The Seven Principles of HACCP

The seven HACCP principles provide the foundation for developing and operating an effective HACCP plan.

1. Conduct hazard analysis and identify control measures

Conduct hazard analysis and identify control measures. Hazards may be biological, chemical or physical agents capable of causing harm. Assess potential hazards in raw materials, processes, finished products and the production environment to identify those significant for food safety and select effective controls.

2. Determine critical control points (CCPs)

Determine critical control points (CCPs): steps at which control is essential to prevent, eliminate or reduce a significant food safety hazard to an acceptable level. A CCP is a specific point in the process where a suitable control measure is applied.

3. Establish validated critical limits

Establish validated critical limits that distinguish acceptable from unacceptable operation at each CCP. Limits should be measurable or observable as appropriate and suitable for timely control. A limit may concern a parameter directly related to the hazard, rather than measurement of the hazard itself.

4. Establish a system to monitor CCPs

Establish monitoring of each CCP. Planned observations or measurements show whether the CCP is under control and enable timely detection of deviations. Monitoring supports control; it cannot guarantee that a limit will never be exceeded.

5. Establish corrective actions

Establish corrective actions in advance and act promptly when a critical limit is not met. Restore control, identify and manage affected product, address the cause and record the action. Early detection can reduce the amount of affected product.

6. Validate the HACCP plan and establish verification procedures

Validate the HACCP plan and establish verification procedures. Validation provides evidence that the planned controls can work; verification checks that the system is implemented and operating as intended. Review individual controls and the overall system, including CCPs, records and actual practice, to assess the plan’s reliability and effectiveness.

7. Establish documentation and records

Establish documentation and records. Records demonstrate how the HACCP plan was developed and operated and provide evidence of monitoring, deviations, actions and review. They must be controlled and retrievable to support effective implementation.

Codex CXC 1-1969