HACCP plan

Anyone have a HACCP plan for reduced oxygen packaging of cooked BBQ meats I could look at as an example? Thanks

for those interested, I am working on one. once I get it approved by the HD I can share it.

After 5 months or so of dealing with the process, we got our variance request approved through the State Dept of Health to be able to vacuum seal bbq meats. If anyone has any questions on the process or about our HACCP let me know.

One of the main things that took so long was just how the State handles these. Their process involves review by committees and all that. This can take up to like 75 days if they stay on schedule. Then if they have questions about your submitted plan, you resubmit updates and that adds on time. Thats on top of someone like me who has never written one of these before looking for examples, doing research and making it our own...

Here is the State's policy for Indiana:


(b) A request for a variance under this policy shall contain at least the following information:

1. name, mailing information, electronic mail address and telephone number of the individual submitting the request;
2. name and address of the person or organization seeking the variance;
3. a complete listing of food establishments for which the variance is sought, including physical locations, (if different than the mailing address in #2 above), mailing addresses, telephone numbers and name of the person most responsible for supervising the food establishments;
4. a statement of the proposed variance from the rule requirement citing relevant rule section numbers;
5. an explanation of how the potential public health hazards and/or nuisances will be alternatively addressed by the proposal including supporting studies from accredited laboratories, Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan, standard sanitation operating procedures, or other evidence. The explanation must be based on generally accepted scientific principles;
6. the request must demonstrate the following:

how the proposal differs from what is common and usual in similar industry situations;

how the proposal may be unique in dealing with a situation not addressed in existing rules or law;

how the proposal does not diminish the protection of public health;

if the proposal is based on new science and technology; and

how implementation of the variance would be practical.

7. an explanation as to how the request will assure that all provisions of the variance, if granted, will be enacted at each of the establishments for which a variance has been granted;
8. a list of all affected parties known by the requester; and
9. copies of any related variances, waivers, denials or opinions issued by other governmental agencies.

This is the food code spelling out the requirements to use reduced oxygen packaging. We had to spell out how we would address all of this in the HACCP.

410 IAC 7-24-195 Reduced oxygen packaging; criteria
Sec. 195. (a) Except for a food establishment that obtains a variance as specified under section 114 of this
rule, a retail food establishment that packages food using a reduced oxygen packaging method and
Clostridium botulinum is identified as a microbiological hazard in the final packaged form shall ensure that
there are at least two (2) barriers in place to control the growth and toxin formation of Clostridium
botulinum.
(b) A food establishment that packages food using a reduced oxygen packaging method and Clostridium
botulinum is identified as a microbiological hazard in the final packaged form shall have a HACCP plan that
contains the information specified under section 115(a)(4) of this rule and that does the following:
(1) Identifies the food to be packaged.
(2) Limits the food packaged to a food that does not support the growth of Clostridium botulinum
because it complies with one (1) or more of the following:
(A) Has an aw of 0.91 or less.
(B) Has a pH of 4.6 or less.
(C) Is a meat or poultry product cured at a food processing plant regulated by the United States
Department of Agriculture using substances specified in 9 CFR 424.21 and is received in an intact package.
(D) Is a food with a high level of competing organisms such as raw meat or raw poultry.
(3) Specifies methods for maintaining food at forty-one (41) degrees Fahrenheit or below.
(4) Describes how the packages shall be prominently and conspicuously labeled on the principal display
panel in bold type on a contrasting background with instructions to:
(A) maintain the food at forty-one (41) degrees Fahrenheit or below; and
(B) discard the food if within fourteen (14) calendar days of its packaging, it is not served for onpremises
consumption, consumed if served, or sold for off-premises consumption.
(5) Limits the refrigerated shelf life to not more than fourteen (14) calendar days from packaging to
consumption, except the time the product is maintained frozen, or the original manufacturer’s “sell by” or
“use by” date, whichever occurs first.
(6) Includes operational procedures that:
(A) prohibit contacting food with bare hands;
(B) identify a designated area and the method by which:
(i) physical barriers or methods of separation of raw foods and ready-to-eat foods minimize crosscontamination;
and
(ii) access to the processing equipment is limited to responsible, trained personnel familiar with the
potential hazards of the operation; and
(C) delineate cleaning and sanitization procedures for food-contact surfaces.
(7) Describes the training program that ensures that the individual responsible for the reduced oxygen
packaging operation understands the following:
(A) Concepts required for a safe operation.
(B) Equipment and facilities.
(C) Procedures specified under subdivision (6) and section 115(a)(4) of this rule.
(c) Except for fish that is frozen before, during, and after packaging, a food establishment may not package
fish using a reduced oxygen packaging method.
(d) For purposes of this section, a violation of subsection (a), (b), or (c) is a critical item.

The main things is spelling out in detail how you will deal with the critical control points. Mostly explaining how you are going to bag things at the proper temp and monitor those temps. how you are going to quickly cool it, and monitor the temps. Same with cold holding. Labeling and hold times are important. They were very specific about what our labels need to say.

We got approved to seal up our bbq meats while hot. Then quickly cool. We can keep 7 days when kept under 41deg and 30 days if frozen. We have to get a data logging thermometer for the fridge. We have to keep a cooling log, fridge temp log, freezer temp log.

For each critical control point you need to describe the hazard, critical limits, monitoring (what, how, frequency, who), corrective action procedures, verification activities, and record keeping procedures. You have to spell out your procedures from receiving through serving.

You also have to have your sanitation SOPs written out. You have to spell out how you will train employees.

It was a lot of work and I really don't know if the local HD is going to give a crap because half the people I asked about this locally at the HD didn't know jack about the process.

Flyin Pig said:

Wow, seems like you've done a lot of work. I'd be very interested in seeing the plan when and if you're ready to share.

Click to expand...

let me get it implemented in the restaurant and I can share once any issues are figured out. We are swamped with other stuff so we haven't had a chance to set it all up yet.