Preliminary information

  • HACCP team membership and relevant expertise.
  • Product description, ingredients, processing, packaging, storage, shelf life, and distribution.
  • Intended use and intended consumers, including vulnerable populations where relevant.
  • A complete process-flow diagram verified against actual operations.

Hazard analysis

The hazard analysis should identify potential hazards at each relevant step, explain which hazards require control, and document the basis for each significant decision. The reasoning matters: unsupported “yes/no” tables are difficult to defend and easy to misapply.

The HACCP plan table

  • Significant food safety hazards and the applicable CCP.
  • Critical limits for each CCP.
  • Monitoring: what, how, frequency, and responsibility.
  • Corrective actions for the process and affected product.
  • Verification activities and responsibilities.
  • Records created by monitoring, corrective action, and verification.

Supporting programs and documents

A usable HACCP system also needs prerequisite programs, work instructions, monitoring forms, calibration controls, record-review expectations, validation evidence, training, document control, reassessment triggers, and management support.