Based on the work by the Joint WHO/FAO Commission, Codex Alimentarius, HACCP management systems are incorporate specific, hygiene requirements detailed in legislation, hygiene codes, GMP standards and customer specifications.

The objective of the HACCP system is to help organizations focus on the hazards that affect food safety and the systematic identification, setting and implementation of critical control limits at critical control points.  For a HACCP system to function effectively, management commitment is of paramount importance.

As well as enhancing food safety, implementation of HACCP can provide other significant benefits, including aiding inspection by regulatory authorities and other stakeholders subsequently promoting international trade by increasing confidence in food safety reputation.

HACCP comprises of seven principles:

1. Analyse food hazards: biological, chemical or physical.
2. Identify critical control points: raw materials, storage, processing, distribution and consumption.
3. Determine critical control limits and preventive measures: for example, minimum cooking temperature and time.
4. Monitor the critical control points.
5. Establish corrective actions.
6. Record keeping
7. Verification: system audit.

Bureau Veritas Certification holds RvA (Netherlands) and DANAK (Denmark) accreditations for HACCP certification and is at the leading edge of food safety management system certification.  Bureau Veritas Certification auditors are specialists in their sector and have a pragmatic and effective approach to food safety auditing.