What process involves using an external company to verify the operation of a HACCP plan?

Validation is a critical step in the HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) process, as it involves ensuring that the system is effective in controlling food safety hazards. When an external company is brought in to verify the operation of a HACCP plan, they assess whether the measures, monitoring, and corrective actions in place are effective and produce the desired outcomes in terms of food safety. This third-party validation helps confirm that the food safety management practices are not only in compliance but also functioning as intended within the operational context.

In contrast, while accreditation refers to the recognition that an organization or program meets certain standards, and certification often denotes that an organization has complied with a specific standard, these terms are not directly tied to the procedural evaluation of a HACCP plan. Inspection, on the other hand, typically involves checking for compliance with regulations or standards but does not necessarily assess the system's effectiveness in the same way that validation does.