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What is HACCP?

Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) is a systematic preventive approach to food safety and pharmaceutical safety that addresses all types of hazards as a means of prevention rather than finished product inspection.

HACCP is used in the food industry to identify potential food safety hazards, so that Critical Control Points (CCP's) can be put in place to reduce or eliminate risk. HACCP does not just apply to food preparation, but to all stages of food production such as packaging and distribution.

How does it affect my business?

Every food business must develop a management system for managing food safety. This plan should take into account good practice and adhere to the application of HACCP principles.

Do the Virtual College training courses cover this?

Yes. The Virtual College courses all contain a section on how to control food safety hazards at critical control points using a HACCP based Food Safety Management System.

Need more information?

The food standards agency provide lots of help about implementing HACCP. Probably the most useful thing for most businesses is the "FSA guidance on the requirements of food hygiene legislation, which along with many other useful documents can be found here