Validation

Validation is the process of obtaining scientific or technical evidence that a food-safety control measure is capable of achieving its intended result. In a HACCP-based system, validation is used to support critical limits and process controls such as cooking, cooling, pasteurisation, curing, fermentation and reduced-oxygen packaging. The evidence must apply to the actual product and process.

How validation is established

Validation may use published scientific research, regulatory guidance, technical data, laboratory testing, challenge studies or assessment by a qualified process authority. The evidence should consider the food formulation, portion size, equipment, packaging, time, temperature and relevant hazards.

Examples in foodservice

• Cooking: supporting a time-temperature process that achieves the required pathogen reduction in a specified food.
• Cooling: demonstrating that a defined cooling method can bring a product through the required temperature range within the applicable limits.
• Sous-vide: establishing a suitable time-temperature process for the product thickness, packaging and equipment.
• Shelf life: supporting a refrigerated shelf-life claim with appropriate process and microbiological evidence.

Example: a restaurant adopts a sous-vide chicken process only after confirming that the specified product, thickness, bath temperature and holding time meet the applicable food-safety requirements.

Validation versus monitoring and verification

Validation establishes that the control can work. Monitoring checks the control during each production run. Verification confirms that the system is implemented and continues to function as intended.

Chef’s safety note: a temperature example in a recipe is not automatically a validated process. Follow local requirements and use a qualified process authority or recognised scientific guidance where necessary.