HACCP standard

HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points)

HACCP is a structured system for managing food safety throughout the production and distribution chain. Its purpose is to:

• identify and evaluate all potential hazards—whether physical, chemical, or microbiological—at every stage of food handling and processing;

• determine the preventive and control measures required to minimize or eliminate these risks;

• ensure that all safety measures are consistently applied and effectively maintained.

Core Components of the HACCP System

HACCP is built on two main elements:

• HA – Hazard Analysis: focuses on detecting possible hazards during each part of food production and assessing the severity of their impact on consumer health.

• CCP – Critical Control Points: these are key steps in the process where a hazard can be prevented, removed, or reduced to an acceptable level through targeted control measures.

Because of its flexibility, the HACCP framework can be applied to all categories of food products and to any stage of production or handling.

Food Industry Sectors That Require HACCP

Implementing HACCP is essential in several branches of the food industry, such as:

• manufacturing, processing, and packaging of food products;

• food storage, transportation, and distribution;

• institutional and commercial food preparation (hospitals, schools, hotels, restaurants, airline catering, etc.);

• retail food trade and hospitality services;

• organic food production.

Reasons for Implementing HACCP

HACCP plays a crucial role in ensuring that food placed on the market is safe for consumption. It is widely adopted in developed countries and legally required across the European Union (Council Directive 93/43/EEC), which means that any company exporting food to EU member states must implement this system.

While HACCP cannot guarantee absolute safety, it significantly improves the reliability and control of food production. With global demand for high-quality and safe food rising, major importers such as the EU, the United States, and Japan insist on strict hygiene standards throughout the entire food chain—from raw materials to the final product.

EU companies have become increasingly selective when choosing suppliers outside the Union. They expect verified HACCP implementation and, in some cases, additional hygiene requirements, especially for meat, milk, dairy products, and other sensitive categories. Any raw material or product suspected of contamination is rejected immediately, which reinforces the need for domestic producers to adopt HACCP.

The system is not limited to large industrial plants—small and medium enterprises, cooperatives, hotels, and restaurants can also successfully implement HACCP, benefiting from improved safety and consumer trust.

Principles of the HACCP System

HACCP is based on the following fundamental principles:

1. Hazard analysis – identifying all potential physical, chemical, and microbiological hazards in the food production process.

2. Determining critical control points (CCPs) – identifying steps where hazards can be controlled, eliminated, or reduced.

3. Establishing critical limits – defining measurable criteria that ensure each CCP is under control.

4. Setting up monitoring procedures – regularly observing and measuring CCP parameters.

5. Establishing corrective actions – defining what must be done when monitoring shows that a CCP is out of control.

6. Verification procedures – conducting checks to confirm that the HACCP system is functioning effectively.