HACCP

HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) is a science-based system that prevents food safety hazards by finding the steps where control is essential, setting limits there, and monitoring, correcting, verifying and recording them.

  • Food safety
  • Food safety programs

HACCP is a structured approach that identifies biological, chemical and physical hazards and controls them at specific process steps instead of depending on testing the finished product. The common U.S. model, adopted by the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods in August 1997, begins with five preliminary tasks, such as forming a team and checking a flow diagram on site. It then applies seven principles: hazard analysis, critical control points, critical limits, monitoring, corrective actions, verification and record-keeping. HACCP rests on prerequisite programs like sanitation, pest control, supplier control and training.

HACCP turns food safety into a planned, written routine rather than guesswork, and it catches problems while food is being made. U.S. rules require HACCP for seafood processors (since December 18, 1997), juice processors and USDA-inspected meat and poultry plants, which must reassess their plans at least once a year. Internationally, the Codex Alimentarius General Principles of Food Hygiene include a dedicated HACCP section, and a recent revision moved it from an annex into the main text.

Key facts

HACCP principles
7
Preliminary tasks
5
NACMCF adoption
August 14, 1997
USDA meat and poultry plan reassessment
At least annually (9 CFR 417.4)

In a bakery or commercial kitchen

  • Form a small team, describe each product and who eats it, then draw the process flow and walk it to confirm
  • Name a step a critical control point only when control there is essential, such as a validated bake step
  • Set measurable critical limits, such as a minimum oven temperature and bake time, and record them for every batch
  • Have whoever does the monitoring date and sign or initial each record at the time it is made
  • Keep prerequisite programs running, including cleaning, pest control, supplier approval, equipment upkeep and staff training

For home and cottage bakers

  • Borrow the HACCP mindset: find the riskiest step in a recipe and control it, for example by baking fully
  • Trust a food thermometer and a timer over looks when a step is critical for safety

Related entries

Sources

Written by VanillaGoods in our own words from these sources. Last reviewed October 17, 2026.

  1. HACCP Principles & Application Guidelines, U.S. Food and Drug Administration
  2. 9 CFR Part 417: Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Systems, Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR)
  3. Guidance for Industry: Questions and Answers on HACCP Regulation for Fish and Fishery Products, U.S. Food and Drug Administration
  4. Guidance for Industry: Questions and Answers on Juice HACCP Regulation, U.S. Food and Drug Administration
  5. Codex60 / Jenny Scott explores the revised General Principles of Food Hygiene, FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission