HACCP does not start from scratch: it rests on prerequisite programmes (PRPs). These are the preventive practices and conditions, above all good hygiene practices (GHP), together with training and traceability, that create the basic conditions for applying HACCP (Notice 2022/C 355/01, section 3).
The food safety management system is just that: the prerequisites plus the control measures at critical points, where there are any.
The good practices the Commission gives as examples
- Premises and equipment; cleaning and disinfection; pest control, with prevention first.
- Raw materials: supplier selection and specifications.
- Technical maintenance and calibration.
- Allergens; waste management; water and air control.
- Staff (hygiene and health); temperature control; working methods; food safety culture.
Why they matter to the supervisor
Many hazard control measures are already good practices, because they stop contamination coming from staff, pests, water or maintenance. Others are tied to a specific process, such as cooking or cooling, and those are the ones that can become critical control points (Annex II, section 5.2). Good practices are documented too, in a GHP plan that can be part of the HACCP plan.