What is the purpose of a HACCP plan?

The purpose of a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan is fundamentally about identifying potential hazards within a food production process and establishing methods to prevent those hazards from resulting in unsafe food. This systematic approach emphasizes the importance of proactive measures in food safety, allowing food businesses to recognize and mitigate risks before they can cause harm.

HACCP involves several key steps, including identifying potential biological, chemical, and physical hazards; determining critical control points where these hazards can be controlled; and setting up measures to monitor the effectiveness of these controls. This ensures that food safety is maintained from the point of production all the way to consumption.

While listing recipes for safe food handling, monitoring employee training, and promoting food safety regulations are important aspects of food safety management, they do not encompass the comprehensive risk management and preventive focus that define the HACCP framework. Therefore, the correct choice is the one that accurately describes the central function of a HACCP plan within food safety management.