As part of continuous efforts towards excellence in the catering industry, the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (the Centre) recently became the first convention centre in Malaysia to achieve Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points…
As part of continuous efforts towards excellence in the catering industry, the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (the Centre) recently became the first convention centre in Malaysia to achieve Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) certification, a systematic preventive approach to food safety that addresses physical, chemical and biological hazards as a means of prevention rather than finished product inspection.
A certification not common among international convention centres and five-star hotels, HACCP is used by the airline and food & beverage industry to identify potential food safety hazards along the food production chain known as Critical Control Points (CCPs) so that key actions can be taken to reduce or eliminate the risk of the hazards being realised. The system is practised at all stages of the food selection, preparation and production process.
According to director of facilities, Geoff Hayward, the Centre’s road to HACCP certification began some 22 months ago whilst the Centre was still under construction. “The initial challenge was to change the mindset of team members and vendors and to get them to ‘buy’ into the concept. Then, there were processes and procedures that had to be established such as getting the chefs to document temperature measurement of the food as and when necessary, and in the documentation area, detailed record keeping – all of which were relatively new to most of the team.”
Mr. Hayward said that, as a first step, a ‘HACCP Implementation Team’ was set up comprising staff from departments, each bringing a necessary skill set. “They were then tasked with critically examining the HACCP concept in the context of their respective departments. A course of vendor awareness was implemented, this being the first step in the process. Food handlers and servers were trained and formally accredited. The implementation team identified the significant food safety risks and in consultation with industry specialists established controls to eliminate these risks. Line staff were then trained by the implementation team recognise these risks and the methods of control.”
“Aside from demonstrating the Centre’s commitment to overall catering excellence, our clients are assured that the safety and quality of our food and beverage service is not compromised,” explained Nina Kartini, Training and Quality Manager. “In addition, the certification sets us apart from other convention centres and venues that have not been HACCP-certified.”
HACCP certification is based around the seven established principles of conducting hazard analysis, identifying critical control points, establishing critical limits for each control point, establishing critical control point monitoring requirements, establishing corrective actions, record keeping and verifying procedures.
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