3.3 HACCP
Key Takeaways
- HACCP is a proactive, prevention-based food-safety system built on 7 principles applied in order.
- Principle 1 is hazard analysis; Principle 2 identifies critical control points (CCPs) - the steps where a hazard can be prevented, eliminated, or reduced.
- A critical limit (Principle 3) is the measurable boundary a CCP must meet, such as cooking chicken to 165 degrees F.
- Monitoring (4) checks CCPs, corrective action (5) fixes deviations, verification (6) confirms the plan works, and recordkeeping (7) documents it.
- HACCP follows the flow of food and is the core of active managerial control, which prevents hazards rather than reacting to inspection findings.
What HACCP Is and Why It Matters
HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points. It is a proactive, prevention-based system: instead of catching problems after they happen, HACCP designs safety into the process. The exam treats it as the backbone of food protection, so know the 7 principles in order - they are sequential, each built on the previous one.
The Flow of Food
HACCP follows the flow of food - the path an ingredient takes through your operation: receiving, storing, preparing, cooking, cooling, reheating, holding, and serving. Hazards can enter at any step, so a HACCP plan examines every stage.
The 7 HACCP Principles (In Order)
| # | Principle | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Conduct a hazard analysis | Identify biological, chemical, and physical hazards in each menu item and step |
| 2 | Determine critical control points (CCPs) | Find the steps where control prevents, eliminates, or reduces a hazard |
| 3 | Establish critical limits | Set the measurable boundary each CCP must meet |
| 4 | Establish monitoring procedures | Decide how and how often each CCP is checked |
| 5 | Establish corrective actions | Plan what to do when a critical limit is not met |
| 6 | Establish verification procedures | Confirm the system is working (review records, calibrate, audit) |
| 7 | Establish recordkeeping | Document everything - logs, temperatures, corrective actions |
A memory aid: Hazards, CCPs, Critical limits, Monitor, Correct, Verify, Record.
Critical Control Points vs. Critical Limits
These two terms are tested constantly and are easy to confuse.
- A critical control point (CCP) is a step in the process where control can be applied to prevent, eliminate, or reduce a hazard to a safe level - for example, cooking or cooling. Not every step is a CCP; CCPs are the points where losing control creates an unacceptable risk.
- A critical limit is the measurable value that the CCP must meet - for example, cooking chicken to 165 degrees F for 15 seconds. A critical limit is a number you can check with a thermometer, timer, or test strip.
Think of it this way: the CCP is the where, the critical limit is the how much.
Monitoring and Corrective Action
Monitoring is the planned checking of each CCP - for instance, taking the chicken's temperature at the end of cooking and logging it. Corrective action is the predetermined response when a critical limit is missed: continue cooking the chicken until it reaches 165 degrees F, and document what happened. Corrective actions must be decided in advance so staff act consistently.
Active Managerial Control
HACCP is the engine of active managerial control - the FDA's term for an operation taking deliberate, ongoing steps to prevent the foodborne-illness risk factors, rather than waiting for an inspector to find violations. As a CDM you build the plan, train staff, monitor records, and adjust procedures. This is the difference between a department that manages safety and one that merely reacts to citations.
HACCP vs. SOP
Do not confuse HACCP with a standard operating procedure (SOP). An SOP describes how a routine task is performed for consistency (how to set up the salad station). A HACCP plan is hazard-based, centered on CCPs and critical limits with monitoring and corrective action.
In a HACCP plan, the instruction "cook all poultry to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F for 15 seconds" is an example of which element?
Which sequence correctly lists the FIRST three HACCP principles in order?
A monitoring check shows a batch of cooked chicken came off the line at 150 degrees F. The cook returns it to the oven until it reaches 165 degrees F and records the event. This response is an example of which HACCP principle?