Fish Products and Byproducts Technology

Unit 13 - Diversified fish products/ value addition

13.4.4. Corrective action, verification and documentation
Corrective Action:
If monitoring indicates that there are deviations from the critical limits or that the process is out of control, corrective actions must be taken immediately. The corrective actions must be based on the assessment of hazards, risk and severity, and on the final use of the product. A plan should have been prepared in advance so that there will be no delay in taking corrective action. The team should prepare this plan specifying the corrective action, identify the persons to implement them and disposition actions needed to be taken with the food that has been produced during the ‘out of control’ period.

Verification:
Once the HACCP system has been drawn up for a product/ process it must be reviewed before it is installed and regularly reviewed while it is in operation. The appropriateness of the CCPs and control criteria can be determined and the extent and effectiveness of monitoring can be verified. The team should describe in detail the methods and procedures to be used to verify the system. Some of the methods that can be used in verification are

• Reviewing the HACCP study and its records
• Random sampling and analysis (microbiological)
• Detailed tests at selected CCPs
• Survey of conditions during storage, distribution, sale and use of products
• Interviewing staff

Documentation:
Proper records should be maintained on all actions in the HACCP system in order that origin, cause and point of occurrence of the hazard can be traced. Records should be maintained on the following aspects

• HACCP plan and supporting documentation
• Monitoring CCPs
• Records of corrective actions
• Records of verification activities and modifications
• Nature, coding and disposition of the product