From Hazard Analysis to Monitoring: A Guide to HACCP Plan Development
- August 25, 2026
- 5:52 am
Food safety planning focuses on preventing problems before they occur. In a food operation, this means identifying potential hazards, determining where they need to be controlled, and establishing procedures to help keep food safe throughout the process.
HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) is a preventive food safety system used to identify, evaluate, and control biological, chemical, and physical hazards associated with food.
For food industry professionals in Canada, the USA, and other regions, understanding how a HACCP plan is developed can be useful when participating in HACCP teams and food safety activities.
But what does HACCP plan development actually involve?
A HACCP plan is built around seven principles: hazard analysis, determining Critical Control Points, establishing critical limits, monitoring, corrective actions, verification, and record keeping. Understanding how these principles work together can make the HACCP process easier to apply.
What Is a HACCP Plan?
A HACCP plan is a structured approach used to identify food safety hazards and establish controls for managing those hazards during a food process.
Developing a HACCP plan requires an understanding of the food product, the steps involved in its production or handling, the hazards that may occur, and the measures available to control them.
Once developed, the plan provides a framework for activities such as monitoring, corrective actions, verification, and record keeping.
Understanding the 7 Principles of HACCP
The seven principles form the foundation of HACCP plan development. Together, they provide a systematic approach to identifying and controlling food safety hazards.
1. Conduct a Hazard Analysis
The first principle involves identifying potential biological, chemical, and physical hazards that may be associated with a food product or process.
The HACCP team evaluates the hazards at different steps and determines which hazards are significant and what control measures are appropriate.
2. Determine Critical Control Points
After hazards have been identified, the next step is to determine where control is essential to prevent, eliminate, or reduce an identified food safety hazard to an acceptable level.
These steps are known as Critical Control Points (CCPs). Not every step in a food process will necessarily be a CCP.
3. Establish Critical Limits
Critical limits define the criteria that must be met at an identified CCP to ensure that a food safety hazard is prevented, eliminated, or reduced to an acceptable level.
Depending on the process, critical limits may involve measurable factors such as temperature, time, pH, or other relevant conditions.
4. Establish Monitoring Procedures
Monitoring procedures explain how the conditions at a CCP will be checked and recorded.
Monitoring helps determine whether established critical limits are being maintained and can identify deviations that may require action.
A monitoring procedure should clearly establish what is being checked, how it is checked, when it is checked, and who is responsible for the activity.
5. Establish Corrective Actions
Corrective actions establish what should be done when monitoring shows that a critical limit has not been met.
Having defined procedures helps personnel respond to deviations, take appropriate corrective action, and document what was done according to the HACCP plan.
6. Establish Verification Procedures
Verification activities help determine whether the HACCP system is being followed and functioning as intended.
Verification may include reviewing HACCP records, evaluating procedures, or carrying out other activities to confirm that the HACCP system remains effective and is being implemented properly.
7. Establish Record-Keeping Procedures
The final principle focuses on maintaining appropriate HACCP records and documentation.
Records may provide evidence of monitoring, corrective actions, verification, and other HACCP activities. They can also help food safety teams review whether established procedures are being followed.
HACCP Teams and Plan Management
Developing a HACCP plan is not simply a documentation task. People who understand the food process and operations play an important role in the development, implementation, review, and maintenance of the HACCP system.
Depending on the operation, HACCP team members may include food safety professionals, quality assurance personnel, managers, supervisors, food manufacturing and processing staff, and others involved in food handling, storage, or distribution.
Their responsibilities may include:
- Developing and reviewing HACCP plans
- Assigning responsibilities for HACCP activities
- Reviewing monitoring and corrective-action records
- Participating in verification activities
- Maintaining HACCP documentation
When responsibilities are clearly understood, team members can better connect their day-to-day activities with the overall food safety system.
A Practical Example of HACCP Plan Development
Consider a food operation producing a ready-to-eat product.
The HACCP team begins by reviewing the different steps in the food process and identifying potential biological, chemical, and physical hazards. The team then evaluates those hazards and determines where control may be needed.
If a particular step is determined to be a Critical Control Point, the team establishes an appropriate critical limit and develops monitoring procedures for that CCP.
If monitoring identifies a deviation from the critical limit, the established corrective action is taken and documented. Verification activities can then help confirm that the HACCP system is being implemented and functioning as intended.
This example shows how the seven principles work together as part of one HACCP system rather than as separate activities.
HACCP and Food Safety Requirements in North America
HACCP principles are used across different food sectors and regions. For professionals working in North America, the specific food safety requirements applicable to a business can vary depending on factors such as location, product, facility, and type of operation.
In Canada, food businesses may be subject to requirements under the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR), which are administered and enforced by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).
In the United States, applicable food safety requirements may involve agencies such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), as well as legislation such as the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).
These requirements and regulatory frameworks are not identical, and businesses may have different responsibilities depending on their operations.
Choosing Online HACCP Training
For food industry professionals who want to build or strengthen their HACCP knowledge, online HACCP training can provide flexibility while allowing learners to manage existing work responsibilities.
When evaluating an online HACCP course, consider:
- Recognition or accreditation
- Coverage of the seven HACCP principles
- Practical examples and learning materials
- HACCP plan development and implementation
- Monitoring, verification, corrective actions, and documentation
- Flexible access to course materials
- Resources that support practical learning
A well-structured course should help learners understand both the individual HACCP principles and how they connect during plan development and implementation.
JS Food Safety Solutions provides an International HACCP Alliance-accredited, 100% online and self-paced HACCP training course. The course covers HACCP principles, hazard analysis, Critical Control Points, HACCP plan development and implementation, GMPs, SSOPs, SOPs, allergen control, monitoring, verification, and HACCP documentation.
The course includes one-year access and more than 100 templates, SOPs, and forms, along with real visuals and slides to support learning. The training is also regularly updated to provide current course material.
Final Thoughts
HACCP plan development provides a structured approach to identifying food safety hazards and establishing controls to manage them.
For food industry professionals in North America and other regions, understanding these principles can help build practical HACCP knowledge and support participation in food safety programs and HACCP-related responsibilities.