HACCP Concept: The 7 Principles Explained Simply

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 a hazard analysis

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

Principle 2: Determine critical control points (CCPs)

Identify the critical control points – stages in the process where control is essential to prevent hazards. In practice: cooking ground meat and poultry thoroughly, the cold chain during goods receipt, hot holding at the serving station – points where an error cannot be corrected in a later step.

Principle 3: Establish critical limits for CCPs

Set critical limits – measurable values that must not be exceeded (e.g., temperature, pH, 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: Establish monitoring procedures

Implement systematic controls for continuous monitoring of the critical points. In practice: read and record fridge temperatures daily, measure core temperatures randomly with a probe thermometer, check deliveries at goods receipt.

Principle 5: Establish corrective actions

Define corrective actions to take if critical limits are exceeded. In practice: reject chilled goods delivered too warm, reheat or dispose of undercooled foods, report defective cooling equipment immediately and relocate goods – and document each action.

Principle 6: Establish verification procedures

Regularly check whether the HACCP system is functioning correctly.

Principle 7: Documentation & records

Complete documentation of all HACCP-relevant processes and results.

HACCP Training – Mandatory for Gastronomy

HACCP training is mandatory for all staff in gastronomy. A HACCP training course imparts:

• Basics of food hygiene
• The principles of HACCP
• Practical implementation in the business
• Documentation obligations

The HACCP training must be repeated regularly - usually annually.

HACCP Temperature Control

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

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

Create a HACCP Plan

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

• Flowchart of production processes
• Hazard analysis for each step
• Defined CCPs with critical limits
• Monitoring procedures
• Corrective actions
• Responsibilities

HACCP Documentation: Records Required by Food Inspection

Only what is documented in writing counts during inspection. Mandatory daily HACCP documentation includes:

• Temperature logs for all cooling and freezer equipment – read and sign daily
• Goods receipt control – check temperature, freshness and packaging at delivery
• Cleaning and disinfection plan – who cleans what, when, and with what
• Training records of staff (hygiene training and instruction according to § 43 IfSG)
• Corrective actions – every limit violation with actions taken

Ready-made templates for cleaning plans and hygiene checklists are available free in our Checklist for planning a commercial kitchen.

Frequently Asked Questions about HACCP

Retained Samples: Mandatory or Recommendation?

Rarely does a topic persist in kitchens as stubbornly as the misconception that retained samples are legally required. This has not been the case since 8 March 2016: the relevant provision was removed from the Animal Food Hygiene Regulation (TierLMHV). There is therefore no general legal obligation to keep retained samples in Germany.

Nevertheless, retained samples are standard good practice in communal catering — and for self-interest. When there is suspicion of a foodborne illness, the frozen sample is often the only way for a kitchen to prove its case. Without it, it is one person’s word against another. Many clients – daycare and school providers, hospitals, operators of senior facilities – contractually require retained samples even though legal authorities no longer demand them.

What DIN 10526 recommends

The relevant standard today is DIN 10526 "Food hygiene – retained samples in communal catering":

Experts now recommend 14 days rather than seven. The reason is practical: between consumption, first symptoms, medical diagnosis and notification of food inspection often more than a week passes – by then the sample would be disposed of.

What matters for storage

• Own equipment instead of shared use: retained samples should not be stored alongside frozen goods. Opening the freezer frequently causes temperature fluctuations – impairing traceability.
• Uninterrupted temperature control: −18 °C is the upper limit, not the goal. A temperature alarm signals disturbances before samples become unusable.
• Organised storage: Anyone looking for Tuesday’s sample after ten days needs a system – drawers and fixed date order save time in case of incidents.
• Documentation: the sample itself is only half the protection. Together with the record of when which dish was sampled they become proof (see Principle 7).

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