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HACCP in Retail Establishments

What is HACCP?

Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) is a seven-step process that a food producer or establishment can use to develop an effective food safety plan. The HACCP process establishes the procedures used, identifies critical control points and aids in the development of effective control measures.

What are the seven HACCP steps?

  1. Identify potential food safety hazards.
  2. Identify critical control points.
  3. Establish control procedures.
  4. Establish monitoring procedures.
  5. Establish corrective actions.
  6. Establish effective record keeping procedures.
  7. Establish procedures for verification.

A HACCP plan is the formal documentation of the seven steps in HACCP.

Who is required to have a HACCP plan?

  1. Retail food establishments that:
  • Cure or smoke food products as a method of preservation
  • Use food additives to preserve food or extend the shelf life of foods.
  • Use a reduced-oxygen method for packaging food.
  1. Retail food establishments that apply for a variance when:
  • Using more than one tagged shellstock container at a time.
  • Deviating from required cooking times and temperatures for raw animal foods.
  • Using molluscan shellfish lifesupport system tanks used to store and display shellfish offered for human consumption.

Must Retail HACCP Plans Be Approved?

Yes. HACCP plans required by the Food Code must be approved by the inspecting agency. Approval must be obtained before engaging in the activities listed above that require a HACCP plan. Contact the agency that conducts your inspections for approval guidelines.

The FDA Food Code is a valuable resource.

  • Chapter 3. Food
  • Chapter 4. Equipment, Utensils and Linens
  • Annex 5. HACCP Guidelines
  • Annex 6. Food-processing criteria

 

Note: This document is for educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for studying the Food Code and Food Law. Food safety information and additional copies of this and other fact sheets are available from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development's web page at Michigan.gov/FoodSafety.