The Seven Principles of HACCP

Application of the Principles of HACCP

Principle 1 - Conduct a Hazard Analysis
The application of this principle involves listing the steps in the process and identifying
where significant hazards are likely to Occur. The HACCP team will focus on hazards that
can be prevented, eliminated or controlled by the HACCP plan. A justification for including
or excluding the hazard is reported and possible control measures are identified.
Principle 2 - Identify the Critical Control Points
A critical control point (CCP) is a point, step or procedure at which control can be applied
and a food safety hazard can be prevented, eliminated or reduced to acceptable levels. The
HACCP team will use a CCP decision tree to help identify the critical control points in the
process. A critical control point may control more that one food safety hazard or in some
cases more than one CCP is needed to control a single hazard. The number of CCP's needed
depends on the processing steps and the control needed to assure food safety.
Principle 3 - Establish Critical Limits
A critical limit (CL) is the maximum and/or minimum value to which a biological,
chemical, or physical parameter must be controlled at a CCP to prevent, eliminate, or reduce
to an acceptable level the occurrence of a food safety hazard. The critical limit is usually a
measure such as time, temperature, water activity (Aw), pH, weight, or some other measure
that is based on scientific literature and/or regulatory standards.
Principle 4- Monitor CCP
The HACCP team will describe monitoring procedures for the measurement of the critical
limit at each critical control point. Monitoring procedures should describe how the
measurement will be taken, when the measurement is taken, who is responsible for the
measurement and how frequently the measurement is taken during production.
Principle 5 - Establish Corrective Action
Corrective actions are the procedures that are followed when a deviation in a critical limit
occurs. The HACCP team will identify the steps that will be taken to prevent potentially
hazardous food from entering the food chain and the steps that are needed to correct the
process. This usually includes identification of the problems and the steps taken to assure that
the problem will not occur again.
Principle 6 - Verification
Those activities, other than monitoring, that determine the validity of the HACCP plan and
that the system is operating according to the plan. The HACCP team may identify activities
such as auditing of CCP's, record review, prior shipment review, instrument calibration and
product testing as part of the verification activities.
Principle 7 - Recordkeeping
A key component of the HACCP plan is recording information that can be used to prove
that the a food was produced safely. The records also need to include information about the
HACCP plan. Record should include information on the HACCP Team, product description,

flow diagrams, the hazard analysis, the CCP's identified, Critical Limits, Monitoring System,
Corrective Actions, Recordkeeping Procedures, and Verification Procedures.

HACCP Does not Stand Alone

The application of HACCP does not stand alone in a food processing facility. The plan
must be built on other food safety programs. Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) that are
practiced by the processing facility will support HACCP plan and will address food safety and
food quality issues that are not critical for the reduction of food safety hazards. Sanitation
Standard Operating Procedures (SSOP's) are required in federally inspected meat and poultry
operations and address procedures for clean facilities, equipment and personnel that are
necessary for all products produced in a facility.

HACCP

HACCP
1

Hazard

HACCP

HACCP

(CCP)

,
HACCP

CCP

CCP

CCP

(CL) /

CCP

(AW),

pH,

CCP

4-

HACCP

HACCP

HACCP

HACCP
,

CCP

Recordkeeping

HACCP

HACCP
HACCP,

CCP

Recordkeeping,

HACCP
HACCP

(GMP)
HACCP

(SSOP

GMP
A GMP is a system for ensuring that products are consistently produced and controlled
according to quality standards. It is designed to minimize the risks involved in any
pharmaceutical production that cannot be eliminated through testing the final product.

GMP

GMP

GHP
The Governor's Honors Program (GHP) is a prestigious six week summer instructional
program designed to provide intellectually gifted and artistically talented high school students
challenging and enriching educational opportunities not usually available during the regular
school year.
GHP

(GHP)

FSIS
The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is the public health agency in the U.S.
Department of Agriculture responsible for ensuring that the nation's commercial supply of
meat, poultry, and egg products is safe, wholesome, and correctly labeled and packaged.
FSIS
(FSIS)

SSOP
An SSOP is a written procedure that explains exactly how a certain cleaning task is
completed. These procedures may vary from farm to farm. The purpose of the SSOP is to
provide enough detail so employees can perform the task correctly by reading the procedure
without any additional instruction.
SSOP
SSOP

SSOP

Gas chromatography, is a common type of chromatography used in analytical chemistry for
separating and analyzing compounds that can be vaporized without decomposition.
chromatography chromatography

vaporized

decomposition
What
is
Gas
Chromatography?
Chromatography is the separation of a mixture of compounds (solutes) into separate
components. By separating the sample into individual components, it is easier to
identify (qualitate) and measure the amount (quantitate) of the various sample
components. There are numerous chromatographic techniques and corresponding
instruments. Gas chromatography (GC) is one of these techniques. It is estimated
that 10-20% of the known compounds can be analyzed by GC. To be suitable for GC
analysis, a compound must have sufficient volatility and thermal stability. If all or
some of a compounds molecules are in the gas or vapor phase at 400-450C or
below, and they do not decompose at these temperatures, the compound can
probably be analyzed by GC.
The main parts of a basic GC system are shown in Figure 1. One or more high purity
gases are supplied to the GC. One of the gases (called the carrier gas) flows into the
injector, through the column and then into the detector. A sample is introduced into
the injector usually with a syringe or an exterior sampling device. The injector is
usually heated to 150-250C which causes the volatile sample solutes to vaporize.
The vaporized solutes are transported into the column by the carrier gas. The column
is maintained in a temperature controlled oven. The solutes travel through the
column at a rate primarily determined by their physical properties, and the
temperature and composition of the column. The various solutes travel through the
column at different rates. The fastest moving solute exits (elutes) the column first
then is followed by the remaining solutes in corresponding order. As each solute
elutes from the column, it enters the heated detector. An electronic signal is
generated upon interaction of the solute with the detector. The size of the signal is
recorded by a data system and is plotted against elapsed time to produce a
chromatogram.

Chromatography

Chromatography ()

()

chromatographic
chromatography

(quantitate)

(GC)

10-20% GC
GC,

400-450 C

GC

GC 1

GC
)

heated
150-250

vaporize
vaporized

oven

(elutes)

elutes

chromatogram