Codex Alimentarius - requirements

Codex Alimentarius is a tool developed by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, a framework of the FAO and WHO. It is based on a systematic approach to identifying, assessing, and controlling hazardsthat may impact food safety.

Its primary goal is to prevent health threats,not to respond to them after the fact.

In accordance with European Union law (including Regulation (EC) No 852/2004), the implementation of the HACCP system is mandatory for all companies in the food industry, with the exception of primary production.

HACCP implementation concerns in particular:

  • food producers and processors,
  • food service and catering establishments,
  • food distributors, wholesalers, and warehouses,
  • animal feed and premix producers.

The seven principles of the HACCP system

The HACCP system operates on the basis of 7 clearly defined principles, developed within the Codex Alimentarius:

  1. Documentation – Creation, management and archiving of HACCP system documentation, HACCP plan, monitoring results, corrective actions and verification.
  2. Risks analysis – Identification of potential biological, chemical and physical hazards that may occur at every stage of food production and distribution.
  3. Identification of critical control points (CCPs) – Indication of places in the process where control should be applied to prevent, eliminate or reduce hazards.
  4. Establishing critical limits – Defining the permissible parameters (e.g. temperature, time, pH) that must be met for HACCP to be effective.
  5. Establishing a CCP monitoring system – Defining the methods and frequency of monitoring values in CCPs and assigning responsibilities.
  6. Defining corrective actions – Establishing procedures to be followed in the event of exceeding limits in the CCP in order to restore process safety.
  7. System verification – Regular assessment of the system’s effectiveness and compliance with its assumptions (e.g. through internal audits, tests, documentation reviews).

What else needs to be fulfilled?

For Codex Alimentarius to be effectively implemented and certified, a company should also:

  • update the HACCP plan w przypadku zmian technologicznych, organizacyjnych czy prawnych,
  • have well-functioning prerequisite programs (e.g. GHP/GMP),
  • provide appropriate employee training and awareness,
  • supervise documentation.
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