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 1. An Introduction to Hazard
Analysis and Critical
Control Point (HACCP)
for Food Catering
Businesses
A Food Safety Management
System

1. Introduction
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 threat 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

ingredients and supplies coming into a
catering business and what is done with
them thereafter.

2
2. Scope
Businesses that are considered to be within the scope of this
document will collectively be referred to as catering businesses
and include such premises as hotels, restaurants, public houses,
take-aways, sandwich bars, delicatessens, coffee shops, street
vendors, mobile shops, vending machines, outside catering
companies, hospitals and other institution catering operations.
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3. Purpose
This document is not a HACCP system. It is a guide for catering
businesses to assist in the development and implementation of
their own HACCP only after appropriate prerequisites are in place
(see Section 5). The nature and the complexity of each individual
HACCP will, in practice, depend on the nature and
complexity of the specific catering business.
Users of this document should also consult the
National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI)
standard I.S. 343:2000, which outlines a food
safety management system based on the
principles of HACCP.
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4. Legal Obligations
Since 1998 it has been a legal requirement for all catering businesses to their business and that their employees are suitably trained to ensure
to have a food safety management system based on the principles of effective implementation. See FSAI publication Choosing an External
HACCP. The European Communities Hygiene of Foodstuffs Regulations, HACCP Consultant for further information.
2000 (S.I. No. 165 of 2000) outline what is required by catering
It is unrealistic to operate HACCP or to demonstrate compliance with the
businesses in terms of food safety management based on the principles
current legislation without providing evidence such as written records.
of HACCP. The proprietor of a catering business has a legal obligation
As with HACCP itself, the complexity of the record keeping will very
to understand what the Hygiene of Foodstuffs Regulations demand and
much depend on the nature and complexity of the business. The aim
be able to explain how they have been applied in a catering business.
should be to ensure control is maintained without generating excessive
Environmental health officers (EHOs) currently assess catering businesses paperwork.
for compliance with the aforementioned legislation. It is the
responsibility of the catering business, not the EHO or other regulatory
authorities, to develop and implement a food safety management
system based on the principles of HACCP.

Food safety training is essential to all catering businesses

in ensuring the preparation and service of safe food. It is
a legal requirement that employees involved in a catering
business are adequately trained and/or supervised
commensurate with their work activity. The
responsibility for training and supervision of
employees (full-time, part-time or casual) lies
solely with the proprietor of a catering business.
See Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI)
publications Guide to Food Safety Training – Levels
One, Two and Three for further information.

Where a HACCP system has been devised by an

external consultant it is essential that there is
appropriate ownership of the system by the
catering business itself. Proprietors using external
consultants should ensure they know how the
HACCP system works and how it is being applied

4
5. Prerequisites (Safety Support Measures)*
Before implementing HACCP, basic food hygiene conditions and information. Some businesses use external consultants to
practices called prerequisites must to be in place in a food catering assist with HACCP design and implementation. See FSAI
business. HACCP will then be used to control steps in the business publication Choosing an External HACCP Consultant for further
which are critical in ensuring the preparation of safe food. information.
Prerequisites include where appropriate:
2. Depending on the size of the business assemble staff into
1. Cleaning and Sanitation 8. Storage, Distribution and a small team, with a team leader to lead in designing and
2. Maintenance Transport implementing HACCP. Use experienced members of your
3. Personnel Hygiene 9. Waste Management staff. In a small business, of course, it may be that there is
4. Pest Control 10. Zoning (physical separation of only one staff member available to design and implement
5. Plant and Equipment activities to prevent potential the HACCP system. The advantage of a team is that
food contamination) members tend to have in-depth knowledge of
6. Premises and Structure
7. Services (compressed air, ice, all aspects of the operation which reduces
steam, ventilation, water etc.) the risk of details being overlooked. In
addition a team setup will instil
Catering businesses should refer to NSAI standard I.S. 340:1994, ownership of HACCP by the catering
for further details on prerequisite requirements. See also FSAI business.
Guidance Note 10 - Product Recall and Traceability for further
3. Examine the business and make sure all
information.
members of the HACCP team are familiar
with its daily food preparation procedures.
6. HACCP
* New Codex Alimentarius Definition
HACCP uses an approach to food safety which concentrates a caterer’s
attention on the causes of food safety hazards. This allows a caterer
to identify and control food safety hazards. The development and
implementation of HACCP involves following a series of logical steps
as outlined in Sections 6.1 to 6.8.

6.1 Pre-Planning and Organisation

1. It is accepted that some catering businesses will not
have the skills or knowledge necessary to develop and
implement HACCP. Therefore the proprietor of a catering
business must ensure staff are trained in the concepts of
HACCP and provided with appropriate HACCP

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 6.2 Describing Your Foods
Look at all the foods that the catering business prepares.
Write down a description of each food. In so doing you will be
able to collect information which will be useful in identifying
hazards and determining controls later. Information which can
be collected which is useful will include:
1. A list of all ingredients used in the preparation of foods
2. A list of all food storage conditions
3. The sequence of steps in the preparation of a food.
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6.4
6
6.3 Identifying Hazards
For many catering businesses, identification of hazards is
probably the most difficult part of designing a HACCP system,
often due to lack of expertise. Training in HACCP is often not
sufficient to allow staff to identify hazards unless staff have
an appropriate understanding of microbiological and chemical
hazards in foods. Initially, try and find areas in the business
which could be considered as potential food safety hazards
(i.e. danger). If you find any hazards try and identify what
safety controls you may already have in place or what controls
would be necessary to eliminate or reduce the hazard to a safe
level. Physical hazards (e.g. glass) in foods are often easier to
identify as staff with an awareness of hygiene prerequisites
can identify and manage such hazards effectively.
Flow-diagrams are sometimes used to describe the sequence
of events in preparing a food from purchase of ingredients to
sale or service and can help in identifying hazards. By carefully
working through each step in a flow-diagram a catering
business can identify most hazards at each step in the
preparation of a food. An example of a simple flow-diagram
is given in Annex 1.
Identifying Control Points and Critical Control Points
A control point is a point or step in food preparation where
control can be applied to help prevent a food safety hazard
occurring or reduce it to a safe level. Generally speaking
control can be monitored at a control point by ensuring that
the prerequisites (see Section 5) are in place. Some examples
of control points for chilled food are shown in Annex 2.
By contrast, a HACCP Critical Control Point (CCP) is a point or
step in food preparation in which control must be applied to
prevent a food safety hazard occurring or reduce it to a safe
level. It is the last chance to control a hazard before the food is
served. Some examples of HACCP CCP`s are shown in Annex 3.
 6.7 Corrective Action
HACCP CCPs do not need to be complex but they must be When monitoring of a CCP indicates that the critical limits have
effective, practical and understood by staff. It is important to not been complied with or adhered to, the catering business
note that prerequisite control points also require appropriate must have a procedure on what action should be taken to bring
control, monitoring and corrective action procedures. It is the the CCP back within critical limits (i.e. corrective action). All
lower level and frequency of control, monitoring and recording corrective action procedures should be documented and be
at control points which can be used to distinguish them from clear on the requirements for corrective action. Examples of
HACCP CCPs. An illustrative example of a control point could some corrective actions are given in Annex 3. Corrective action
be the daily reading and recording of a refrigerators air procedures should include the following:
temperature and a HACCP CCP could be the twice daily reading
1. What to do with the food
and recording of the foods temperature. It is important to
remember that if a catering businesses HACCP has too many 2. What to do to bring the process back under control
CCP`s, many of which may be in fact control points, the
3. Which member of staff has responsibility for carrying
effectiveness of that HACCP will be diminished.
out corrective action.
6.5 Identifying CCP Critical Limits
When a CCP has been identified it is important to give it a
critical limit by which the catering business can decide if a food
is safe or not. Typically, critical limits are expressed in terms of
parameters such as temperature and time. Examples of some
critical limits are given in Annex 3.

6.6 Identifying Monitoring Methods

When CCP`s and critical limits have been identified it is
important for the food catering business to have a way to
monitor and ultimately record what is happening at each
CCP during the preparation of a food. Typically monitoring
will involve measuring parameters such as temperature and
time. However, how you monitor and how often will depend on
the size and nature of your catering business. Monitoring should
in all cases be simple, clear and easy to do. Examples of some
monitoring methods are given in Annexes 2 and 3.

7
6.8 Reviewing HACCP 7. Further Information
The review, checking and updating of your HACCP is an ongoing Food Safety Authority of Ireland
and routine procedure which will always be part of any catering
1. Selecting an External HACCP Consultant
businesses HACCP. The purpose of the review is twofold. Firstly,
upon implementation of HACCP it should be verified that it is 2. Food Safety Management Based on the Principles
working as intended. On a regular basis it should be confirmed of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP)
that monitoring of CCPs is taking place and that control is being
3. Guidance Note No. 10. Product Recall and Traceability
maintained.
4. Guidance Note No. 11. Assesment of compliance with the HACCP
Secondly, the review should verify and
based element (Regulation 4.2) of the European Communities
validate that the HACCP, as designed, will
(Hygiene of foodstuffs) Regulations, 2000 (S.I. No. 165 of 2000)
ensure the safety of the food. The hazard
(Revision 1)
analysis, identification of CCP and control
procedures should be reviewed on a 5. Guide to Food Safety Training - Level One: Induction Skills
periodic basis (e.g. annually) and
6. Guide to Food Safety Training - Level Two: Additional Skills
whenever a change occurs in the
food business operation 7. Guide to Food Safety Training- Level Three: Food Safety Training
e.g. new equipment, Skills for Management.
which may affect
National Standards Authority of Ireland
food safety.
• Hygiene in the Catering Sector. I.S. 340: 1994.

• Food Safety Management Incorporating Hazard Analysis

Critical Control Point. I.S. 343: 2000.

8. Further Advice
• Contact your local health board (see back cover)

• Food Safety Authority of Ireland (see back cover)

8
Annex 1 Example of a Simple
PURCHASE
Flow-Diagram for a Food
Catering Business

RECEIPT/DELIVERY

AMBIENT/CHILLED/FROZEN
STORAGE

PREPARATION

COOKING

CHILLING HOT HOLDING

REGENERATION

SERVICE

9
Annex 2 Some Suggested Prerequisite Control Points

Step Hazards Control Points Control Measures Monitoring Corrective Action

Where appropriate
Use approved
conduct an annual
suppliers only and
Microbial, chemical audit of suppliers.
if possible have a Remove supplier
or physical Use approved Request a letter
Purchase food specification from approved
contamination suppliers only. of confirmation
agreed with the list.
already in the food. from the supplier
supplier before
on HACCP
delivery.
implementation.

Check food and Chilled foods Record

Microbial, chemical delivery vehicle should be ≤5°C temperature of the
or physical
Delivery of contamination in
temperatures. (≤2°C for minced food and delivery
meat). vehicle. Reject delivery and
Chilled Food the food on the All packages record findings.
(which will be delivery. should be correctly Air temperature in Check that the
subsequently cooked) date-stamped, the delivery vehicle and
Damaged labelled and not vehicle should be delivery personnel
packaging. damaged. 0°C to 2°C. are clean and tidy.

10
Annex 3 Some Suggested HACCP Critical Control Points (CCPs)

Critical Control Corrective

Step Hazards Critical Limits Monitoring
Points Action

Ensure the central Continue cooking

Check food part of the food until correct
Survival of temperature is
pathogenic temperature during reaches a Probe and check
cooking and the minimum of ≥70°C temperature/time reached.
Cooking microorganisms in
time the food for 2 minutes or of the food and
the food due to Review cooking
inadequate cooking. spends at these equivalent record. equipment,
temperatures. (e.g.75°C procedures and staff
instantaneously). training.

Ensure the central

part of the food
reaches a
Growth of Destroy and
Check food minimum of ≤5°C
pathogenic discard the food
temperature during in 150 minutes
microorganisms in Probe and check and record.
chilling and the following
Chilling the food due to temperature/time
time the food completion of Review chilling
inadequate cooking of the food and
spends at these cooking. equipment,
and/or slow record.
temperatures. procedures and
chilling. Store cooked,
staff training.
chilled foods at
≤3°C but not
greater than 5°C.

11
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