What’s the difference between good sanitation practices and a formal HACCP program?

A-Good sanitation practices are only one consideration of a formal HACCP-based food safety program. Other considerations include how temperatures are monitored and controlled, the suitability of the equipment you are using, how your employees are trained and how they carry out their tasks, how the food products are loaded and unloaded during transportation, what happens to them in between, and what product recall procedures are in place, etc. You must also ensure you are following the applicable Canadian regulations and Codes of Practice that apply to the food products you are manufacturing or transporting. And of course, all this requires proper record keeping. These issues and many others are taken into consideration with Kasar’s HACCP-based food safety programs.

I know my supplier has a HACCP program but how can I tell if they are actually following it?

A – Suppliers can undergo a 3rd party audit of their food safety practices and procedures to become independently recognized as HACCP compliant. Successful suppliers will be able to display a HACCP-compliant certificate in their place of business. Suppliers should be subject to these audits annually, and be required to remove the certificate if they decide not to maintain the program. For example, on our website Kasar maintains a mandatory listing of all HACCP-compliant clients and the expiry date of their certificates.

Does any generic HACCP program meet the standards required by my customers?

A. Not necessarily. More and more food companies require product specific HACCP plans. Because of the growing concern for food safety in industry, many national associations are developing HACCP standards compatible with the products they represent. Check with your industry association for the latest developments.

Who will pay for implementing a HACCP program?

A – Unless otherwise agreed to with the customer, the supplier typically incurs the cost of developing, implementing and maintaining a HACCP program. Many suppliers see this as a “cost of doing business” and are confident they can recover their investment by doing more business with their existing customers or by winning new contracts. Others recover their investments through savings from reduced claims and product destructions.

What does it costs to put in a program?

A -Costs are dependent on a number of factors including the size of the company, the number and complexity of the food products they represent, the existence of staff expertise or capacity to develop and implement a program, etc. Generally the costs range from a low of $4,000-$5,000 to a high of $100,000+.

Who is ensuring suppliers adhere to various regulations or codes of practice? How is it being enforced?

Regulations are mandated by the provincial and federal governments. Failure to adhere to them could result in fines and other legal actions. Codes of Practice are developed by national agencies or associations such as the Dairy Council, the Canadian Produce Marketing Agency, etc. Processors who deal with products that impact regulations often require their suppliers to also follow these regulations. Many processors are using independent third party auditors to verify the practices of their suppliers.

How many consulting companies are available to help develop a HACCP based food safety program for my business?

A- There are a number of reputable consulting firms available to help those in the food industry develop and implement HACCP plans. Make sure the one you choose understands your particular industry. Also make sure that you don’t end up with a generic HACCP plan that does not consider the unique features of your company or the applicable Canadian regulations that apply to the products you handle.

What are Kasar’s credentials?

A- Kasar has been developing and implementing food safety programs for leading Canadian companies since 1998. We have the ability to design practical, cost effective programs that are based on international HACCP standards. Kasar helps businesses from coast to coast solve their food safety issues.

Kasar developed the Trucking Food Safety Program for the Canadian Trucking Alliance and is the exclusive national distributor for this program. Kasar was also the first Canadian owned professional services firm to develop a national HACCP program for distribution centres. This program is now being used in 29 food warehouses across Canada. We provide services to food and beverage processors, distributors, packaging manufacturers and transportation companies. For a list of some of our recent clients, click here.

Kasar has specialists in such accredited programs as Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO), the United Sates Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) National Seafood HACCP Alliance, the International Meat and Poultry HACCP Alliance and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) Food Safety Enhancement Program, as well as ISO9000, ISO9001 and ISO14002.