Control Measures: Are there examples available?

Introduction

Several possible threats and points of attention are named in the prerequisite program. The applicable aspects are controlled by procedures, instructions, and the associated measures. 

Because they originate from the prerequisite program or the prerequisite program gives guidance for drafting these measures, the measures are not guided by the decision tree. 

The following measures are in effect within our company and are assessed at least annually or in the case of a new risk or incident in relation to food safety or food defense. 

Table with Control measures

Risk from Prerequisite Program	Control by	Standard	Action by abnormalities	Procedure/Instruction
Cross-contamination of products with pathogens with a risk of disease.	Preventing cross-contamination by following company hygiene	Everyone must comply with the applicable regulations	Repeat instruction to personnel, and speak to staff. Quarantine extreme products.	Procedure: hygiene Instruction: hygiene control
Cross-contamination with pathogens or hazardous substances due to poor company hygiene in the broadest sense of the word with a risk of disease.	Preventing cross-contamination by following company hygiene	Everyone must comply with the applicable regulations	Repeat instruction to personnel, and speak to staff. Quarantine extreme products.	Procedure: company hygiene Instruction: hygiene control
Risk of contamination due to wrong design, wrong materials: not easy to clean, not easy to maintain, FCM not suitable, does not meet equipment requirements. No proper drainage etc.	Furnishing requirements in accordance with BVP. Control rounds, Validation.	Facilities in accordance with requirements.	Modification, maintenance.	Procedures: maintenance, validation. BVP check round. Validation reports changes.
Pest faeces, bite marks, etc. Pests can be a carrier of pathogenic agents with a risk of disease.	Good pest control, entry checks, and weekly checks on the accumulation of dirt/food products	No pests	Apply additional controls. Instruct personnel. Adjust building technology.	Procedures: pest and entry control Instructions: hygiene control, vermin control and entry control
Accelerated spoilage due to the product temperature becoming too high during processing	Preventing temperature increases by controlling the ambient temperature.	See instruction	Quarantine products. Destroy products if the temperature is far too high. Control ambient temperature. Decrease ambient temperature. Increase throughput speed. Instruct personnel.	Procedures: pests
Spoilage of products due to long storage time	Visually checking the shelf life	It May not be expired	Destroy products	Procedure: storage Instruction: storage control
Contamination with foreign objects: glass, wood, metal, packaging, etc.	Controlling for foreign objects and the possibility of cross-contamination	No contamination. No possibility of contamination.	Quarantine products, processes, or equipment. Carry out maintenance. Destroy products.	Procedure: PVB, glass, wood Instruction: product impurities check
Contamination with PVB due to poor maintenance. A product contaminated with non-food grade agents.	Using food-grade agents. Release after maintenance. Perform the correct maintenance.	Use food-grade agents. Correct maintenance and release must take place	Quarantine products, processes, or equipment. Carry out maintenance. Destroy products.	Procedure: maintenance, supplier, and supplier evaluation Specification: general Instruction: release after maintenance
Accumulation of, and cross-contamination with, dirt and micro-organisms (pathogens)	Good cleaning and disinfection. The structure is also constructed so that cleaning and disinfection are possible.	Must be clean and disinfected	Repeat cleaning. Check carried out cleaning. Instruction of staff for rechecks	Procedure: cleaning and disinfection Instruction: cleaning check, cleaning performance, and disinfection check
Contamination/migration of packaging material to the product	Using food-grade packaging material	Food-grade	Quarantine packaging material. Destroy products	Specification: general Procedure: supplier and supplier evaluation
Cross-contamination by dirty crates or damaged crates. Residues from crate washing.	Store clean crates separately from dirty ones. Crate washing and checking, correct means. Correct adjustment and maintenance. Visual check and residue check. Use of inner bag.	No dirt, no residues, no damage (breakage, splinters)	Clean again. Carry out maintenance. Readjust (dosage, rinse). Use the correct agent. Instruct personnel.	Procedures: cleaning and disinfection. Instructions: cleaning control, cleaning execution and disinfection control
Residues from cleaning agents and disinfectants.	Sufficient rinsing. Check visually and with pH strips.	No residues.	Rinse again. Check cleaning execution. Instruction staff recheck.	Procedures: Cleaning and disinfection. Instructions: cleaning control, cleaning execution and disinfection control
Contamination/migration from packaging materials to product.	Use food-grade packaging material.	Food-grade.	Block packaging material. Destroy products.	Specification: General, Procedure: Supplier and Supplier Assessment
Risk of sickness due to incorrect label information (for example allergens, preparation advice or shelflife)	Checking that the label information is correct. Authorized and qualified personnel	Correct label	Quarantine labels. Quarantine products. Package again or destroy.	Procedure: product information, product release, labelling and packaging control Instruction: process controls check
Cross-contamination with allergens due to incorrect recipe	Using the correct recipe	Correct recipe	Quarantine products and destroy	Procedure: product information, work process
The use or processing of “bad” and dangerous products and all consequences that follow	Quarantining of rejected, abnormal products	Do not process products	If still occurring, quarantine products and possibly recall	Procedure: quarantine, incidents, and recall
Injuries can occur to consumers if they consume a product containing glass shards	Glass checks	No glass in the product	Quarantine and destroy products. Possibly recall	Procedure: PVB and glass Instruction: glass check
Serious injuries can occur to consumers if they consume a product containing wood splinters	Wood checks	No wood in the product	Quarantine and destroy products. Possibly recall	Procedure: PVB and wood Instruction: Wood check
Cross-contamination with allergens due to the wrong method	Interim cleaning, planning, recipes, hygiene procedures, closed packaging	No cross-contamination	Quarantine and destroy products. Possibly recall	Procedure: product information and allergen policy
Accelerated spoilage due to recipe errors (too little salt, etc.)	Working according to the recipe	Correct recipe	Quarantine and destroy products.	Procedure: product information and work process
Cross-contamination due to poorly loaded trucks	Correctly loading the trucks, products are not on the ground	Loaded correctly	Repeat loading, possibly quarantine products	Procedure: transport
Accelerated spoilage, development of pathogens due to incorrect transport temperature	Correctly setting up trucks and temperature controls	Correct temperature	Repeat set up. Possibly quarantine products	Procedure: transport
Development of pathogenic agents and spoilage due to a too long shelf life (given best before date)	Performing microbiological research on end products.	Only release correct shelf life	Repeat research	Procedure: microbiological research
Development of pathogenic agents and spoilage due to a label with a too-long shelf life	Using the correct labels. Check label	Correct label	Quarantine and destroy products	Procedure: labelling and packaging check, product information, and work process
Cross-contamination due to poor state of building and machinery	Maintenance and making resources available	Must comply	Perform maintenance, possibly quarantine areas/machinery. Quarantine in the case of unsafe products	Procedure: prerequisite program and maintenance Instruction: Check prerequisite program and inspect building construction
Leakage of cooling system media, foreign bodies, oil leakage, lubricants, contamination, mix-up of food-grade/non-food grade media, FCM not suitable.	Maintenance according to the procedure. List of agents with corresponding TDS and MSDS. Release after maintenance.	No contamination, food-grade materials and agents.	Block contaminated products. Clean. Replace product.	Procedures: maintenance, lubrication plan, Specifications, food-grade statements.”
Contaminated compressed air in contact with the product.	Timely maintenance of filters.	No contamination.	Block product. Change filters, and carry out maintenance.	Procedures: maintenance. Maintenance plan.
Dangerous products due to ignorant personnel	Training and educating	Everyone must have had sufficient training	Extra training	Procedure: education and training Instruction: personnel knowledge questions and new personnel
Dangerous products due to not functioning or poorly functioning measuring equipment	Calibration	–	–	–
Dangerous products back in production due to returns	Destroy returns	No returns in the production process	Quarantine and destroy products	Procedure: rework
Incorrect storage, disposal and/or collection of waste with risk of end product contamination	Correct collecting and quick disposal of waste from departments	Correct disposal and storage	Quarantine and destroy products	Procedure: waste
Contamination due to intent / sabotage	Assumption of “reliable personnel”. Keep company secure.	–	Dismissal	Procedure: company security
Dangerous situations due to non-compliance with claims	Substantiate and verify claims	Fulfil claims	Quarantine and destroy products. Inform customers	Procedure: product information, client, and client satisfaction
Product contamination due to sick employees or visitors	Obligation to report diseases	No sickness	Depending on illness and work performed	Procedure: Hygiene and visitors
Processing of raw materials with which fraud has been committed with a possible risk to food safety (e.g. prohibited substances used). Fraud committed by the company itself.	Fraud risk assessment and measures are mentioned therein such as permanent suppliers.	No fraud.	Product blocking. Preventive and corrective measures.	Risk inventory for the fraudulent supply of raw materials. VACCP.
Delivering/producing new products that can pose a hazard: microbiological, chemical, or physical	Product development and validation	Only validated products, areas, machines, and processes	Quarantine and possibly destroy. Validate again and give instruction	Procedure: Product development and calibration
Cross-contamination with dirt, and pathogens due to poorly washing clothing	Wash clothing well	Only clean clothing	Quarantine and dispose of clothing if it is filthy. Inform an external company of ignorance	Procedure: washing clothing
Delivery of products due to poor CCP measurements due to ignorance	Competency determination	All CCPs must be correctly measured and controlled	Quarantine, re-measure and/or destroy all production processes. Staff re-instruction	Instruction: CCP control
Unsafe product due to incorrect critical settings of process or equipment	Only by authorized and qualified personnel, limited access to the system, password protection	Only authorized personnel	Quarantine all product processes, take preventative and corrective measures	Procedure: Tasks and authorizations overview
Unsafe product due to failure or malfunction of process or equipment	Maintenance and availability of resources	Function correctly	Quarantine all products, take preventative and corrective measures	Procedure: Maintenance, the quarantine procedure
Contamination of product through condensation.	Condensation control (air humidity), cooling operation. Do not place the product under areas of condensation. Remove condensation.	Correct functioning, no contamination.	Block all products, preventive and corrective actions	Procedures: Maintenance, Blocking procedure
Contamination with pathogens via air ventilation.	Timely maintenance and cleaning of the system.	The correct operation, no contamination.	Block all products and preventive and corrective measures.	Procedures: Maintenance, Blockage procedure. Cleaning and disinfection.
Raw materials are not according to specification, not delivered at the right temperature or under the right conditions. Risk of contamination: microbiological, chemical, physical, allergens.	Selection and assessment of suppliers. Entry control.	Product or service in accordance with specification/contract.	Refuse delivery. Delete supplier. File a complaint.	Procedures: supplier and supplier assessment, entry control, specifications