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The HACCP 7 Principles provide the foundation of a systematic approach to identifying, evaluating, and controlling food safety hazards.
HACCP—Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points—focuses on prevention rather than relying solely on finished-product testing. The seven principles guide food businesses through hazard analysis, identification of Critical Control Points (CCPs), establishment of critical limits, monitoring, corrective actions, verification, and record keeping.
This guide explains each of the seven HACCP principles, how they relate to the 12 steps of HACCP, and how businesses can apply them in a practical food safety system.
Reviewed by Reza Eslami
CEO & Co-Founder, Arnika
25+ years of experience in food safety, HACCP, SFCR, SQF, GMP, and regulatory compliance.
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What Is HACCP?
HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points. It is a systematic, preventive approach to identifying and controlling significant food safety hazards associated with food production and handling.
For a comprehensive explanation of HACCP, see Arnika’s HACCP Guide.
The HACCP 7 Principles
The foundation of the HACCP system is its seven principles. These principles form part of the broader HACCP system in Canada and are applied through hazard analysis, process controls, monitoring, corrective actions, verification and documentation.
Conduct a Hazard Analysis
This first step involves identifying all potential hazards (biological, chemical, or physical) that could affect food safety. By understanding where hazards occur, businesses can develop effective control strategies.
Example: A food processor might identify bacteria like Salmonella as a biological hazard and implement controls to mitigate contamination.
Identify Critical Control Points (CCPs)
CCPs are stages in the production process where hazards can be controlled or eliminated. This step involves identifying these points and ensuring appropriate measures are in place to prevent hazards from causing harm.
Example: Cooking or chilling stages in food processing are often considered CCPs because they can control microbial growth.
Establish Critical Limits
For each CCP, critical limits are set. These limits are measurable criteria (e.g., temperature, pH) that define acceptable conditions for controlling hazards. If a critical limit is exceeded, it indicates a potential safety issue.
Example: A validated cooking process may establish a specific time/temperature critical limit appropriate to the product, process, and hazard being controlled.
Establish Monitoring Procedures
Monitoring CCPs is essential to ensure that critical limits are being met. This involves setting up procedures and assigning responsibilities to check the process at each critical control point.
Example: Regularly checking the temperature of a cooking process to ensure it meets the required limit.
Establish Corrective Actions
When monitoring reveals that a critical limit has been exceeded, corrective actions must be taken. These actions prevent the affected product from reaching consumers and ensure that the issue is resolved.
Example: If a critical limit is exceeded, the business follows its established corrective-action procedure, including product control, assessment, documentation, and appropriate corrective measures.
Establish Verification Procedures
Verification ensures that the HACCP system is functioning correctly. This might involve reviewing records, conducting audits, and testing products to confirm that hazards are being controlled effectively.
Example: Periodically reviewing temperature records and conducting microbiological tests to verify that CCPs are under control.
Establish Record-Keeping and Documentation Procedures
Keeping accurate records is crucial for maintaining an effective HACCP system. Documentation should include hazard analyses, CCP monitoring, corrective actions, and verification procedures.
Example: A logbook tracking cooking temperatures, monitoring checks, and corrective actions taken when critical limits are exceeded.
12 Steps of HACCP
The first five steps are preparatory activities, followed by the seven HACCP principles.
- Assemble the HACCP team
- Describe the product
- Identify the intended use
- Construct a flow diagram of the process
- Verify the flow diagram
- Conduct a hazard analysis (Principle 1)
- Determine CCPs (Principle 2)
- Establish critical limits for each CCP (Principle 3)
- Establish monitoring procedures (Principle 4)
- Establish corrective actions (Principle 5)
- Establish verification procedures (Principle 6)
- Establish record-keeping and documentation (Principle 7)
HACCP Training
HACCP training is vital for ensuring that all employees understand the HACCP 7 principles and procedures.
HACCP training helps employees understand hazard analysis, CCP monitoring, corrective actions, verification, and food safety responsibilities relevant to their roles.
HACCP Implementation Costs
The cost of developing and implementing a HACCP system depends on the size and complexity of the operation, number of products and processes, existing food safety programs, documentation needs, training requirements, and implementation support required.
Need help developing or implementing a HACCP system?
Arnika provides HACCP consulting in Canada, including hazard analysis, HACCP plan development, implementation support, training and audit preparation.
Conclusion
The seven HACCP principles provide a structured framework for identifying and controlling significant food safety hazards.
From hazard analysis and CCP determination to monitoring, corrective actions, verification, and record keeping, the principles work together as part of a preventive food safety system.
Businesses should apply these principles to their own products, processes, hazards, and operational conditions rather than relying on generic templates.
For a broader explanation of HACCP and its implementation, see Arnika’s HACCP Guide.
Need help developing or implementing HACCP?
Arnika provides HACCP consulting, training, auditing, and certification-readiness support across Canada.
HACCP 7 Principles FAQs
What is HACCP training?
HACCP training teaches employees and food safety teams how to apply hazard analysis, CCP controls, monitoring, corrective actions, verification, and record keeping within a HACCP-based system.
How long does it take to implement HACCP?
The timeline depends on the size and complexity of the operation, number of products and processes, existing prerequisite programs, documentation, employee training, and level of consulting support required. A business should allow enough time not only to develop the system but also to implement and verify it.
What does HACCP stand for?
HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points. For a focused explanation of the term and its Canadian context, see What Does HACCP Stand For?.
Why is hazard analysis important in HACCP?
Hazard analysis is the first HACCP principle and helps identify and evaluate biological, chemical, physical, and other relevant food safety hazards associated with the product and process. The results help determine appropriate control measures and whether hazards need to be managed at Critical Control Points.