A HACCP Plan helps food businesses prevent food safety problems before unsafe food reaches customers. Rather than relying mainly on final inspections or product testing, a HACCP Plan takes a proactive approach by examining every stage of the food process and identifying where hazards need to be controlled.

Quick Overview
The guide also includes practical resources such as a HACCP plan example, HACCP plan template, and guidance on creating a HACCP plan for restaurant operations. It explains how HACCP requirements apply to different food businesses, from small cafés to larger food manufacturers, and highlights the importance of regular HACCP plan review to keep the system effective. 

This guide covers:
✅ What a HACCP Plan means and how it supports effective food safety management
✅ Why the HACCP principles are important for food businesses
✅ The five preliminary tasks and seven HACCP principles explained with practical examples
✅ How hazards, Critical Control Points (CCPs), critical limits and monitoring procedures work together
✅ HACCP documentation, verification, corrective actions and record-keeping requirements
✅ HACCP plan template, HACCP plan example, restaurant applications and UK food-safety considerations

A HACCP system may cover key food handling stages, including receiving ingredients, storage, preparation, cooking, cooling, reheating, packaging, transport and service. The level of detail required should match the size and complexity of the operation. 

For example, a small café may use a simple HACCP-based system focused on essential food safety controls, while a manufacturer producing chilled ready-to-eat meals may require a detailed, product-specific HACCP Plan supported by documented procedures and monitoring records.

This guide explains how to develop a HACCP Plan using the five preliminary tasks and the seven internationally recognised HACCP principles. It includes practical guidance, a worked example, a useful HACCP template and expert tips to help restaurants and food businesses create, implement and maintain an effective food safety management system.

Based on established food safety practices, this guide is designed to support businesses in identifying potential hazards, establishing effective controls and maintaining consistent standards to protect customers and meet food safety requirements.

What is the HACCP plan?

A HACCP Plan is a documented food safety management system that helps businesses identify significant hazards and establish controls to prevent, eliminate or reduce those hazards to an acceptable level.

HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point. The HACCP plan meaning can be understood by examining its core purpose: identifying potential food safety risks, controlling them at important stages of the food process and maintaining evidence that these controls are effective.

A hazard is anything that could make food unsafe for consumers. Hazard analysis involves determining which hazards are reasonably likely to occur, assessing their potential impact and deciding what controls are needed. A Critical Control Point (CCP) is a stage in the process where control is essential because losing control at this point could result in an unacceptable food safety risk.

A complete HACCP Plan should clearly explain:

• which hazards may occur;
• how each significant hazard is controlled;
• which stages are identified as Critical Control Points (CCPs);
• what critical limits must be achieved;
• how employees will monitor those limits;
• what corrective actions are required when controls fail; and
• how the business will verify, review and document that the system is working effectively.

HACCP does not operate in isolation. It is usually part of a wider food safety management system supported by essential prerequisite programmes, including cleaning and sanitation procedures, personal hygiene standards, pest management, supplier approval, allergen control, equipment maintenance and staff training.

HACCP Plan Requirements

The main HACCP Plan requirements are based on the seven recognised HACCP principles: hazard analysis, identification of Critical Control Points, establishing critical limits, monitoring, corrective actions, verification and record-keeping.

Before implementing these principles, a business should have effective prerequisite procedures in place. These may include cleaning schedules, temperature-controlled storage, pest control measures, waste management procedures, allergen management processes, equipment maintenance checks and staff sickness reporting procedures.

The scope of the HACCP Plan must also be clearly defined. It should identify the products, premises, processes and activities covered by the system. For example, a restaurant may require different process controls for food served immediately compared with food that is cooked, cooled, stored and reheated before service.

A practical HACCP Plan format should normally record the process stage, potential hazard, control measure, CCP decision, critical limit, monitoring method, corrective action, verification activity and supporting records.

HACCP documentation should be proportionate to the size and complexity of the business, but it must accurately reflect actual operations. A generic HACCP Plan copied from another organisation may not address specific risks related to different ingredients, equipment, kitchen layouts, preparation methods, portion sizes or customer groups.

An effective HACCP Plan should be regularly reviewed and updated to ensure it continues to reflect changes in products, processes, equipment, legislation and food safety best practices.

The 5 Preliminary Tasks Before Creating a HACCP Plan

Before developing a HACCP Plan, food businesses should complete five essential preliminary tasks. Many people ask, “What are the 7 steps of the HACCP plan?” However, these seven principles should only be applied after the foundation work has been completed.

The five preliminary tasks are:

1. Assemble the HACCP team.
2. Describe the product.
3. Identify the intended use.
4. Construct the process flow diagram.
5. Confirm the flow diagram on site.

These preliminary tasks help ensure that the HACCP Plan is accurate, practical and specific to the food business. The final two tasks are considered together below because a process flow diagram should always be verified against actual working practices before hazard analysis begins.

Step 1: Assemble the HACCP Team

The first step in creating a HACCP Plan is to bring together a team with knowledge of the food, processes, equipment and working environment.

In a small restaurant, the HACCP team may include the owner, head chef and kitchen supervisor. A larger food operation may involve representatives from production, quality assurance, procurement, cleaning, maintenance and engineering.

The team should collectively understand ingredients, recipes, preparation methods, storage requirements, distribution processes, equipment operation and potential food safety hazards. Front-line employees should also be involved because they understand day-to-day practices and can identify whether written procedures reflect what actually happens during busy periods.

The HACCP team should define the scope of the study clearly. For example:

This HACCP Plan covers chilled and frozen ingredients from delivery through storage, preparation, cooking, hot holding, cooling, reheating and service within the restaurant.

Where a product or process is technically complex, appropriate specialist advice may be required to ensure that the HACCP Plan is developed correctly and effectively.

Step 2: Describe the Product

The HACCP team should prepare an accurate description of the food product or product group. This information forms an important part of the HACCP plan meaning because it helps identify potential hazards and determine appropriate controls.

The product description may include:

• ingredients and allergens;
• preparation or manufacturing methods;
• packaging details;
• storage conditions;
• shelf life;
• distribution methods; and
• whether the food is ready to eat.

For example, a restaurant preparing chicken curry may describe the process as follows: chilled raw chicken is stored under refrigeration, prepared on site, cooked in batches and either served immediately or cooled for later reheating.

These two process routes must be clearly distinguished because cooling and reheating introduce additional food safety hazards that require specific controls.

The product description should be reviewed whenever there are changes to ingredients, suppliers, recipes, portion sizes, packaging materials or shelf-life arrangements.

Step 3: Identify the Intended Use

The HACCP team must establish how the food is expected to be used and identify the consumers who are likely to eat it.

A product may be ready to eat, require cooking before consumption, be reheated by the customer or be supplied to another food business as an ingredient. The intended use affects the hazards that need to be considered and the controls required within the HACCP Plan.

The consumer group is also an important consideration. Food prepared for vulnerable groups, such as hospital patients, care-home residents, young children or individuals with increased food safety risks, may require stricter control measures.

The team should also consider reasonably foreseeable misuse. Customers may store food for longer than recommended or misunderstand reheating instructions. Clear labelling, storage guidance and realistic instructions can help reduce these risks.

Step 4: Create and Verify the Process Flow Diagram

A process flow diagram provides a clear visual representation of every stage through which food passes. It is a key part of meeting HACCP Plan requirements because it helps the team identify where hazards may occur and where controls may be necessary.

A simple restaurant process flow may be:

Delivery → Storage → Preparation → Cooking → Service

However, more complex food operations may include additional stages such as defrosting, hot holding, cooling, chilled storage, reheating, packaging and delivery.

The flow diagram should include relevant inputs, delays, temporary storage stages, reworking activities, outsourced processes and waste handling. Once the diagram has been created, the HACCP team should verify it by walking through the premises and comparing it with actual working practices.

This verification process may identify differences between documented procedures and real operations. For example, deliveries may remain unrefrigerated longer than expected, food may pass through an unrecorded area or employees may follow a different process during busy periods.

Any differences should be corrected before beginning the hazard analysis stage. Accurate verification ensures that the HACCP Plan reflects the business’s real activities and provides a reliable foundation for effective food safety management.

The 7 HACCP Principles

The HACCP plan steps in order are based on the seven internationally recognised HACCP principles:

1. Conduct a hazard analysis.
2. Determine Critical Control Points (CCPs).
3. Establish critical limits.
4. Establish monitoring procedures.
5. Establish corrective actions.
6. Establish verification procedures.
7. Establish documentation and record-keeping.

These HACCP plan steps convert the information gathered during the preliminary tasks into a practical food safety control system. A well-developed HACCP Plan should be specific to the business, supported by evidence and reviewed regularly to ensure it remains effective.

Principle 1: Conduct a Hazard Analysis

The HACCP plan first step is to examine each stage of the verified process and identify hazards that could reasonably occur.

Microbiological hazards include harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites and toxins. Chemical hazards may include cleaning chemicals, pesticides, excessive additives and allergens. Physical hazards include glass, metal, stones or fragments from damaged equipment.

Hazards should be described clearly and specifically. For example, “metal contamination from a damaged slicing blade” provides more useful information than simply recording “foreign object”.

The HACCP team should then assess the likelihood and severity of each hazard. Not every theoretical possibility needs to be classified as significant; the focus should be on hazards that could realistically affect food safety.

For each significant hazard, appropriate control measures should be identified. These may include approved suppliers, temperature control, separation of raw and ready-to-eat foods, validated cooking processes, allergen controls and equipment inspections.

Some hazards may be controlled through routine hygiene procedures and prerequisite programmes. Others may require consideration as possible Critical Control Points (CCPs).

Principle 2: Determine Critical Control Points

A Critical Control Point (CCP) is a stage where control is essential to prevent, eliminate or reduce a food safety hazard to an acceptable level.

For example, cooking raw poultry is commonly identified as a CCP because insufficient cooking may allow harmful microorganisms to survive, with no later step available to make the food safe.

Not every important food safety activity is a CCP. Procedures such as cleaning, handwashing and pest control are generally managed through prerequisite programmes that support the overall HACCP Plan.

A decision tree can help the HACCP team determine whether a significant hazard exists, whether suitable controls are available and whether a later process step can manage the risk. However, decision tools should support professional judgement rather than replace it.

The team should avoid creating unnecessary CCPs, as excessive control points can make the system difficult to manage and may reduce attention on the most important food safety controls.

Principle 3: Establish Critical Limits

A critical limit defines the boundary between acceptable and unacceptable control at a CCP.

Critical limits may relate to time, temperature, acidity, water activity, concentration or another measurable factor. Instructions such as “cook properly” or “cool quickly” are not sufficient because they do not provide a measurable standard.

Limits should be based on relevant legislation, official guidance, scientific evidence or appropriate validation. They must also reflect the actual product, portion size, equipment and process used by the business.

An operational target may be set more cautiously than the critical limit. This gives employees an opportunity to make adjustments before food safety control is lost.

Principle 4: Establish Monitoring Procedures

Monitoring confirms whether a CCP remains within the established critical limits.

The HACCP plan format should clearly state what will be monitored, how checks will be carried out, when monitoring will occur, who is responsible and where results will be recorded.

For example, in a HACCP plan for restaurant operations, a trained employee may use a calibrated probe thermometer to check the temperature of the thickest part of cooked food before service.

Monitoring must be frequent enough to identify failures before unsafe food reaches customers. Records should be completed at the time of checking rather than reconstructed later from memory.

Measuring equipment should also be maintained, cleaned correctly and checked regularly for accuracy.

Principle 5: Establish Corrective Actions

Corrective actions define what must happen when a critical limit is not achieved.

A suitable corrective action should address both the affected food and the reason the failure occurred. For example, if a batch has not reached its validated cooking temperature, it may be possible to continue cooking and carry out another temperature check. If food safety cannot be confirmed, the product should be isolated and discarded.

The cause of the failure should also be investigated. Possible causes may include overloaded equipment, incorrect settings, inadequate procedures or inaccurate measuring equipment.

The failure, product decision and corrective action taken should be recorded. Repeated failures may indicate that procedures, equipment, staff training or the overall HACCP Plan require improvement.

Principle 6: Establish Verification Procedures

Verification confirms that the HACCP system is being followed correctly and continues to control food safety risks effectively.

Verification is different from routine monitoring. Monitoring checks individual CCPs during operations, while verification evaluates whether the complete system is working as intended.

Verification activities may include reviewing records, observing employees, checking corrective actions, calibrating equipment, conducting internal audits and analysing customer complaints or food safety incidents.

Validation is related but separate. Validation provides evidence that a control measure can effectively manage a hazard, while verification confirms that the validated control is consistently applied in practice.

A regular HACCP plan review should be carried out whenever there are changes to ingredients, suppliers, equipment, processes, legislation or food safety risks.

Principle 7: Establish Documentation and Record-Keeping

Records provide evidence of what the business planned, what employees monitored and how food safety issues were managed.

A practical HACCP plan template may include product descriptions, process flow diagrams, hazard analysis records, CCP tables, monitoring forms, corrective-action reports, calibration records, staff training records and review documentation.

Both paper-based and electronic record systems can be effective. The chosen HACCP plan format should be simple enough for employees to use during normal operations while still capturing essential information, including dates, results, responsible employees and actions taken.

A good HACCP plan example should reflect the actual activities of the business rather than being copied from another organisation. Every food business has different ingredients, processes, equipment and customer needs, so the HACCP system should be tailored accordingly.

HACCP Plan Example

The following simplified HACCP plan example covers part of a restaurant’s cooked chicken process. It is provided for illustration only and should not be treated as a universal set of critical limits. Every food business must develop a HACCP Plan based on its own products, processes, equipment and food safety risks.

Process stage	Hazard and control	CCP decision	Monitoring and corrective action
Chilled storage	Microbial growth controlled through suitable refrigeration	Depends on the business’s hazard analysis	Check storage conditions at planned intervals; move affected stock and assess food safety if control is lost
Preparation	Cross-contamination controlled through separation and good hygiene practices	Usually managed through prerequisite controls	Observe working practices; stop activities, clean equipment and assess affected food where necessary
Cooking	Survival of harmful microorganisms	Commonly identified as a CCP	Check each batch against the validated critical limit; continue cooking or discard if safety cannot be confirmed
Hot holding	Growth of microorganisms caused by unsuitable holding conditions	May be identified as a CCP depending on the process	Check temperatures at defined intervals; assess time and product safety if control is lost

A complete HACCP Plan would also consider other stages, including delivery, cooling, reheating, allergen management, cleaning, service and verification activities.

HACCP Plan Template

A HACCP plan template should provide a clear structure for documenting the food safety system. It should begin with essential information such as the business name, site details, products covered, scope of the study, HACCP team members, document version number and review date.

The main HACCP table should normally include sections for:

• Process stage;
• Hazard;
• Control measure;
• CCP decision;
• Critical limit;
• Monitoring procedure;
• Corrective action;
• Verification activity; and
• Records.

Supporting documents may include cleaning schedules, allergen information, supplier approval records, equipment instructions, maintenance details and calibration records.

A HACCP plan format provides consistency and helps teams organise information effectively, but it must always be adapted to reflect the actual operation. A generic template may not identify the specific risks associated with different ingredients, layouts, equipment or preparation methods.

HACCP Plan for Restaurants

A HACCP plan for restaurant operations should reflect the menu, preparation methods and different routes food follows from delivery to service.

Food that is prepared and served immediately will have different controls from food that is cooked, cooled, stored and reheated. Additional risks may also arise from buffet services, takeaway operations, off-site catering and home delivery.

Restaurants should pay particular attention to cross-contamination, cooking controls, chilling procedures, allergen management and recipe changes. For example, replacing an ingredient or garnish may introduce an allergen that is not included in existing food safety information.

Many smaller restaurants, cafés and takeaways can use an official HACCP-based approach or industry guidance rather than developing a complex manufacturing-style system. However, the chosen system must still be completed for the specific premises, processes and products and followed consistently during daily operations.

The HACCP plan steps should be applied in a way that reflects the real activities of the restaurant, from receiving ingredients through preparation, cooking, storage and service.

Food Safety Learning Through Tyne Academy

Food safety training can support the effective implementation of a HACCP Plan by helping employees understand hygiene controls, contamination risks and safe food handling practices.

Tyne Academy presents food hygiene and workplace safety as part of its training offering. A dedicated live HACCP course could not be confirmed through its publicly available course information during research for this article.

A Level 1 and Level 2 Food Hygiene course listed through Reed provides introductory learning on food hygiene, contamination prevention and safe food handling through self-paced materials and assessment activities.

Such training may support basic awareness and refresher learning, but it should not be considered a replacement for a site-specific HACCP study, practical workplace competence or a formally recognised food safety qualification where one is required.

Before selecting any food safety course, businesses and learners should review the course syllabus, assessment method, certificate provider and whether the training meets their operational or regulatory requirements.

Reviewing and Updating Your HACCP Plan

A HACCP plan review should be carried out at planned intervals and whenever significant changes occur within the business.

A review may be required after introducing a new recipe, ingredient, supplier, piece of equipment, packaging method or delivery service. Customer complaints, food safety incidents and repeated monitoring failures should also trigger a review.

During the review process, the HACCP team should reassess the process, examine monitoring records and confirm that the flow diagram still accurately represents current working practices.

If changes are required, the HACCP documentation should be updated, the document version should be amended and affected employees should receive appropriate communication or training.

A review should be recorded even when no amendments are necessary. Maintaining clear review records demonstrates that the HACCP Plan remains active, current and effective.

The HACCP plan first step and the other HACCP plan steps in order should be revisited whenever changes affect food safety risks, ensuring that the system continues to protect consumers and support consistent food safety standards.

Conclusion

A reliable HACCP Plan begins with an accurate understanding of the food, processes and the way products move through the business. The preliminary tasks establish this foundation, while the seven HACCP principles create a structured system of controls, critical limits, monitoring procedures, verification activities and corrective actions.

The HACCP plan steps in order should be applied carefully to ensure that the system reflects the actual operation. A well-designed plan should be practical, evidence-based and specific to the premises, products and processes involved.

A HACCP Plan should not be treated as simple paperwork created only for inspections. When properly implemented, it helps employees identify potential problems early, maintain consistent food safety standards and prevent unsafe food from reaching customers.

Regular HACCP plan review is essential to ensure the system remains effective when ingredients, suppliers, equipment, recipes or working methods change. A current and well-maintained plan demonstrates a business’s commitment to protecting consumers and meeting food safety responsibilities.

FAQs

1. What are the 7 steps of the HACCP plan?

The HACCP plan steps are hazard analysis, identification of Critical Control Points (CCPs), establishing critical limits, monitoring procedures, corrective actions, verification procedures, and documentation and record-keeping.

These HACCP plan steps in order provide a structured approach for identifying hazards, controlling risks and maintaining evidence that food safety procedures are effective.

2. What is the first step in a HACCP Plan?

The HACCP plan first step refers to the first preliminary task: assembling a competent HACCP team and defining the scope of the study.

The first formal HACCP principle is conducting a hazard analysis, where the team identifies potential biological, chemical and physical hazards that may affect food safety.

3. Does every UK food business need HACCP?

Food businesses in the UK need a documented food safety management system based on HACCP principles. The exact approach and level of detail required will depend on the size, activities, products and risk level of the operation.

A small café may use a simpler HACCP-based system, while a larger manufacturer may require a more detailed and product-specific HACCP Plan.

4. Can a restaurant use a HACCP template?

Yes. A HACCP plan template can provide a useful structure for organising food safety information. However, it must be adapted to reflect the restaurant’s actual menu, ingredients, equipment, premises layout and working practices.

A generic HACCP plan format that does not match the real operation may fail to identify important food safety risks.

5. Is cooking always a CCP?

No. Cooking is commonly identified as a CCP for certain foods because it can control harmful microorganisms. However, the decision must always be based on the hazard analysis, the specific process and whether any later controls are available.

A HACCP plan example may identify cooking as a CCP for poultry, but another food process may require different controls.

6. How many CCPs should a plan contain?

There is no fixed number of CCPs that every HACCP system should include. The number should be based on the documented hazard analysis and only include points where control is essential for food safety.

Identifying unnecessary CCPs can make the system more difficult to manage and reduce focus on the most important controls.

7. What is the difference between monitoring and verification?

Monitoring checks whether a CCP remains within its critical limits during food production or preparation.

Verification checks whether the overall HACCP system is being followed correctly and continues to work effectively. Verification activities may include reviewing records, observing procedures, checking corrective actions and assessing whether controls remain suitable.

8. How often should a HACCP Plan be reviewed?

A HACCP plan review should take place at planned intervals and whenever significant changes occur, such as introducing new products, ingredients, suppliers, equipment, packaging methods or processes.

Reviews should also be considered after food safety incidents, customer complaints or repeated monitoring failures.

9. Does a course completion certificate equal a regulated HACCP qualification?

No. A course completion certificate confirms that a learner completed the training, but it does not automatically mean the course is an Ofqual-regulated qualification.

Businesses should check the course content, assessment method, awarding organisation and whether the training meets their specific legal or operational requirements. Training supports HACCP knowledge, but it does not replace a site-specific HACCP study or practical food safety competence.