Flow Diagram
A Flow Diagram can help you to identify all of the process steps in your business, from ‘purchase of food’ through to ‘service to your customers’. By creating a Flow Diagram of your catering operation, you will be able to break your processes down into component parts - called process steps. This section offers guidance, provides an example and a template which will help you produce your own Flow Diagram.
For example, if your business carries out the following process steps:
- Purchase
- Storage -refrigerated/frozen/ambient
- Preparation -ready-to-eat/defrosting
- Cooking
- Cooling
- Reheating
- Service - hot and cold on site
Your Flow Diagram may look like this:
What you need to do now
- Start at the top of the Flow Diagram template and look at each process step, deciding whether it applies in your business.If you do carry out a process step,tick that process step box and follow the arrow to the next box, which usually sits below.Repeat this process all the way down through the Flow Diagram until you get to Service.
- When you tick a process step box to confirm that you carry out this process,read along to the right hand side of the page and tick the HACCP Chart link box.
- At some process steps you will need to make a further choice, e.g. 'Refrigerated Storage' and/or 'Frozen Storage' and/or‘Ambient Storage’. You will be able to use this column to show you which HACCP Charts will be relevant to your business. (refer to the HACCP Charts Section of this manual)
ONCE YOU HAVE DRAWN UP YOUR FLOW DIAGRAM, REMEMBER TO UPDATE THE FLOW DIAGRAM SECTION OF THE ACTION PLAN.
Important - You should be certain that your Flow Diagram accurately reflects every process step and covers all the food used in your business.
Flow diagram
Flow diagram (template for completion)