The BRC food safety standard is related to the presence of food borne hazards in food at the point of consumption. As the introduction of food safety hazards can occur at any stage of the food chain, adequate control throughout the food chain is essential. Thus, food safety is ensured through the combined efforts of all personnel.
Food safety standards are a generic BRC document and it does not specify "how" to do, but only states "what" to do. As per the standard, the food safety system should be documented and be demonstrable in the manner consistent with the requirements of BRC GLOBAL STANDARD models. The total demonstration in the Food safety management System consists of following.
- Interactive communication
- System management
- Prerequisite programmes
- HACCP principle
- Food safety manual
- Procedures
- Exhibits / HACCP Plan / Hazard analysis
- Work Instruction/Operating Procedure Manual
- Forms, Records
The amount of documentation should support and efficient quality assurance system without creating a paper bureaucracy. The details for documenting above four tiers of documents are described in this paper. The total documentation needed for BRC global standard for food safety comprises of four tiers as shown above.
Need for Document Control: -
The Food safety management system consists of a number of documents. Some system should be provided for safe keeping of complex records. It is important to clearly define as to where they should be kept and for how long, and who is responsible for them. Each written procedure should be checked and signed by an authorised person, with issue number and issue date. The Food safety team leader should have a list of all completed procedures, applicable to the individual departmental activities. Against each listed document the number should be shown together with the date of the latest change. It is also called a "Master Copy". It is a yardstick against which any other controlled copy can be judged.
From time to time the Committee for Management Review and Corrective Action may put forward recommendations for change in the procedure. The Food safety team leader should be responsible for implementing the change. For making a change, the new page should be circulated to the keeper of the controlled copy of the document with an instruction to insert the new page in order and return the replaced page to the Food safety team leader. Thus outdated documents will be removed from circulation. The staff should know the change, which has been made, and everyone should implement the new procedure.
Formation of A Safety Team for Documentation and HAZARD Analysis Under BRC : -
A safety team in a company should be appointed for Hazard analysis huge documentation of system to complete the work in targeted time with the help of different committees as per details given below.
Steering Committee:-
The Steering Committee should consist of person from top management and a "food Safety Team Leader", who should preferably be "Quality Assurance Manager". The top management person will be responsible in formulating "Food Safety policy", management reviews, contract reviews, defining responsibilities, provide adequate resources for implementation etc.
The "Food Safety Team Leader" is responsible for making Documents by giving management intention to achieve Food Safety with reference to different clauses of BRC food standard and document macro level system. He is also responsible for documenting general procedure applicable to all and ensuring effective distribution of the food safety policy, distribution of controlled copies and the amendments in those copies (document control), resolving all food safety matters arising within a company, with customers, vendors and the certifying authority.
Food safety team: -
It should consist of the departmental heads and food safety team leader. They will be responsible for hazard analysis. Based on that food safety team has also responsible for hazard assessment. The team must be responsible for approval of various documents and flow diagrams.
