Skip main navigation

New offer! Get 30% off one whole year of Unlimited learning. Subscribe for just £249.99 £174.99. New subscribers only. T&Cs apply

Find out more

HACCP

What is HACCP and where did it originate. This article gives an overview of HACCP, its origins and how hazards are controlled.
The HACCP Food Safety system was designed to keep food safe for astronauts whilst in space
Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Points (HACCP) is a Food Safety Control System that originated in the USA to prevent food poisoning of astronauts whilst in space.

You can read more about the history here.

Every finished product that is served to a customer goes through several processes from farming, packaging, storing, delivering, storing until needed, thawing, preparing, holding and serving. Each step in the process has potential food safety hazards that can cause customers to become ill.

The Food Production Chain

The Food Chain: Food that is served goes through steps to get from the farm to the table, this is called the food chain. At each step in the food chain there are potential hazards that need to be controlled through food safety management systems such as HACCP

A HACCP plan maps out each process, identifies hazards and looks for ways to reduce them to safe levels or eliminate the hazards completely.

The following process flow chart shows each step of a Cooked Chicken Process. HACCP requires that each food production process is documented showing each step in the process, the hazards that are identified at each food processing stage and how each of these hazards can either be eliminated or controlled. All of the processes, hazards and control measures must be documented.

HACCP Process: Cooked Chicken

Example of a HACCP Hazard Process Analysis

© International Culinary Studio
This article is from the free online

Introduction to HACCP for Food Safety

Created by
FutureLearn - Learning For Life

Reach your personal and professional goals

Unlock access to hundreds of expert online courses and degrees from top universities and educators to gain accredited qualifications and professional CV-building certificates.

Join over 18 million learners to launch, switch or build upon your career, all at your own pace, across a wide range of topic areas.

Start Learning now