What is the second HACCP principle?

• A. Establish critical limits
• B. Determine the critical control points
• C. Establish monitoring procedures
• D. Establish record-keeping

Answer: (B)

In HACCP, hazards are analyzed first, and then you identify where in the process you must intervene. The second principle is determining the critical control points—the specific steps at which control measures are essential to prevent, eliminate, or reduce a food safety hazard to an acceptable level. A CCP is where a loss of control could result in a safety risk, so you must apply a control measure there.

For example, cooking to a defined internal temperature can be a CCP because it directly ensures pathogenic organisms are inactivated. Once CCPs are identified, you set critical limits for those points (like temperature and time), establish monitoring procedures to verify they are met, and keep records to show control is maintained.

The other items—setting critical limits, monitoring, and record-keeping—are important but belong to later stages of the HACCP plan: critical limits are defined for each CCP, monitoring ensures ongoing control, and record-keeping documents that control has been maintained.