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A Food Safety Management
System Based on the Principles
of Hazard Analysis and Critical
Control Point (HACCP)
1. Summary
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) is a systematic approach to
identifying and controlling hazards (i.e. microbiological, chemical or physical)
that could pose a danger to the preparation of safe food. HACCP involves:

• identifying what can go wrong

• planning to prevent it

• making sure you are doing it.

In simple terms, it involves controlling the safety of ingredients and supplies

coming into a food business and what is done with them thereafter.

Since 1998 it has been a legal requirement for all food businesses to have a
food safety management system based on the principles of HACCP.

Meeting this requirement can be achieved in a number of ways that best suits
the business. This will range from the food business operator:
1. Developing a formal HACCP system or
2. Following a recognised industry guide to good practice

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 3. In the case of a business undertaking simple food operations (e.g. service of
pre-packaged food) the correct implementation of the prerequisite hygiene
requirements may be sufficient to control all hazards.

The aim of this booklet is to give advice on the application of the HACCP principles.

2. The Benefits of HACCP to Food Businesses

HACCP provides businesses with a cost effective system for control
of food safety from ingredients through production, storage and
distribution to sale and service to the final consumer. The preventive
approach of HACCP not only improves food safety management but
also complements other quality management systems. The main
benefits of HACCP are:

Saves your business money in the long run

Avoids you poisoning your customers
Food safety standards increase
E nsures you are compliant with the law
Food quality standards increase
Organises your process to produce safe food
O rganises your staff promoting teamwork and efficiency
Due diligence defence in court.

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3. Prerequisites (Prerequisite Hygiene 4. Getting Started (Pre-Planning)
Requirements)
Once the prerequisites are in place you can begin to build HACCP on
Before implementing HACCP, food businesses must already be top of these. The first things to do are:
operating to standards of good hygiene practice by having in place
1. Ensure staff involved in the development of the HACCP system
appropriate prerequisites. HACCP can then be used to control steps
have a basic understanding of HACCP. If it is necessary to hire a
in the business which are critical in ensuring the preparation of safe
HACCP consultant, businesses should ensure staff understand how
food. The National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) has produced
the system works and are suitably trained to ensure effective
sector specific Irish Standards (I.S.) to good hygiene practice. All food
implementation.
businesses are advised to use the appropriate standard for their sector
(e.g. catering, retail, processing). 2. Depending on the size of the business assemble staff into
a team, with a team leader to lead in designing and
Prerequisites include, where appropriate:
implementing HACCP. In the case of a small business, one person
1. Cleaning and Sanitation may develop the HACCP system. The team should have a good
knowledge of your business. Initially, your team will be required
2. Maintenance
to spend a reasonable amount of time and effort to develop and
3. Personnel Hygiene and Training implement the HACCP system.

4. Pest Control 3. Describe your product(s) and the intended use by consumers
and then depending on the size of the business draw up a flow
5. Plant and Equipment
diagram to show each step of your operation. Walk through your
6. Premises and Structure operation to confirm that the flow diagram is correct and check
that it covers all the foods your business produces.
7. Services (compressed air, ice, steam, ventilation, water etc.)
Now you are ready to apply the principles of HACCP.
8. Storage, Distribution and Transport

9. Waste Management

10. Zoning (physical separation of activities to prevent potential

food contamination).

Also available from NSAI is the standard I.S. 22000:2005, an

international standard which outlines a food safety management
system based on the principles of HACCP.

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5. Principles of HACCP
There are seven principles of HACCP. A food safety management 4. Establish a system to monitor control of the CCP
system based on these seven principles will enable hazards to be
When CCPs and critical limits have been identified it is important
identified and controlled before they threaten the safety of your food
to have a way to monitor and record what is happening at each
and the health of your customers.
CCP. Typically, monitoring will involve measuring parameters
1. Identify the hazards such as temperature and time. However, how you monitor and
how often will depend on the size and nature of your business.
Look at each step (e.g. purchasing, delivery, storage,
Monitoring should in all cases be simple, clear and easy to use
preparation, cooking, chilling etc.) in your operation and identify
e.g. recording the final cooking temperature and time for a
what can go wrong e.g. Salmonella in a cooked chicken product
cooked beef burger.
due to cross contamination with raw meat (biological hazard),
contamination of uncovered food with detergent (chemical 5. Establish the corrective action to be taken when monitoring
hazard) or a piece of broken glass falling into uncovered food indicates that a particular CCP is not under control
(physical hazard).
When monitoring indicates that a CCP is not under control,
2. Determine the critical control points (CCPs) corrective action must be taken (e.g. the temperature of cooked
meat in a refrigerator rises to >10°C for over 24 hours due to a
Once hazards have been identified you must ensure that they
technical fault in the refrigerator. The cooked meat is destroyed
are adequately controlled. In general, the majority of hazards
and the refrigerator is repaired by the manufacturer to maintain
are controlled by ensuring that you are operating an effective
new cooked meat supplies at the correct temperature of ≤5°C).
pre-requisite programme, i.e. good hygiene practices (see
Section 3). 6. Establish procedures for verification to confirm the HACCP
system is working effectively
A Critical Control Point (commonly referred to as ‘CCP’) is a step
in food processing where a control procedure must be applied Review and correct the system periodically and whenever you
to prevent a food safety hazard occurring or reduce it to a safe make changes to your operation e.g. microbiological analysis of a
level. It is the last chance to control a hazard before the food chicken product to verify that it is free of Salmonella after cooking.
is sold. For example, cooking beef burgers to a minimum core
temperature of 70°C for 2 minutes or equivalent (e.g. 75°C
instantaneously) will kill E. coli O157 and other pathogens.

3. Establish critical limit(s)

Set limits to enable you to identify when a CCP is out of

control e.g. the temperature at the centre of a beef burger
following cooking must reach a minimum 70°C for 2 minutes,
or equivalent (e.g. 75°C instantaneously).

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7. Establish documentation concerning all procedures and National Standards Authority of Ireland
records appropriate to these principles and their application • I.S. 340:2007. Hygiene in the Catering Sector
For the successful implementation of HACCP, appropriate • I.S. 341:2007. Hygiene in Food Retailing and Wholesaling
documentation and records must be kept and be readily
available. e.g. cooking temperatures, delivery or cleaning • I.S. 22000:2005. Food Safety Management Systems
records. It is unrealistic to operate HACCP or to demonstrate
compliance with the current legislation without providing 7. Legislation
evidence such as written records. As with HACCP itself, the
Regulation (EC) No. 852/2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs.
complexity of the record keeping will very much depend on
Regulation (EC) No. 178/2002 laying down the general
the nature and complexity of the business. The aim should be
principles and requirements of food law, establishing
to ensure control is maintained without generating excessive
the European Food Safety Authority and laying down
paperwork.
procedures in matters of food safety.

6. Further Information
REMEMBER
Food Safety Authority of Ireland
Since April 1998, food businesses have
• HACCP Booklets been required by law to have a food
- What is HACCP? safety management system based on the
- Terminology Explained principles of HACCP.
- How to Select an External HACCP Consultant
- HACCP: A Food Safety Management System for Catering

• Guidance Note No. 10. Product Recall and Traceability

• Guidance Note No. 11. Assessment of HACCP Compliance (Revision 2)

• Guide to Food Safety Training - Level 1 Induction Skills and Level 2:

Additional Skills

• Guide to Food Safety Training - Level 3: Food Safety Skills for

Management.

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Email: info@fsai.ie
Website: www.fsai.ie
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© 2014