Implementation of the FMEA Method as a Support for the HACCP System in the Polish Food Industry

Abstract The main objective of the work was to assess the possibility of using and implementing the FMEA method as an effective support for the HACCP system in a selected food industry enterprise. The research entity was a food enterprise located in central Poland and the subject of the research was canned meat with gravy in glass jars and their production line. In the study, programs such as draw.io, Excel, and Statistica were used. The study was conducted based on interviews with company employees, value stream analysis and nonconformance reports. During the site visit, an assessment of the company’s infrastructure was also carried out to evaluate the possibility of implementing the FMEA method. Data analysis showed that in the examined company there are non-compliances with varying degrees of impact on the final quality of the product or on the production process of this product. The analysis of the company’s infrastructure, in turn, confirms that it is possible to integrate the HACCP system with the FMEA method. The results indicate that the synergy of HACCP and FMEA will bring benefits to the company in the form of improved risk management, quality control and safety in food production. The results of this study suggest that implementing such a connection may bring many, various benefits to food companies not only in Poland but also in another countries.