Hazard analysis and critical control points or HACCP (/hsp/) is a systematic preventive

approach to food safety from biological, chemical, and physical hazards in production processes
that can cause the finished product to be unsafe, and designs measurements to reduce these
risks to a safe level. In this manner, HACCP is referred as the prevention of hazards rather than
finished product inspection. The HACCP system can be used at all stages of a food chain,
from food production and preparation processes including packaging, distribution, etc. The Food
and Drug Administration (FDA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) say
that their mandatory HACCP programs for juice and meat are an effective approach to food
safety and protecting public health. Meat HACCP systems are regulated by the USDA, while
seafood and juice are regulated by the FDA. The use of HACCP is currently voluntary in other
food industries.
because traditional "end of the pipe" testing on artillery shell's firing mechanisms could
not be performed, and a large percent of the artillery shells made at the time were either
dud HACCP is believed to stem from a production process monitoring used during World
War IIs or misfiring.
[1]
HACCP itself was conceived in the 1960s when the US National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) asked Pillsbury to design and
manufacture the first foods for space flights. Since then, HACCP has been recognized
internationally as a logical tool for adapting traditional inspection methods to a modern,
science-based, food safety system. Based on risk-assessment, HACCP plans allow both
industry and government to allocate their resources efficiently in establishing and
auditing safe food production practices. In 1994, the organization of International HACCP
Alliance was established initially for the US meat and poultry industries to assist them
with implementing HACCP and now its membership has been spread over other
professional/industrial areas.

HACCP is focused only on the health safety issues of a product and not the quality of the
product, yet HACCP principles are the basis of most food quality and safety assurance
systems,and the United States, HACCP compliance is regulated by 21 CFR part 120 and 123.
Similarly, FAO/WHO published a guideline for all governments to handle the issue in small and
less developed food businesses.

Critical control point (CCP) is the point where failure of standard operation procedure (SOP) could
cause harm to customers and to the business, or even loss of the business itself. It is a point,
step or procedure at which controls can be applied and a food safety hazard can be prevented,
eliminated or reduced to acceptable (critical) levels. The most common CCP is cooking, where
food safety managers designate critical limits.
In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) establishes minimum internal
temperatures for cooked foods. It is important to remember that these values can be superseded
by state or local health code requirements, but they cannot be below the FDA limits. Temperatures
should be measured with a probe thermometer in the thickest part of meats, or the center of other
dishes, avoiding bones and container sides. Minimum internal temperatures are set as follows: