The document discusses implementing Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) systems in very small cheese businesses in Portugal. It describes challenges with HACCP implementation in small businesses due to lack of expertise and resources. The Agro 44 project aims to help very small dairies implement HACCP through training and demonstration units. The project developed good practices manuals and general HACCP plans for cheese production. It also provided guidance on keeping HACCP simple and focused on critical control points for small dairies.

1. Food Science and Food Biotechnology in Developing Countries – Durango, 20-23 June 2004
Implementation of HACCP in Very
Small Businesses
João Freire de Noronha
Escola Superior Agrária de Coimbra
Instituto Politécnico de Coimbra
Portugal
noronha@mail.esac.pt

2. Food Science and Food Biotechnology in Developing Countries – Durango, June 20-23, 2004
Backgorund - HACCP principles
 Conduct a Hazard Analysis
 Determine the Critical Control Points (CCPs)
 Establish Critical Limits
 Establish a system to monitor control of the CCP
 Establish the corrective action to be taken when
monitoring indicates that a particular CCP is not under
control
 Establish Verification Procedures
 Establish documentation concerning all procedures and
records relevant to the HACCP principles and their
application.

3. Food Science and Food Biotechnology in Developing Countries – Durango, June 20-23, 2004
Background – Law requirements
 European Council Directive 43/93/EEC
 Decree-law 67/98 (Portugal)
 All food businesses
– Analysis of the potential food hazards in the food business
operation;
– Identification of the operational steps where hazards may
occur;
– Determination of points critical to food safety;
– Definition and implementation of effective control and
monitoring procedures at those critical points, and
– Periodical review, and whenever the food business
operations change, of the analysis of food hazards, critical
control points and the control and monitoring procedures.

4. Food Science and Food Biotechnology in Developing Countries – Durango, June 20-23, 2004
Problems in small businesses
 lack of technical expertise
 lack of government commitment
 lack of customer and business demand
 financial constraints
 human resource constraints
 lack of expertise and/or technical support
 inadequate infrastructure and facilities
 lack of technical information in Portuguese.

5. Food Science and Food Biotechnology in Developing Countries – Durango, June 20-23, 2004
Agro 44 – Implementation of HACCP in
the Dairy sector. From Milk to Cheese.
 Started in March 2002
 Due to finish in March 2005

6. Food Science and Food Biotechnology in Developing Countries – Durango, June 20-23, 2004
Aim of the Project
 To create a common understanding between those
responsible for the implementation of HACCP
(Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points)
systems in the companies and the professionals
working in the Portuguese Governmental Agencies
responsible for approving, licensing and inspecting
these systems.
 The goal being to facilitate the implementation of this
system in traditional (very small) cheese-dairies.

7. Food Science and Food Biotechnology in Developing Countries – Durango, June 20-23, 2004
Partnership
 Escola Superior Agrária de Coimbra
 Direcção Regional da Agricultura da Beira Litoral
 Associação Nacional de Criadores de Ovinos da
Serra da Estrela
 Terras de Sicó - Associação de Desenvolvimento

8. Food Science and Food Biotechnology in Developing Countries – Durango, June 20-23, 2004
Main Tasks
 Development and dissemination of a Good Production Practices
manual for dairy farms
 Development and dissemination of a Good Manufacturing
Practices manual for cheese dairies
 Implementation of HACCP systems in Traditional Cheese Dairies
– demonstration units
 Development and dissemination of general HACCP plans for the
manufacture of Traditional Cheese and Curd Cheese
 Creation of an internet site about hygiene, good manufacturing
practices and HACCP in the production of cheese and curd
cheese.
 www.esac.pt/agro44

9. Food Science and Food Biotechnology in Developing Countries – Durango, June 20-23, 2004
Manuals production
 Step 1 – Collection of applicable legislation and relevant
literature
 Step 2 – Production of the manual and other information
material (information leaflets)
 Step 3 – Testing the developed materials by final users
(milk producers and cheese dairies) and adapting the
manuals according to suggestions.
 Step 4 – Graphic design and printing
 Step 5 – Dissemination of the material

10. Food Science and Food Biotechnology in Developing Countries – Durango, June 20-23, 2004
HACCP implementation
 Step 1 – Development of educational material for training teams
in HACCP/GMPs.
 Step 2 – Training teams in HACCP/GMPs.
 Step 3 – Selection of cheese-dairies to implement the HACCP
system (demonstration units)
 Step 4 – Implementation of the HACCP system in the chosen
cheese-dairies according to the principles of HACCP
 Step 5 – Auditing HACCP systems in order to detect any flaws
and correct them.

11. Food Science and Food Biotechnology in Developing Countries – Durango, June 20-23, 2004
Small bussiness…

12. Food Science and Food Biotechnology in Developing Countries – Durango, June 20-23, 2004
Very small bussiness…

13. Food Science and Food Biotechnology in Developing Countries – Durango, June 20-23, 2004
Very small bussiness…

14. Food Science and Food Biotechnology in Developing Countries – Durango, June 20-23, 2004
HACCP training…

15. Food Science and Food Biotechnology in Developing Countries – Durango, June 20-23, 2004
Cheese production

16. Food Science and Food Biotechnology in Developing Countries – Durango, June 20-23, 2004
Cheese production

17. Food Science and Food Biotechnology in Developing Countries – Durango, June 20-23, 2004
Cheese production

18. Food Science and Food Biotechnology in Developing Countries – Durango, June 20-23, 2004
Cheese production

19. Food Science and Food Biotechnology in Developing Countries – Durango, June 20-23, 2004
GMP (?)

20. Food Science and Food Biotechnology in Developing Countries – Durango, June 20-23, 2004
GMP (?)

21. Food Science and Food Biotechnology in Developing Countries – Durango, June 20-23, 2004
Cleaning

22. Food Science and Food Biotechnology in Developing Countries – Durango, June 20-23, 2004
Testing the effectiveness of disinfection

23. Food Science and Food Biotechnology in Developing Countries – Durango, June 20-23, 2004
Results dissemination…

24. Food Science and Food Biotechnology in Developing Countries – Durango, June 20-23, 2004
HACCP in small dairies
 Keep it simple!
 CCPs and Written records
– the less the better
– Keep it to the strictly necessary
 Rely on GMP and good will…

25. Food Science and Food Biotechnology in Developing Countries – Durango, June 20-23, 2004
HACCP – Fresh Cheese (Pasteurised)
 CCP
– Filtration – Physical Hazards
– Pasteurization – Biological Hazards
– Temperature Control – Biological Hazards
 Records needed
– Filtration (no records!)
– Pasteurization
 temperature (batch pasteurization)
 Time and temperature (continuous pasteurization)
– Temperature
 Refrigeration chambers (2/3 times a day)
 Transport (on arrival)

26. Food Science and Food Biotechnology in Developing Countries – Durango, June 20-23, 2004
HACCP – Cured Cheese
 CCP
– Filtration – Physical Hazards
– Maturation Time– Biological Hazards
 Records
– Filtration (no records!)
– Maturation time
 lot identification
 Release of lot

27. Food Science and Food Biotechnology in Developing Countries – Durango, June 20-23, 2004
Acknowledgements
This work was supported by project nº 44 of the program
AGRO/IED, funded by the Portuguese Ministry of
Agriculture

28. Food Science and Food Biotechnology in Developing Countries – Durango, June 20-23, 2004
Thank you
Muchas Gracias
Muito Obrigado