HACCP Plan Template: Pet Food (Free)
HACCP Plan Template – Pet Food (Dry Extruded)
Pet food plants answer to the same food-safety logic as human food plants – Salmonella in a bag of kibble is a human health issue too. This plan covers extrusion, drying and coating with a preventive-controls mindset for animal food safety.
Don’t just fill in the blanks – the value is the team discussion the Codex steps force you to have. Replace every [bracketed] entry with your operation’s detail and validate each critical limit for your own product and equipment.
1. Document control
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Document title | HACCP Plan Template – Pet Food (Dry Extruded) |
| Document no. | [QA-HACCP-020] |
| Version | [1.0] |
| Effective date | [YYYY-MM-DD] |
| Prepared by | [Name / Title / Date] |
| Approved by | [Name / Title / Date] |
| Review date | [YYYY-MM-DD] |
2. Product description
| Item | Description |
|---|---|
| Product name | [e.g., Dry dog food, chicken recipe] |
| Description | [Dry extruded pet food, ambient] |
| Ingredients | [Meat meals, grains, fats, vitamins – list all] |
| Packaging | [Multi-wall bag – describe] |
| Shelf life | [e.g., 12 months ambient] |
| Distribution | [Ambient distribution to retail] |
3. Intended use and consumers
- Dogs/cats; handlers include children and immunocompromised people – Salmonella in pet food is also a human health issue.
4. Process flow diagram
Codex Step 5, and the one teams skip: walk the flow on the floor and fix the diagram until it matches what actually happens – including the unofficial shortcuts. Number the final version.
- Receiving raw materials
- Storage
- Grinding
- Mixing / conditioning
- Extrusion
- Drying
- Coating (fat/flavour)
- Cooling
- Packaging and labelling
- Metal detection
- Ambient storage
- Dispatch
5. Hazard analysis (Codex Principle 1)
Be honest here. If a hazard is reasonably likely, say so – auditors distrust a hazard analysis where nothing comes out significant. Only significant hazards go to the decision tree.
| Process step | Hazard (B / C / P) | Significant? Rationale | Control measure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Receiving | B: Salmonella in meat meals; C: mycotoxins in grains | Y | Approved suppliers; COA; mycotoxin testing |
| Extrusion | B: survival of Salmonella if under-extruded | Y – CCP | Validated extrusion temp/time/moisture (CCP 1) |
| Drying | B: Salmonella survival if aw too high | Y | Dry to aw ≤[spec] / moisture ≤[spec] |
| Coating | B: recontamination from coating fats | Y | Coating ingredient specs; hygienic application |
| Cooling | B: condensation and mould | Y | Cool to ≤[temp] before packing |
| Packaging and labelling | C: nutrient guarantee accuracy; P: foreign material | Y | Label verification against formulation |
| Metal detection | P: metal fragments | Y – CCP | Validated metal detector (CCP 2) |
6. CCPs, critical limits and monitoring (Principles 2-4)
These limits are solid starting points from industry practice and regulation, but they’re not yours yet. Validate each one on your equipment – this is the section auditors probe hardest.
| CCP | Significant hazard | Critical limit | Monitoring (what / how / frequency / who) | Corrective action | Verification | Records |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CCP 1 – Extrusion | Survival of Salmonella | Validated parameters: [temp/time per validation ref ___] | Continuous recording each run; [role] | Hold; re-extrude or dispose; investigate | Record review; calibration | Extrusion log |
| CCP 2 – Metal detection | Metal fragments | Detector rejects test pieces [sizes set by validation] | Challenge test start/end and [hourly]; [role] | Hold since last good check; re-screen | Function checks | Metal detection log |
7. Corrective action procedure (Principle 5)
- Hold and segregate all product made since the last acceptable check; tag it and enter it in the hold log.
- Restore control (re-cook, adjust temperature, repair equipment) and confirm it before restarting.
- [QA Manager / designee] assesses the affected product – release, rework or disposal – and records the justification.
- Find and fix the root cause; record the deviation, investigation and disposition, signed within [1 working day].
8. Verification procedures (Principle 6)
- A trained reviewer checks CCP monitoring and corrective action records at [frequency, e.g., within 7 days].
- Calibrate monitoring instruments per the calibration schedule.
- Periodic product testing (microbiological, chemical or physical) per the verification schedule.
- Internal audit at least [annually]; full HACCP reassessment annually or after any significant change.
9. Record-keeping (Principle 7)
- Hazard analysis worksheet and CCP decision records
- CCP monitoring records, signed and dated
- Deviation and corrective action records
- Verification records, including calibration
- Training records for the HACCP team and CCP monitors
Approval and control
| Role | Name | Signature | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prepared by | [Name] | [Signature] | [Date] |
| Reviewed by (QA) | [Name] | [Signature] | [Date] |
| Approved by | [Name] | [Signature] | [Date] |
Keep completed forms for [Define retention period, e.g., 2 years beyond shelf life] at [defined location] – and make sure someone besides you knows where that is.