Last updated on 19 Jan 2023
Food-borne illness is a preventable and under-reported public health problem. Each year, millions of illnesses can be attributed to contaminated food.
What is HACCP?
HACCP or Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points is a scientific and systematic approach to identify, assess and control hazards in the food production process. With the HACCP system, food safety control is integrated into the design of the process rather than relying on end-product testing. Therefore, HACCP provides a preventive and cost-effective approach to food safety.
Basic HACCP Practices
- 3-Sink System for proper washing, rinsing and sanitizing
- Proper fridge temperatures — Walk-in fridges: 2°C to 5°C; Deep freezers: -18°C to -22°C
- Fridge storage order (top to bottom): cooked food → vegetables → fish → poultry → red meat → forced/minced meat
- Cooking temperatures — Cook poultry to at least 63°C
- Serving temperatures — Hot food at least 60°C; Cold food at most 4°C
- Sanitizing sinks — Maintain proper sanitizing stations
- Chopping board colour codes — Brown: vegetables; Yellow: cooked meat; Red: raw meat; Blue: raw fish; Green: salads & fruits; White: dairy & bakery
The Seven Principles of HACCP
Initially, HACCP consisted of three principles:
- Identification and assessment of hazards associated with food from farm to fork
- Determination of the critical control points to control any identified hazard
- Establishment of limits for the critical control points
But now HACCP has expanded to seven principles including the initial three:
- Establish monitoring procedures for critical control points
- Establish corrective actions
- Establish verification procedures
- Establish a record system
In order to enhance food safety, every stage of the food production — from purchasing, receiving, transportation, storage, preparation, handling, cooking to serving — should be carried out and monitored scrupulously.
