Validation and verification (principle 6)
- Validating means gathering evidence that a control measure, properly applied, really controls the hazard: studies, your own trials, official guides. It is done at the start and whenever something changes: raw materials, equipment, packaging, the way the food is eaten or a new hazard (Notice 2022/C 355/01, Annex II, section 10).
- Verifying means checking regularly that the system works: sample testing, internal audits of procedures and records, observing how work is done and confirming that monitoring takes place.
Documents and records (principle 7)
- They are kept in line with the nature and size of the business (Regulation 852/2004, Article 5(2)(g)).
- The plan contains the hazard analysis, the CCPs and their limits, monitoring, the planned corrections and the record templates. The records hold what was monitored, the deviations and what was done.
- They are kept long enough to trace a food if there is an alert and for official controls (section 11).
- In a small business the system can be simple and use what already exists: delivery notes or a checklist. Records are necessary, but they are not the goal in themselves.
Control samples
Care homes, day centres, school canteens, nurseries, hospitals, staff canteens, transport catering, event companies and orders for more than 40 people keep a control sample (comida testigo) of each dish of the day. It is a portion of at least 100 g, labelled and dated, chilled at 4 °C or below or frozen at −18 °C or below, for at least seven days (Royal Decree 1086/2020, Article 30.8 to 30.10).
Source: Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs (consolidated text), Article 5(2)(f) and (g) and 5(4) · Commission Notice 2022/C 355/01 on food safety management systems (good hygiene practices and procedures based on the HACCP principles), Annex II, sections 10 and 11 · Real Decreto 1086/2020, flexibility in food hygiene and prepared meals (consolidated text, in Spanish), Article 30.8 to 30.10