The 7 Governing Principles of HACCP 

Food safety stands for the proper care of edibles: foods and beverages. And to govern all establishments that produce or handle any edible good, the HACCP rules apply.

But what is HACCP?

HACCP, Hazard Analysis, and Critical Control Points is a systematic approach to identifying, evaluating, and controlling food safety hazards. At its core, HACCP is a preventative system highlighting and managing potential risks. To effectively implement HACCP, your business must follow seven governing principles.

Here they are:

1.   Conduct Hazard Analysis

This step involves identifying all potential hazards that could risk the food product’s safety.

These hazardous pathogens may be biological, chemical, or physical. Examples include pathogens like Salmonella, chemical contaminants, and foreign objects like metal or glass. This analysis aims to pinpoint where these hazards may occur in food production.

2.   Identify Critical Control Points (CCPs)

Once the inspectors uncover the hazards, the next step is determining critical control points. CCPs are all the phases in the food production process where you can apply control measures. These measures are to prevent, remove, or reduce the identified hazards to an acceptable and healthy level.

For instance, cooking, refrigeration, and pasteurization are often CCPs as they can effectively kill or inhibit the growth of pathogens.

3.   Establish Critical Limits

Critical limits are the rules, measures, or values that your business must meet at each CCP to ensure food safety. The inspectors base these limits on the available scientific research and regulatory standards.

An excellent example of a critical limit is to cook chicken until the internal temperature reaches at least 165°F to kill harmful bacteria. Particular limits are also set for cooking, baking, or frying other foods.

4.   Implement Monitoring Procedures

After setting the critical limits to all the foods you may be handling, next is to install monitoring procedures. These may involve systematical checks to ensure that CCPs are under control.

These continuous checks help highlight any deviations from critical limits early enough. You should document all the monitoring procedures and collect the data consistently.

5.   Establish Corrective Actions

Whether you like it or not, deviations in your CCPs may occur for one reason or another. And that is why this principle stands.

When a CCP limit causes an alarm, it’s essential to have corrective actions in place. These are the steps you take to bring the process back under control and ensure food safety. This might entail re-cooking, re-heating, or changing the systems, ruining the consistency.

You must also record and revisit such modifications periodically to see if it’s a pattern.

6.   Verification

Verification in HACCP involves the systematic review and validation of the system.

Verification ensures that the system works effectively to control hazards and that the critical limits remain valid. These activities may include reviewing monitoring records, conducting periodic audits, and testing for specific risks.

7.   Record-Keeping and Documentation

Lastly, the proper record-keeping and documentation are essential aspects. You must have detailed records for all aspects of the HACCP system.

These include records for all the governing principles: hazard analysis, CCPs, monitoring, corrective actions, and verification. These records prove that the system is being implemented correctly and effectively.

Conclusion

HACCP is a robust and science-based approach to food safety that protects public health. Whether you’re involved in food production or want to make informed choices about the food you consume, understanding HACCP principles is essential for ensuring the safety of our food supply chain.