On a federal level, HACCP plans are currently required for seafood, juice, meat and poultry processing facilities. On the local level, many states and counties are starting to require approved HACCP plans for restaurants, too. When opening a new restaurant, you will want to check with your local health department to see if a HACCP plan is required.
If a HACCP plan is required for your establishment, it will have to include the following components, as outlined in the FDA Food Code:
- Categorized list of potentially hazardous menu items. All menu items must be categorized into similar food types. For example, all meat items will be grouped together on the list.
- Flow diagram for the categorized foods. Each food category must have its own flow chart that shows how food is handled once it enters your facility, from the time of receipt until it is served to the customer. At each step in the storage, handling and preparation process, you will have to identify critical control points.
- Employee and supervisor training plan. You will have to submit a plan that describes how you will train your managers and kitchen staff about your new HACCP procedures.
- Statement of standard operating procedures. The standard operating procedures for a HACCP plan are the aforementioned “Seven Steps of a HACCP Plan” that have been tailored to control all of the products in your establishment.
- Additional information as required. Your health department may require that additional scientific or procedural information be included in the HACCP plan to prove that your restaurant will not compromise food safety.
The first place you will want to go when developing a HACCP plan is your local health department. The health department will be able to tell you whether a plan is required for your restaurant, and health officials will work with you when developing your plan.
If your restaurant needs HACCP menu preparation and would like to have a HACCP menu prepared for your business call, (301) 580-4798 or visit www.foodservicepermits.com