety regulations in Canada to achieve HACCP certification.

Food Safety Plan Development

Get assistance in developing your Food Safety Plan according to Canadian food safety regulations.

Food Safety Documentation

We make sure your food safety documentation is in place and you successfully import or manufacture food in the Canadian marketplace.

Employee Training

Our experts will train your employees to understand their food safety responsibilities so that you can prevent any non-compliance issues.

Certification Audit Preparation

Our experts will carefully review your program and prepare you for the certification audit to avoid rejection of your application for the certification.

Solutions for your HACCP Certification and PCP Setup needs

We give turnkey solutions for the number of HACCP and PCP programs you will develop and validate based on the complexity of your processes and the products you manufacture.

Food Manufacturing or Holding Process

We outline your food manufacturing or holding process by using a flow diagram that includes all inputs, such as raw materials, ingredients, processing aids. We also identify manual steps and automates steps in your process.

Submission of Process Documentation

We’re adept in 7 principles and FSEP templates to create your written plan and submit process documentation. We will also complete the entire hazard analysis on processing aids, materials, ingredients, packaging and process steps.

Physical Hazards Determination

Chemical, biological and physical hazards are determined using CFIA templates by our HACCP and PCP professionals who will also monitor and identity verification and develop record-keeping procedures.

Receive HACCP Compliant Plan

We will strive to deliver your plan review soon to avoid any delays and enable you to achieve HACCP certifications and set up Preventive Control Plan (PCP) efficiently without any hindrance. Get in touch for more information.

What is HACCP and why is it important?

HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points, and it is a systematic approach to identifying and controlling potential hazards in the food production process. This includes identifying potential hazards, implementing controls to prevent those hazards from occurring, and monitoring the effectiveness of those controls. HACCP is important because it helps to ensure the safety of food products, which is essential for protecting public health and maintaining consumer confidence. It also helps businesses to comply with regulatory requirements and can improve their overall efficiency and profitability.

How does HACCP certification benefit your business?

Having a HACCP certification can benefit your business in several ways. Firstly, it demonstrates to customers and regulatory bodies that you take food safety seriously and have implemented effective controls to ensure the safety of your products. This can help to build trust and confidence in your brand, which can lead to increased sales and customer loyalty. Additionally, HACCP certification can help to reduce the risk of foodborne illness outbreaks, which can be costly in terms of legal fees, product recalls, and damage to your reputation. Finally, implementing HACCP can help to improve your overall efficiency and profitability by reducing waste, improving product quality, and minimizing the risk of production delays or shutdowns.

What are the steps to obtaining an HACCP certificate?

The steps to obtaining an HACCP certificate can vary depending on the certification body you choose to work with. However, in general, the process involves conducting a hazard analysis of your food production process, identifying critical control points, establishing critical limits, implementing monitoring procedures, and developing corrective actions in the event of a deviation from the critical limits. You will also need to establish a record-keeping system and undergo regular audits to maintain your certification. It’s important to work with a reputable certification body and to ensure that your HACCP plan is tailored to your specific food production process.

HACCP Consultation
HACCP Consultation

How does HACCP certification improve food safety?

HACCP certification improves food safety by ensuring that your food production process is thoroughly analyzed for potential hazards and that critical control points are identified and monitored. This helps to prevent contamination and other food safety issues before they occur. By implementing a HACCP plan and obtaining certification, you demonstrate to customers and regulatory agencies that you are committed to producing safe and high-quality food products. This can improve your business reputation and increase customer trust and loyalty.

What are the potential consequences of not having HACCP certification?

Not having HACCP certification can lead to serious consequences for your business. Without a thorough analysis of potential hazards and critical control points, your food products may be at risk for contamination and other safety issues. This can lead to foodborne illness outbreaks, product recalls, and damage to your business reputation. In addition, regulatory agencies may impose fines or even shut down your business if you are found to be in violation of food safety regulations. Obtaining HACCP certification is essential for ensuring the safety of your food products and protecting your business.

Frequently Asked Questions - HACCP & PCP PLAN

HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points. It is a process designed to assure food safety, prevent problems, increase food safety standards, ensure you comply with the law, and organize your process to produce safe food. A HACCP plan consists of 7 principles, including:

  • Hazard Analysis
  • Identifying Critical Control Points (CCP)
  • Establishing Critical Limits
  • Observing And Tracking Procedures
  • Corrective Actions
  • Verification Protocols
  • Documentation & Record Keeping

These principles may seem obvious but implementing and maintaining them through a food organization is a significant undertaking and, in some cases, an organizational cultural shift (possibly a transformational change) that starts from the management level who needs to integrate the HACCP plan into the organization.

PCP stands for Preventive Control Plan, which is similar in some respects to a HACCP program. But PCP focuses more on written documentation and traceability aspects to identify and control risk to food and food animals. According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), a PCP allows you to:

  • identify and describe the biological, chemical, and physical hazards associated with food
  • document how you intend to control hazards
  • provide information you can use to develop your plan
  • demonstrate through records that you have implemented in your plan

Preventive Controls must be in place as part of the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR). To determine if a HACCP or PCP program is right for your organization and how we can implement one of these programs to fit your food-related activities, feel free to contact us.

HACCP and PCP require organizations (food manufacturers, food transporters, food importers, food storage facilities, and food caterers) to be compliant with certain standards and processes in their system for HACCP certification. Since HACCP is a food safety and quality management system, any firm that is working in the industry must apply for HACCP certification. For the successful accreditation of the certificate, they need to complete HACCP audits.

Process Improvements- HACCP certification helps in improving processes and reducing customer complaints.

Better Understanding- The certification allows a better understanding of issues related to food packaging throughout the organization.

Global Standards- You’ll follow an auditable, clear, global standard to bring together all parts of your Food Safety Management System.

Reduction of Product Recall- Proper implementation of HACCP and PPC setup will reduce product recall, product withdrawal, re-process of food, non-compliance issues, and non-conformances.

Whether you need to comply with the Canadian Preventive Control Plan (PCP) requirements or seek Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI)certification, you will need HACCP. Our experts will help you get your food manufacturing or food warehousing business HACCP-certified by developing a comprehensive HACCP plan and implementing your food safety system to pass a certification audit.  Moreover, we ensure your Preventive Control Plan (PCP) stays compliant with the SFCR.

  1. Chemical hazards
  2. Allergens
  3. Microbiological hazards like yeasts, viruses, or molds
  4. Physical hazards

A critical control point is defined as a step at which control can be applied and is essential to prevent or eliminate a food safety hazard or reduce it to an acceptable level. The potential hazards that are reasonably likely to cause illness or injury in the absence of their control must be addressed in determining critical control points.

The Food Safety Enhancement Program (FSEP) is one example of a type of preventive control plan (PCP). FSEP is based on the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) principles and, for many years, this program has been implemented by meat, dairy, processed fruits and vegetables, shell eggs, processed eggs, honey and maple food operators as well as hatcheries. FSEP specifies the requirements for an effective HACCP system to ensure food is prepared under sanitary conditions and is safe to eat.

Prerequisite programs are steps or procedures, including GMPs and SSOPs, which control the operational conditions within a food establishment and promote environmental conditions that are favorable for the production of safe food. Prerequisite programs are the foundation of a Food Safety/HCCP system.

The records also need to include information about the HACCP plan. Record should include information on the HACCP Team, product description, flow diagrams, the hazard analysis, the CCP’s identified, Critical Limits, Monitoring System, Corrective Actions, Recordkeeping Procedures, and Verification Procedures.

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