Your Farm’s Name
Address
City, Hawaii Zip
Good Manufacturing Practices
Food Safety Plan
Prepared Month, Day Year
Approved month, day, year by name, title
This food safety plan is based upon the United Fresh Produce Association Harmonized
Post-harvest Standards and the FDA Proposed Preventive Controls Rule.
It is oriented to Hawaii producers.
This manual is to be used for produce crops other than nuts that are frequently consumed raw. These crops include above ground crops such as tree fruits and tomatoes, ground crops such as cabbages and lettuce, and below ground (root) crops such as carrots and radishes. Crops grown at or below ground are more subject to contamination so greater care must be taken during processing.
Text appearing in red gives directions or provides information. The red text should not be present in your manual. The black text is what should be present in your manual. Remember that you will probably need to change the black text in some cases to fit your specific operation.
1. General Requirements
1.1. Management Responsibility
Food Safety Policy: Facility Name is committed to producing safe products through good manufacturing and good handling practices that focus on food safety and quality. We strive to prevent microbial contamination and we communicate this policy to our workers during training sessions and continually reinforce it during processing activities.
To further promote food safety, we label our product containers and place on the product shipping document the following wording: “It is recommended that this product be washed prior to consumption”. This text may not be appropriate for some commodities.
Disciplinary Policy: If a worker does not follow acceptable sanitary practices, he/she is verbally corrected and retrained if needed. If we see repeated lapses in good sanitary and hygienic practices from any farm worker we will move them to a part of the operation that does not involve handling the produce or they will be dismissed.
Food Safety Program Responsibility: The program described within this Food Safety Plan is the responsibility of Facility Owner Name who acts as the Food Safety Officer. He or she can be contacted at address, telephone number, email address. If this person is not available, contact Alternate Person at address, telephone number, email address.
1.1.
Facility Name processes the crops listed below. Describe to whom you sell your crops (distributer, restaurant, farmers market, etc.) and how you transport them. Describe who works in the facility and if you hire any workers. Describe what work is performed by all workers (including family members, free labor, paid labor). State what animals (if any; include pets) you have on the property, how many and where they are located. For example, do you have goats, sheep, cows or similar? Are they in a location adjacent to the facility?
Crops Processed.
Crop Approximate Yearly Volume (this information is optional)
Name Pounds or Tons
Name Pounds or Tons
1.2. The Food Safety Plan
This food safety plan identifies all products and the materials used to process them. The plan describes anticipated physical, chemical, biological and radiological hazards, and procedures for controlling them, including monitoring, verification and recordkeeping. Areas of concern include water, chemicals, cleaning and sanitation, processing environment, security and worker practices. Our plan includes policies and preventive procedures regarding how we keep our products safe, and records that show we are following our plan. This food safety plan is reviewed and revised, if necessary, at least once every year.
1.
1.1.
1.2.
1.3. Raw Materials
Materials and services are sourced from suppliers who are approved and subsequently monitored. Supplier materials and/or services specifications are utilized to develop initial approval requirements, and post approval monitoring requirements. An emergency approval system exists for addressing situations wherein materials and/or services are in short supply. An approved supplier list is maintained on file.
Written specifications are provided to the supplier. The supplier provides written documentation verifying that the raw material meets the specifications (Letter of Guarantee, Certificate of Analysis or similar). The supplier is placed on the approved supplier list if they can supply at least three consecutive loads that meet inspection criteria. Each shipment of raw material is inspected and if a load fails the inspection, the load is rejected and the supplier is notified that further non-compliance will result in removal from the approved supplier list. In the event that approved suppliers cannot supply the needed materials, an emergency supplier is used. The emergency supplier must submit a Letter of Guarantee or similar documents showing that the material meets specifications. Emergency suppliers are not added to the approved supplier list until they have shown that they can consistently meet specifications (three consecutive loads).
The food products processed may be consumed by the general public. However, persons having known food allergies to the listed products should avoid consumption.
1.3.
1.4. Documentation and Record Keeping
If your operation is classed as a “qualified facility” (fewer requirements), you still must submit certain documents to the FDA under the Proposed Preventive Controls Rule (section 117.201) when the rule becomes final in the future.
Written records of all food safety activities are maintained on file. Our records include this plan, maps, and forms. We keep all of our current records in binders (state other place if used; may be kept directly in a file cabinet) which are kept state where they are located. Previous records are filed in a cabinet so they are available for inspection. Our records begin in insert date, the first year we initiated our food safety plan. Records are reviewed and verified by the Food Safety Officer on at least a weekly cycle. Records related to food safety are kept for at least two years.
1.5. Worker Education and Training
All workers receive training at hire and routinely thereafter. Training information is provided by various universities such as University of Hawaii, University of California, Cornell University and Penn State University. Training may also be provided by industry groups and qualified individuals. Topics include, but are not limited to, food safety policies and procedures, personal health and hygiene, health condition symptoms, product contamination and job-specific functions. Training is provided by insert name of qualified training person. Visitors and contractors must adhere to the same standards as employees.
Training activities are recorded on the training record and kept for at least two years.
1.6. Traceability
Each product container is labeled with the following information.
Farm name and address
Tracing code (crop location, crop name and type, and harvest date)
You may also want to place a code that signifies the harvest crew involved with the crop. Insert the code you use here and describe each part of the code. For example, the code might be 2014-08-11 AH 01-03 HC1 in which 2014-08-11 is the harvest date AH is Avocado Haas, 01-03 is field 1 area 3, and HC1 is Harvest Crew 1. You can also use a “Julian Date” which is based upon the day of the year. For example, January 1 2014 would be 14001. December 31 2014 would be 14365.
When the product is sold, the invoice or other shipping document such as a Bill of Lading includes information on boxes shipped, to whom, the date of shipment, and the tracing code. If a product is comingled during or after harvest, the above label information for each crop is recorded for our files and also provided to the buyer. Copies of all invoices and other shipping documents are kept so that tracing can be performing adequately and efficiently.
At least once per year, a mock traceability/recall exercise is performed. This exercise tests our ability to determine how and where a certain product was grown, when it was harvested, how it was handled and to whom it was sold. Contact information for each customer is retained on file. The amount harvested must equal the amount sold to customers, minus any discarded product. The goal is to have this information ready for presentation within four hours.
1.7. Recall Program
The responsibility for conducting a recall is assigned to the Food Safety Officer, insert the name of the facility owner or other qualified employee assigned this duty. If a recall is determined to be needed, the Food Safety Officer or facility owner contacts the buyers of the affected products. The tracing codes of the products are provided and the buyer is requested to place the product on hold so it is not sold or further distributed. The affected product may be destroyed or returned to the farm, depending upon the circumstances of the recall. The Food Safety Officer also contacts the FDA, the State Department of Agriculture and initiates a press release. The Food Safety Officer may also need to contact the attorney for the processing operation.
1.8. Corrective Actions
If a food safety risk is discovered, corrective actions are taken to remedy the problem. We document the problem, what actions taken to correct it, the party responsible for correcting the problem, and what if any improvements in our practices were needed to prevent future problems. Situations are re-analyzed routinely to assure compliance.
1.9. Self-audits
An internal self-audit is completed at least annually. All aspects of the operations food safety plan are reviewed and we record any corrective actions that may have been needed. The United Fresh Produce Association Harmonized Good Agricultural Standards audit form (Post-harvest Operations) is utilized for this exercise.
1.4.
1.5.
1.6.
1.7.
1.8.
1.9.
1.10. Chemicals
All agricultural chemicals (pesticides, fertilizers, sanitizers, etc.) used on the farm comply with label directions and state and federal regulations. Chemicals are stored in locked locations in closed and properly labeled containers. Application locations, dates, and other necessary information are documented on the required record.
Agricultural chemicals are applied by trained and licensed (where required) application personnel. Water used with agricultural chemicals is consistent with our water system risk assessment and water management plan. The disposal of chemicals is conducted in accordance with federal, state and local regulations.
1.11. Water
Water used for product washing, food contact surface washing, hand washing, processing and for drinking is sourced and tested as described below. If you do not wash your product or use water in processing, omit those phrases. All water must have non-detectable levels of generic Escherichia coli (E. coli) per 100 ml test sample. Testing is performed by using commercially available testing kits (see Appendix A) that meet the requirements of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists or the American Public Health Association or the FDA Bacteriological Analytical Manual. Testing may also be performed by an appropriate state licensed laboratory (insert name of laboratory). In addition, water used for drinking must meet the other requirements as specified by the EPA and the Safe Drinking Water Act. Water used for drinking is tested by an appropriate state licensed laboratory (insert name of laboratory). You may need to purchase drinking water to meet this standard.
You now need to select the source of your water from the information below. If you have multiple sources of water, you will need to use the text for each water source. Change the black text as required to describe your situation.
If you use untreated water from surface source such as a stream, river or open reservoir, use the following text. Water that comes from the river and the reservoir on our property is untreated and is tested as above every seven days during the growing season.
If you use untreated water from a well and the water is stored in a reservoir that is protected from runoff, use the following text. Water that comes from our well is stored in our untreated reservoir (protected against runoff water). The water is tested as above monthly during the growing season.
If you use water from an untreated well, use the following text. Water from our untreated well is tested as above every three months during the growing season.
If you use water from a source on your property and you treat the water according to the FDA Proposed Produce Rule, use this text. Water from our insert source type is treated according to section 112.43 of the FDA Proposed Produce Rule. Describe your treatment process in detail here. Water treatment procedures are monitored routinely to ensure the water is safe for its intended use.
If you use water supplied by a municipal drinking water system, use this text. All water used on our operation is supplied by insert the name of the supplier which is a public drinking water supplier that meets the requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act regulations. A copy of the most recent published results as provided by the supplier is kept on file.
The water distribution system is designed to prevent cross-connections and is of sufficient capacity to handle peak operational flows. Backflow prevention devices are present, and are inspected yearly.
If you use water to wash your product and the water is NOT recirculated (single use water), use the following text. Product received in the processing facility is washed using single use water only. The water meets the specification of no detectable generic E. coli as described previously. Any water pooling on the floor areas is removed at least daily.
If you use water with a sanitizer to wash and sanitize your product and the water is NOT recirculated, use the following text. Product received in the processing facility is washed using single use water combined with the sanitizer insert sanitizer name. The sanitizer is maintained at the concentration of insert concentration rate. The concentration is monitored using insert test method. Note: Some methods use an ORP monitoring system. If you use that system, insert the appropriate information. The water meets the specification of no detectable generic E. coli as described previously. Any water pooling on the floor areas is removed at least daily.
If you use water to wash your crop and the water is recycled, you normally need to use a sanitizing agent to ensure the water is not a source of crop contamination. The water plus sanitizer also aids in sanitizing your crop. Use the following text. Product received in the processing facility is washed using recirculated water combined with the sanitizer insert sanitizer name. The sanitizer is maintained at the concentration of insert concentration rate. The concentration is monitored using insert test method. Note: Some methods use an ORP monitoring system. If you use that system, insert the appropriate information. The recirculated water is changed every insert time period. The water meets the specification of no detectable generic E. coli as described previously. Any water pooling on the floor areas is removed at least daily.