HACCP Validation & Verification of the HACCP Plan Procedure

Validate control capability before HACCP changes are introduced

Validation confirms that control measures described in the HACCP plan are capable of controlling significant hazards under expected operating conditions. The procedure requires validation to be completed before new or amended elements of the plan are introduced.

Evidence may be scientific, technical, operational or historical and must be appropriate to the products and processes managed at the site. The procedure recognises sources including scientific or technical literature, regulatory, industry or customer guidance, process-capability or historical-performance data, laboratory testing, pilot or challenge studies, evidence from equipment manufacturers or recognised experts, and modelling data supporting time, temperature or other hazard-control parameters.

Validation also takes account of variation in raw materials, product characteristics, equipment performance and processing conditions. The resulting activities and supporting evidence are documented as part of the HACCP records.

Verify that the HACCP system continues to operate as intended

Verification checks that the HACCP system is operating as intended and that control measures and monitoring activities remain effective. Planned frequencies are set with regard to product risk, historical performance and process complexity, and may be increased when new equipment, processes or control measures are introduced, recurring weaknesses are identified through trending, or new scientific information, hazards or emerging risks arise.

The procedure provides for verification through activities such as review of CCP monitoring records and exceeded-limit records, internal audits of HACCP and prerequisite-programme elements, review of calibration, maintenance or equipment-performance data, environmental-monitoring or product-testing results, trend analysis, deviations and non-conformances, corrective actions, withdrawals or recalls, regulatory notifications and relevant food-safety complaints.

Verification findings are reviewed by the HACCP Food Safety Team. Actions arising are documented and implemented, and verification results are recorded even where no further action is required.

Review the plan when operating conditions or hazard information change

The HACCP food safety plan and prerequisite programmes are formally reviewed at least annually and whenever changes may influence hazard identification or the effectiveness of control measures.

Review triggers can include changes to raw materials, specifications, suppliers, ingredients, formulations, product characteristics, processing conditions, cleaning or disinfection, equipment, process flow, layout, packaging, storage, distribution, consumer use or handling expectations, as well as new or emerging hazards, significant product-safety incidents and new scientific or technical information.

The review determines whether the HACCP plan remains valid or whether updates, revalidation or amendments are required. Review outputs are documented and incorporated into the HACCP food safety plan.

Allocate responsibility for evidence, coordination and action

Responsibility is distributed across senior management, Technical or Quality Management and the HACCP Food Safety Team. Senior management provides the resources needed for validation and verification, supports improvements arising from these activities and reviews HACCP system performance through site governance processes.

Technical or Quality Management coordinates validation and verification activities, ensures verification results are reviewed, communicated and acted upon, maintains the controlled documentation and supports the HACCP Food Safety Team. The HACCP Food Safety Team Leader leads the activities, ensures appropriate scientific, technical or operational evidence is used, reviews results and initiates HACCP-plan updates where necessary. Team members contribute operational and technical input within their areas of expertise.

Maintain evidence that supports HACCP decisions

The procedure requires records that show both the basis for validation and the outcome of continuing verification and review. These may include validation studies, reports and supporting evidence, verification records, internal audit reports, review summaries, CCP monitoring reviews, trend analyses and HACCP review meeting records with associated updates.

Personnel involved in validation and verification are trained for their responsibilities, including HACCP principles, relevant validation and verification methods, interpretation of monitoring, verification and testing data, and the associated record-keeping requirements.

A validation and verification procedure within the wider HACCP framework

Within the Food Industry Hub FSQMS Policies and Procedures Suite, this procedure connects the evidence used to validate HACCP controls with planned verification, formal HACCP review and controlled records. Its documented interfaces include the Food Safety Team, process flow, hazard identification and analysis, determination of CCPs, document control, internal auditing and corrective action.

For technical and quality teams, it provides a structured way to distinguish whether a control is capable of managing a significant hazard, whether the HACCP system is operating as intended, and whether changing conditions require the plan to be updated, revalidated or amended.