AHA! Guidebook

The Alberta HACCP Advantage (AHA!) Guidebook has been developed by Alberta Agriculture and Food to assist you in using the Alberta HACCP Advantage Standard. This guidebook is designed to take you through the steps necessary to develop an effective food safety system specific to your food-processing operation.

This guidebook contains basic food safety system information that you may adapt and modify to fit your facility's special needs. You can use all the suggestions or just parts found in each chapter.

A successful food safety system requires understanding and commitment by your entire staff. This guidebook will help ensure that you and your employees have a complete understanding of the requirements of an effective food safety system and of everyone’s role in ensuring its success.

It is recommended that you consult with someone with the necessary food safety knowledge when developing your food safety system. You or a member of your staff may have the required education or experience, or you can work with a food safety consultant who can provide advice, direction and expertise on developing and implementing a food safety system.

To request a hard copy of the AHA! Guidebook, please email aha@gov.ab.ca or call the Food Safety Divsion at 780-427-4054.

Acknowledgements

This guidebook has been developed by a team of Food Safety Specialists from Alberta Agriculture and Food, comprised of:

Authors:

Tammy Lang – Food Safety Specialist
Kate Sambey – Food Safety Specialist
Kevin Fahner – Food Safety Specialist
Murray Yaschuk – Food Safety Specialist

Jacqueline Schimpf – Communications Specialist
Nora Abercrombie – Communications Specialist
Barbara North – Writer

Claude Baker, Jill Binder, Angela Bork, Bonnie Chiu, Ileana Constuic, Darlene Dittrich, Kevin Fahner, Ron Feniuk, Janice Futz, Lori Jolliffe, Danielle Kneeland, Marjan Morravej, Son Nguyen, Kate Sambey, Raminder Sandhu, Kelly Sawka, Michael Sidra, Kevin Smith, Amanda Zoeger, Stephen Weimann, Lea Wachowich, Sandra Magyar, Daryl Loback.

Ken Fahner – Assistant Branch Head, Meat Inspection
Kevin Webster – Safe Food Systems Specialist
Murray Yaschuk – Branch Auditor
Daryl Loback – Food Safety Specialist Coordinator
Sandy Honour – Branch Head, Agri-Food Systems Branch

Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view the following files. If you do not have Adobe Reader, click on the link at the left to download a free copy. If you are having problems downloading these files, please contact 780-644-2254 or email aha@gov.ab.ca.

Chapter 1 - Food Safety Systems

The need for food safety is driven by consumers, the food industry and public health agencies. Food processors have an obligation to ensure they produce the safest food possible. The best way to ensure that the food you produce is safe is to develop a food safety system.

1.0 - Food Safety Systems
2.0 - HACCP
3.0 - The AHA!
3.1 - The AHA! Standard
4.0 - HACCP Recognition in Canada
5.0 - Sources of Information

Chapter 2 - HACCP Systems Explained

This chapter gives an overview of HACCP and explains the basic requirements to set up and maintain an effective and successful HACCP system.

1.0 - What is HACCP?
2.0 - Food Safety Hazards
2.1 - Assessing hazards
2.2 - Cross-contamination
3.0 - Requirements for a HACCP System
3.1- Management commitment
3.2 - Selecting the HACCP team
3.3 - The HACCP coordinator
3.4 - HACCP training
4.0 - Components of a HACCP System
4.1 - Prerequisite Programs
4.2 - HACCP Plans
5.0 - Sources of information

Chapter 3 - Documention and Record Keeping

This chapter explains the importance of documents and record keeping. It also shows how they differ and recommends the best approaches for developing written programs and records.

1.0 - Documents and records
2.0 - Documenting prerequisite programs
3.0 - Documenting HACCP plans
4. 0 - Creating an auditable program
4.1 - Document and record control
5.0 - Documentation system formats
5.1 - Monitoring or activity section
5.2 - Deviation procedures and corrective actions
5.3 - Verification procedures
6.0 - Sources of information

Chapter 4 - Developing a Premises Program

This chapter explains the importance of developing an effective premises program. It describes the various aspects of a premises program and how to develop the program and associated records. Sample records are included in the AHA! Guidebook and these records are available in word format on this website. Feel free to use these forms and alter them to work best for your facility's food safety program.

1.0 - Considerations
2.0 - Sanitary facility design
3.0 - Exterior environment and building
3.1 - Facility location
3.2 - The building exterior
4.0 - Interior environment and building
4.1 - Proper ventilation systems
4.2 - Loading docks and receiving bays
4.3 - Doors
4.4 - Windows
4.5 - Floors
4.6 - Walls
4.7 - Ceilings and overhead structures
4.8 - Lighting
4.9 - Glass and brittle plastics
4.10 - Process and product flow
4.11 - Employee facilities
4.12 - Equipment
4.13 - Sanitation facilities
5.0 - Waste disposal
5.1 - Interior waste disposal
5.2 - Exterior garbage bins
5.3 - Drainage and sewage system
6.0 - Water, ice and steam
6.1 - Water testing and potability
6.2 - Recirculated water systems
6.3 - Water storage facilities
7.0 - Preventative maintenance
8.0 - Premises form templates
9.0 - Sources of information

Chapter 5 - Developing a Transportation and Storage Program

1.0 - Receiving
1.1 - Receiving facilities
1.2 - Carrier inspection
1.3 - Incoming material inspection
1.4 - Thermometers
1.5 - Receiving flow charts
1.6 - Defective, suspect, or returned product
2.0 - Storage
2.1 - The danger zone
2.2 - Storing incoming materials
2.3 - Segregation - chemicals and allergens
2.4 - Storing finished product
3.0 - Shipping
3.1 - Carriers
3.2 - Proper loading of food carriers
3.3 - The cold chain
4.0 - Incoming chemical program
5.0 - Documentation
5.1 - Incoming material records
5.2 - Shipping records
6.0 - Transportation, storage and recall
7.0 - Staff training
8.0 - Transportation and storage form templates
9.0 - Sources of information

Chapter 6 - Developing an Equipment Program

This chapter investigates how equipment design, construction, operation and maintenance impacts food safety. Learn how to implement an effective equipment maintenance program and calibration program. Sample records are also available for this chapter.

1.0 - Sanitary facility design
1.1 - Pre-owned equipment
1.2 - Colour coding equipment
1.3 - Air quality in a facility and air as a processing aid
2.0 - Preventative meintenance
2.1 - Value of preventative maintenance
2.2 - Creating a preventative maintenance program
2.3 - Communication and the preventative maintenance program
3.0 - Equipment calibration
3.1 - Documentation
4.0 - Equipment form templates
5.0 - Sources of information

Chapter 7 - Developing a Personnel Training Program

Personnel training, personal hygiene, and food handling practices are very important contributors to food safety. This chapter covers all aspects of personnel training including technical training and the need for on-going training. Also learn important considerations for developing an effective training program for adults and ESL (English as a Second Language) learners. Sample records are also available for this chapter.

1.0 - Food hygiene practices
1.1 - Developing a facility hygiene policy
1.2 - Visitor information and hygiene policy
2.0 - Training personnel
2.1 - Knowledge vs. skills
2.2 - Motivating adult learners
2.3 - Employees with limited understanding of English (ESL)
2.4 - Developing a training program
2.5 - Training follow-up
2.6 - Documenting training
3.0 - Food safety and hygiene training
3.1 - Requirement of the Alberta Advantage HACCP Standard
3.2 - Food safety and food hygiene training resources
4.0 - Techinical traning
4.1 - Requirements of the Alberta Advantage HACCP Standard
4.2 - Technical training and food safety
5.0 - Personnel form templates
6.0 - Sources of information

Chapter 8 - Development of a Sanitation Program

This chapter covers all aspects of sanitation, including proper cleaning methods, how to develop and document a sanitation program, how to verify and validate your sanitation procedures, and different considerations for cleaning different types of operations. Sample records are also available for this chapter.

1.0 - The sanitation process
1.1 - Wet cleaning
1.2 - Dry cleaning
1.3 - Managing clean out-of-place (COP) programs
1.4 - Managing clean in-place (CIP) programs
2.0 - Developing a sanitation program
2.1 - Dairies
2.2 - Fruit and vegetable processors
2.3 - Beverage processors
2.4 - Low-moisture food processing
2.5 - Meat production facilities
2.6 - Ready-to-eat production facilities
3.0 - Documenting a sanitation program
3.1 - SSOP's (sanitation standard operating procedures)
3.2 - Sanitation matrix
3.3 - Monitoring the sanitation program
3.4 - Training
4.0 - Developing verification and validation procedures
4.1 - Strategic sampling
4.2 - Sampling methods
5.0 - Sanitation form templatets
6.0 - Sources of information

Chapter 9 - Developing a Pest Management Program

Learn different methods for pest control, and how to develop and document an effective pest management program. Sample records are also available for this chapter.

1.0 - Integrated pest managment program
2.0 - Elements of a pest management plan
3.0 - Control methods
3.1 - Insect control
3.2 - Rodent control
3.3 - Bird control
4.0 - Documenting a pest management program
5.0 - Pest control form templates
6. 0 - Sources of information

Chapter 10 - Development of a Recall Plan

This chapter will teach you how to develop an effective recall program and customer complaint system. It will cover important topics such as traceability, communication, and mock recalls. Sample records are also available for this chapter.

1.0 - What is a recall?
1.1 - When is a recall necessary?
1.2 - What is the facility's role and responsibility?
2.0 - Traceability - the backboen of recall
2.1 - What traceability is and does
2.2 - Tracebility and the production team
2.3 - Linking information throughout the chain
2.4 - Defining traceability policies
3.0 - Recall process
3.1 - Visualizing the recall process
3.2 - How to develop a recall plan
4.0 - Stopping distribution and controlling product within the facility
4.1 - Communication plan
5.0 - Checking the effectiveness of communications
5.1 - Mock recall
6.0 - Customer complaint files
6.1 - Recording complaints
6.2 - Investigating complaints
6.3 - Corrective action
6.4 - Illness or injury complaints
7..0 - Recall form templates

Chapter 11 - Developing an Allergen Control Program

Learn all the important aspects of an effective allergen control program including identification, proper storage and handling, employee training, and labelling and packaging of finished products. Effective allergen identification and control is a very important aspect of food safety. Sample records are also available for this chapter.

1.0 - Allergen overview
1.1 - Allergen control program
1.2 - Managment commitment
2.0 - Allergen identification and mapping
2.1 - Assessing formulas and raw materials
2.2 - Communicating with suppliers
2.3 - Controlling product development and purchasing
2.4 - Allergen mapping
3.0 - Procedures and work instructions
3.1 - Receiving
3.2 - Segergation
3.3 - Allergen clean
3.4 - Rework
3.5 - Labelling and packaging
4.0 - Allergen training
5.0 - Allergen form templates
6.0 - Sources of information

Chapter 12 - Supplier Quality Assurance

A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Food from unsafe sources is one of the most common causes of foodborne illness and product recalls. This chapter will teach you how to develop an effective supplier quality assurance program including how to develop product specifications and how to evaluate suppliers. Sample records are also available for this chapter.

1.0 - Parts of a supplier quality assurance program
2.0 - Choosing suppliers
2.1 - Supplier approval
2.2 - Approved supplier list
3.0 - Product Specifications and controls
3.1 - Product specifications
3.2 - Certificate of analysis
3.3 - Letter of continuing guarantee
4.0 - Evaluating suppliers
4.1 - Incoming product control
4.2 - Supplier audit
5.0 - Corrective actions
6.0 - Supplier quality assurance form templates
7.0 - Sources of information

Chapter 13 - Product Protection Program

It is very important to control the critical factors to food safety, either via HACCP Plans or a Product Protection program. Learn what the critical factors to food safety are and how to effectively control these hazards.

1.0 - Prerequisite programs
2.0 - Identification and control of critical factors
3.0 - Critical processing steps and critical factors
4.0 - Monitoring critical factors
5.0 - Deviations and corrective actions
6.0 - Documentation of critical factors
7.0 - Verification of critical factors
8.0 - Training staff in product protection procedures
9.0 - Sample product protection program
10.0 - Sources of information

Chapter 14 - Developing and Implementing a HACCP Plan

Learn all about the 7 Principles of HACCP and the 12 steps of HACCP. Also get introduced to the HACCP forms and how to fill them out. This is the A to Z of HACCP plan development.

1.0 - HACCP principles
2.0 - How many HACCP plans are needed?
3.0 - Steps in the development of HACCP plans
3.1 - Assembling the HACCP team
3.2 - Describing the product
3.3 - Identifying the intended use
3.4 - Constructing a process flow diagram and plant schematic
3.5 - On-site verification of process flow diagram and plant schematic
3.6 - Listing hazards associated with each step and incoming materials
3.7 - Determining critical control points
3.8 - Establishing critical limits
3.9 - Establishing a monitoring systems
3.10 - Establishing deviation procedures or corrective actions
3.11 - Establishing verification procedures
3.12 - Establishing record keeping and documentation procedures
4.0 - How to fill in HACCP forms
5.0 - Communication
5.1 - Communication guidelines for HACCP
6.0 - Sources of information

Chapter 15 - Managing and Maintaining the HACCP System

This chapter covers verification and validation of your HACCP system, and how to set up an internal auditing system. Also learn how to maintain your food safety or HACCP system, including required documentation.

1.0 - Validating the HACCP system
2.0 - Verification
2.1 - HACCP verification
2.2 - Verification records
3.0 - Audits
3.1 - Setting up audit systems
3.2 - Audit records
4.0 - HACCP training
5.0 - Corrective action follow-up
6.0 - Documentation
7.0 - HACCP management and maintenace forms
8.0 - Sources of information

Chapter 16 - Understanding the AHA! Recognition Protocol

Learn how to have your food safety system recognized by the Government of Alberta, including a brief overview of certification.

1.0 - Resposibilities
1.1 - Responsibilities of applicant
1.2 - Responsibilities of Government
1.3 - Responsibilities of HACCP auditors
1.4 - Responsibilities of certifying bodies
2.0 - AHA! standard recognition process
2.1 - Step 1 - applicant submits documentaiton package
2.2 - Step 2 - review of documentation package
2.3 - Step 3 - systems audit - off-site documentation review
2.4 - Step 4 - on-site verification audit
2.5 - Step 5 - certifying body final audit report
2.6 - Step 6 - certification and recognition
3.0 - The audit cycle
3.1 - Ongoing documentation and modifications to an applicant's food safety system
4.0 - Sources of information

Appendix A - Glossary of Food Safety Related Terms

Click here to download appendix A (file size 287kb - estimated time with a 28k modem is just over 1 minute).

Appendix B - Questions to Ask When Conducting a Hazard Analysis

This appendix provides questions you can ask to help conduct a hazard analysis. This includes considerations for ingredients, facility design, equipment, packaging, sanitation, employees, intended consumer and more.

Click here to download appendix B (file size 91.5kb - estimated time with a 28k modem is 25 seconds).

Appendix C - Basic Food Microbiology

Learn about food microorganisms that can cause illness and factors to help control their growth.

Click here to download appendix C (file size 150kb - estimated time with a 28k modem is 41 seconds).

Appendix D - Food Safety Risk Analysis

Learn the difference between hazards and risks, and information to help conduct a risk assessment.

Click here to download appendix D (file size 300kb - estimated time with a 28k modem is just over 1 minute).

Appendix E - HACCP Forms

To download and start using the HACCP plan forms, as well as forms for prerequisite programs and product protection programs, please click here to go to the AHA! Workbooks.

The Complete AHA! Guidebook

Click here to download the complete guidebook, including all chapters and appendices (file size 8.9 MB, estimated download time for a 28K modem is 41 minutes). Contact aha@gov.ab.ca to request a hard copy or call 780-644-2254.

If you have problems downloading any of the files above or have questions, please call 780-427-4054, or email aha@gov.ab.ca.

To request a hard copy of the AHA! Guidebook, please email aha@gov.ab.ca or call the Food Safety Divsion at 780-427-4054.

To be connected toll-free in Alberta to any Alberta government office, dial 310-0000 followed by the area code and phone number of the office you wish to reach.

Disclaimer

While Alberta Agriculture and Food has produced this guidebook, it does not guarantee that the information or materials provided will identify all the potential risks and all measures that may be required to eliminate or manage the food safety risks associated with your food production facility. You are not required to use all materials contained within. Risk management is the responsibility of the food processor, and therefore it will be your responsibility to determine your facilities needs.

This guidebook has been developed to assist Alberta food processors in developing and implementing their own food safety systems. Government regulations and their requirements take precedence over all information contained in this manual. It is the responsibility of the food processor to determine which regulations apply to the food products they are producing and to meet these regulations before implementing any changes within their facility structure or processes.