Freezing Technology

8.1.10 Critical control points: Determination (Principle 2)

            The determination of CCPs is the 2^nd principle of HACCP.  The codex guidelines define a CCP as a step at which control can be applied and is essential to prevent or eliminate a food safety hazard or reduce it to an acceptable level. The determination of a CCP in the HACCP system can be facilitated by the application of a decision tree such as that included in the codex HACCP system and guidelines for its application which indicates a logical reasoning approach. 

Fig. Example of decision tree to identify critical control points.  

Q1. Do control preventive measures exist?                    ¬

            ¯                      ¯

         Yes                No

¯                                             ¯                                                                      ­

¯                                             Is control at this step            ® Yes ® Modify step, process or

products

¯                                             Necessary for safety?

¯                                             ¯

¯                                             No       ® not a CCP ® Stop *  

Q2. Is the step specifically designed to eliminate or reduce the likely occurrence of hazards to an acceptable level?

¯                                             ¯

No                    Yes ® CCP.

¯

Q3. Could contamination with identified hazards occur in excess of acceptable levels (or) could this increase to unacceptable levels? **

¯                                             ¯

Yes                  No     ® Not a CCP ® Stop *

           ¯     

Q4. Will a subsequent step identified hazard(s) or reduce likely occurrence to an acceptable level ?

           ¯                                             ¯

Yes                  No     ® CCP

            ¯

Not a CCP ® Stop * 

         

*Proceed to the next identified hazard in the described process

** Acceptable and unacceptable levels need to be defined within the overall objectives in identifying the CCPs of the HACCP plan.