HACCP Concept: The 7 Principles Simply Explained

What is HACCP? – Meaning & Definition

HACCP stands for "Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points". It is a HACCP system for the systematic identification and control of hazards in food production.

The HACCP concept is legally required for all food processing businesses (EU Regulation 852/2004) and serves to ensure food safety.

The 7 Principles of the HACCP Concept

Principle 1: Conduct Hazard Analysis

Identify all potential biological, chemical, and physical hazards that may occur during food production. In practice: Salmonella on raw poultry, cleaning agent residues on work surfaces, glass shards or metal splinters – for every step from goods receipt to serving, ask: What can go wrong here?

Principle 2: Determine Critical Control Points (CCPs)

Determine the critical control points – points in the process where control is vital to prevent hazards. In practice: cooking through mince and poultry, cold chain at goods receipt, holding hot food at serving – points where a failure cannot be compensated for by a later step.

Principle 3: Establish Critical Limits for CCPs

Establish critical limits – measurable values that must not be exceeded (e.g., temperature, pH value, time). In practice: core temperature at least +72 °C for 2 minutes, chilled goods max +7 °C, hot holding above +65 °C (see temperature table below).

Principle 4: Set Up Monitoring Procedures

Establish systematic controls for continuous monitoring of the critical points. In practice: recording cold room temperatures daily, spot-checking core temperatures with a probe thermometer, inspecting goods at delivery.

Principle 5: Establish Corrective Actions

Establish corrective actions in case critical limits are exceeded. In practice: reject chilled goods delivered too warm, reheat or dispose of underheated foods, report faulty refrigeration equipment immediately and relocate the goods – and document every measure.

Principle 6: Establish Verification Procedures

Regular reviews to ensure the HACCP system functions correctly.

Principle 7: Documentation & Records

Complete documentation of all HACCP-relevant processes and results.

HACCP Training – Mandatory for Gastronomy

HACCP trainings are mandatory for all employees in gastronomy. A HACCP training provides:

• Basics of food hygiene
• The HACCP principles
• Practical implementation in the operation
• Documentation requirements

The HACCP training must be repeated regularly - usually annually.

HACCP Temperature Control

Temperature control is a central component of the HACCP concept. The key critical limits for gastronomy:

To quickly pass through the critical temperature range during cooling, blast chillers & shock freezers are the means of choice.

Create a HACCP Plan

A HACCP plan documents all critical control points and measures for your operation. It should include:

• Flow diagram of production processes
• Hazard analysis for each step
• Determined CCPs with critical limits
• Monitoring procedures
• Corrective actions
• Responsibilities

HACCP Documentation: Records Required by Food Inspection

Only what is documented in writing counts during inspections. The mandatory daily HACCP documentation includes:

• Temperature logs for all refrigeration and freezer units – read off and sign daily
• Goods receipt inspection – check temperature, freshness and packaging on delivery
• Cleaning and disinfection plan – who cleans what, when, with what
• Employee training records (hygiene training and instruction per § 43 IfSG)
• Corrective actions – each critical limit violation with action taken

Free templates for the cleaning plan and hygiene checklist can be found free of charge in our Checklist for Planning a Commercial Kitchen.

Frequently Asked Questions about HACCP

Retention Samples: Mandatory or Recommendation?

Few topics persist so stubbornly in kitchens as the misconception that retention samples are legally required. Since 8 March 2016, that is no longer the case: the corresponding regulation was removed from the Animal Food Hygiene Ordinance (TierLMHV). There is no general legal obligation for retention samples in Germany since then.

Nevertheless, retention samples remain best practice in communal catering – for self-protection. If there is suspicion of foodborne illness, the frozen sample is often the only means to relieve a kitchen. Without it, it's statement against statement. Many clients – daycare and school authorities, clinics, senior care operators – therefore require retention samples contractually, even though the law no longer mandates them.

What DIN 10526 Recommends

The decisive standard today is DIN 10526 "Food Hygiene – Retention Samples in Communal Catering":

Authorities now recommend 14 days instead of seven. The reason is practical: more than a week often passes between consumption, first symptoms, medical diagnosis and involvement of food inspection – by then the sample would already be discarded.

What Matters in Storage

• Dedicated equipment instead of shared use: Retention samples should not be placed among frozen goods. Frequent opening of the freezer causes temperature fluctuations – compromising traceability.
• Uninterrupted temperature monitoring: −18 °C is the upper limit, not the target. A temperature alert signals issues before samples become unusable.
• Organized storage: When searching for Tuesday's sample after ten days, a system helps – drawers and fixed date order save time in an emergency.
• Documentation: The sample itself is only half the safeguard. Together with the record of when which dish was sampled, it becomes proof (see Principle 7).

For this purpose, there are dedicated devices such as the Retention Sample Freezer RGS 225 by KBS: −18 to −26 °C, seamless interior, two transparent drawers, and a temperature alarm – at 60 cm installation width.