OPRP in ISO 22000 vs. CP in BRC - Food

[Soon Loy]

Dear All,

I have posted this question to many institutions (CBs) and individuals (auditors) on the interpretation of OPRP and I am always amazed by the answers I get although some of us are on the same page - thank God for that!

Don't get me wrong. Personally, I am very clear what OPRP means therefore I am posting this question to reconfirm a current situation that is quite unique and interesting.

* My company is upgrading from ISO22000 to FSSC22000 and as such, the terminologies PRPs and OPRPs are used;

* At the same time, we are also implementing BRC-Food (Audit under Issue 5) where the terminology OPRP is NOT used or mentioned in the standard but instead CP is generally used.

* Because this is an integrated system, we decided to use the term OPRPs instead of CPs for all data implementations outside the HACCP Plan as part of our overall system PRP verification activities.

* If CPs and OPRPs are not of the same meaning or pursue the same functions or purposes as most FSSC / ISO22K ausitors seem to claim, what will happen if we take BRC-Food as the leading system and use CPs instead of OPRPs, does this mean that if this approach is taken, our documentations are technically incorrect.

I look forward to having your comments with an open mind. Your comments to this unique situation will no doubt clear alot of uncertainties in the minds of many on the terminology of OPRP.

Regards
SL

[Stijloor]

Comments anyone?

Thank you!!

Stijloor.

[Ka Pilo]

In Reply to Parent Post by Soon Loy

Dear All,

I have posted this question to many institutions (CBs) and individuals (auditors) on the interpretation of OPRP and I am always amazed by the answers I get although some of us are on the same page - thank God for that!

Don't get me wrong. Personally, I am very clear what OPRP means therefore I am posting this question to reconfirm a current situation that is quite unique and interesting.

* My company is upgrading from ISO22000 to FSSC22000 and as such, the terminologies PRPs and OPRPs are used;

* At the same time, we are also implementing BRC-Food (Audit under Issue 5) where the terminology OPRP is NOT used or mentioned in the standard but instead CP is generally used.

* Because this is an integrated system, we decided to use the term OPRPs instead of CPs for all data implementations outside the HACCP Plan as part of our overall system PRP verification activities.

* If CPs and OPRPs are not of the same meaning or pursue the same functions or purposes as most FSSC / ISO22K ausitors seem to claim, what will happen if we take BRC-Food as the leading system and use CPs instead of OPRPs, does this mean that if this approach is taken, our documentations are technically incorrect.

I look forward to having your comments with an open mind. Your comments to this unique situation will no doubt clear alot of uncertainties in the minds of many on the terminology of OPRP.

Regards
SL

I think under ISO 22000 and FSSC 22000 the control of known hazards are being monitored under GMP + HACCP Plan, therefore uses CP or OPRP.

You are right that under BRC-Food, there is no mention of OPRP. So I think OPRP and CP can be used interchangeably in this integrated food safety system. Howver, under ISO 22000 alone, OPRP does play different role as CP. It appears that under this integrated BRC-Food / FSSC 20000 System the distinction between the two terms does not matter because they both mean the same thing as BRC didn't mention OPRP explicitly.

[Soon Loy]

Dear Ka Pilo

Thank you for your input.

It appears that under this integrated BRC-Food / FSSC 20000 System the distinction between the two terms does not matter because they both mean the same thing as BRC didn't mention OPRP explicitly

- I agree and accept this opinion

Howver, under ISO 22000 alone, OPRP does play different role as CP

- It would be interesting to know what additional or different role(s) OPRP play under ISO22000 that would appear to undermine your earlier comment bearing in mind ISO22000 is the basis for the establishment of FSSC22000

I hope to have a clear calibration of these two terminologies from this forum because I believe this is a common problem amongst users of ISO22000

Cheers, SL

[Ka Pilo]

In Reply to Parent Post by Soon Loy

- It would be interesting to know what additional or different role(s) OPRP play under ISO22000 that would appear to undermine your earlier comment bearing in mind ISO22000 is the basis for the establishment of FSSC22000

I hope to have a clear calibration of these two terminologies from this forum because I believe this is a common problem amongst users of ISO22000

Cheers, SL

I mean the CP terminology IN GENERAL, not just under ISO 22000. (I was thinking the differentiation between OPRP and PRP when I made a comment. May bad.) I would expect that a CP could be, or couldn't be an OPRP depending on how you evaluate an OPRP. However, an OPRP will definitely be a CP. There are a lot of definitions of "Control Point" terminology though.

OPRP, on the other hand, is a terminology introduced by the ISO 22000 standard. You can see the definition within the standard at 2 places, (a) as per the (relatively) general definition 3.9 and (b) as per the (operational) requirements of paragraph 7.4.4.

Since you mentioned that you have a concern technically with regards to documentations, I suggest you discuss the use of these terminologies with your CB. As far as the "implementation" is concern, I don't see any problem because the use of OPRP and CP, their relative fundamentals/principles are the same, IMO.

[Soon Loy]

However, an OPRP will definitely be a CP.

Agree that OPRP was introduced by ISO22000 and like CPs, are designed to control significant hazards identified during the hazard analysis that are not under the HACCP plan (i.e. critical hazards). Your view is certainly supportive of our approach. We continue to have difficulties in calibrating these two terminologies with auditors on common grounds but we are not overly concern with this divergence and stand firm with our documentaton. Instead we merely intensify our selection critieria for food auditors / CBs before we approve their appointment. No matter, Auditees still rule!

[Soon Loy]

Just wish to inform that we have successfully achieved FSSC22000 and BRC-Food (Issue 5) in an integrated audit recently. Although the issue on the interpretation of OPRP was raised by the auditor, all verification activity data/evidence were in place to support the system. So it was kind of anti-climax as we maintain our position that OPRP is CP even though the auditor had other ideas! Thanks to those who participated on this thread.