Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP)

HACCP (pronounced “has-sip”) is an acronym for Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point. It’s an effective way of ensuring the safety of food. It works by preventing food safety problems from developing rather than testing food after production to see if it’s safe.

HACCP was developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s as a way to assure that the food produced for the space program was safe. The Pillsbury Company, in cooperation with NASA, worked out this method of controlling food safety problems.

There are two parts to HACCP. Part one includes making a list of things that can cause the food to be unsafe — we call this hazard analysis. Part two is deciding at which place in the production of the food the hazards can best be controlled — we call this the critical control point for that hazard.

All parts of the seafood processing operation are examined for hazards including raw materials, ingredients, processing steps, storage, and distribution. Hazards include disease-causing organisms, toxins, environmental contaminants (like pesticides), chemicals (cleaners, sanitizers, lubricants, etc.), and physical hazards (wood, metal, and glass). For each hazard, a critical control point is identified where the potential food safety problem is controlled.

Records are kept at each critical control point so inspection agencies can be certain the HACCP system is operating to provide safe food. As an extra measure of safety, certain sanitation activities also must be conducted and documented.

Under U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulations, all seafood processors will be required to operate under the HACCP program.