Generic HACCP plan for grains, oilseeds and pulses

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Introduction

The Canadian Grain Commission HACCP-based programs, CIPRS + HACCP and CGC HACCP require that grain companies develop and implement a food safety system that includes prerequisite programs and a HACCP plan based on this generic HACCP plan. This generic HACCP Plan was developed by technical committees comprised of industry, scientific, provincial and Canadian Grain Commission experts using the forms developed by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs for their Advantage Series of Food Safety Programs™.

It was designed to include the inputs and processes most common to the grain industry. The technical committees assessed the hazards associated with those inputs and processes, and determined how they can be controlled or prevented through a HACCP-based food safety system.

A complementary tool developed in collaboration with industry and government experts is a group of generic prerequisite programs made up of 17 Good Operating Practices (GOPs). These GOPs can be used by grain companies as a basis for developing their own prerequisite programs as part of their HACCP-based food safety system. It is not mandatory to use the GOPs, but CIPRS + HACCP and CGC HACCP do require that companies have prerequisite programs in place that meet the required outcomes of Annex 2 of the Canadian Grain Commission Food Safety and Identity Preserved Quality Management System Standard. Companies must develop their prerequisite programs prior to developing a HACCP plan.

Grain companies should use this generic HACCP Plan to by comparing it to their own operation and processes and apply only those aspects of it that are appropriate to their facility and, if necessary, adding inputs or processes. For example, a company may only process bulk grain and would therefore not receive bags as incoming material. As a result, they would not include bags on Form 2, would have no packaging in their Process Flow Diagram on Form 3, and would not include bags or packaging on Form 5. When each form is reviewed and changed to reflect each company's inputs and processes, the result is a HACCP Plan that is tailored to the facility.

The Canadian Grain Commission has established a Technical Expert Advisory Committee that reviews the generic HACCP Plan annually. This review assesses the need for changes to the generic HACCP plan and GOPs in light of scientific information on new or emerging potential grain safety hazards, information brought forward from audits and new industry processes. If the generic HACCP model is revised, companies with CIPRS + HACCP or CGC HACCP certification will be advised and will be responsible for implementing any changes that are applicable to their facility. The implementation of applicable changes will be verified at the company's next CIPRS + HACCP or CGC HACCP audit.

Guidance on how the HACCP forms are to be applied is included at the top of each form.

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