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HACCP checklist template

About the HACCP checklist template

Maintaining consistent compliance with hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) standards is a responsibility for all food businesses. This HACCP checklist template simplifies the process of documenting hazards, identifying critical control points, and ensuring each preventive measure is implemented correctly. It helps you and your team organize inspections while improving overall efficiency.

A step-by-step guide to using the HACCP checklist template

The checklist follows the seven HACCP principles. Here’s how you can conduct inspections with this practical tool:

Customize the template to your process. Adapt the checklist to reflect your food business’s workflow. Modify fields to cover specific hazards, control points, and monitoring steps for your operations, such as cold storage, cooking temperatures, or cleaning routines.
Assign the checklist to a team member. Designate team members responsible for completing the checklist during audits or daily routines. Provide a clear explanation of each section and its purpose, ensuring the user understands how to accurately document hazards and control measures.
Conduct regular inspections and fill in details. During inspections, use the checklist to log potential hazards, critical control points, and the effectiveness of preventive measures. Include specifics like temperatures, times, and conditions to maintain detailed records.
Record corrective actions immediately. If a deviation from critical limits occurs, document the corrective action directly on the checklist. This could include steps like adjusting cooking times, discarding unsafe products, or recalibrating equipment.
Review and analyze results for improvement. After completing the checklist, review the data to identify trends or recurring issues. Use these insights to improve processes, train staff, and improve overall food safety practices.

Why you should use a HACCP checklist template

A HACCP checklist template breaks down the complex task of maintaining food safety standards. Instead of relying on scattered notes or memory, you can use a structured format to address all hazards and critical control points. This reduces the risk of errors and improves the reliability of your records.

By standardizing inspections and documentation, you save time and streamline communication across your team. Everyone works with the same clear framework, making audits and reviews much smoother. Plus, the digital format lets you track corrective actions and analyze trends with ease, giving you insights to refine processes and enhance safety.

Using this template helps you stay audit-ready, maintain compliance, and build trust with stakeholders by demonstrating a proactive approach to food safety.

Get started with Lumiform’s HACCP checklist template today

Elevate your food safety processes with this HACCP checklist template. It provides a structured framework to identify hazards, document preventive actions, and track results. You’ll benefit from its intuitive layout, which streamlines inspections and keeps your team focused on delivering safe, quality products.

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Preview of the template

Audit

HACCP TEAM

Has a HACCP team been appointed?

Has a HACCP coordinator been selected?

What are the abilities and experience of the team and are they suitable?

Are external resources being used to expand awareness of skills?

Has a product description/specification been provided for each product? It should include the following:

- Composition

- Packaging (inner as well as outer)

- Method of preservation

- Distribution circumstances

Has the intended use/target group been identified?

- Consumers (general, specific)

- Sensitive populations (aged, children, sick, allergenic)

Has a flow diagram been provided for each product?

Is the flow diagram concluded?

Has the flow diagram been confirmed?

PRINCIPLE 1 - HAZARD ANALYSIS

Have all reasonable biological, chemical or physical dangers been identified at every step?

Have control measures been generated and implemented for the control of those dangers?

Have the dangers been evaluated for significance?

PRINCIPLE 2 - CRITICAL CONTROL POINTS

Have work directions been concluded for each critical control point?

Have the critical control points for each huge danger been identified and assigned to the hazard audit table?

Are they crucial for the control of the nominated danger?

PRINCIPLE 3 - CRITICAL LIMITS

Have critical limits been built for each preventative step?

How were the limits defined? (experimental proof, published results)

Is the relationship between the danger and the critical limit accurate?

PRINCIPLE 4 - MONITORING PROCEDURES

Is the regularity of monitoring enough to provide a high level of certainty that the process is controlled?

Have examples of monitoring plans been provided in the handbook?

Are monitoring reports kept and examined by qualified personnel?

Do the monitoring methods specify on what. where, when, how and who?

PRINCIPLE 5 - CORRECTIVE ACTION

Do the corrective actions include product, method and prevention of recurrence?

Do the corrective actions assure that the CCP is under control?

Have corrective actions been generated for each critical control point?

PRINCIPLE 6 - VERIFICATION PROCEDURES

Do verification activities confirm that the HACCP program is useful?

Have the critical limits been approved?

Are verification procedures in place to prove that the HACCP program is effective?

Do the verification activities show that the CCPs are controlled?

PRINCIPLE 7 - RECORD KEEPING

Have records been sustained of all HACCP verification activities?

Have all critical limits been cohered to?

Have records been sustained for all improving actions?

Have records been sustained for all monitoring methods?

DOCUMENTATION

Is there a quality handbook?

Is there a quality policy?

Are all referenced reports checked?

Are plans, work instruction forms and specifications classified?

GOOD MANUFACTURING PRACTICE (GMP)

Is GMP being applied?

Has a GMP policy been established?

Is corrective action taken in acknowledgement to GMP nonconformance?

Is there a system for examining the GMP?

CLEANING PROCEDURES

Is corrective action reported?

Have cleaning methods been established?

Have verification methods for effective cleaning been established and performed?

PEST CONTROL

Have pest control methods been developed and reported?

Does the procedure insert corrective action?

Is there a verification method for effective pest control?

TRAINING

Is there documented evidence of training?

Are training requirements evaluated on a regular basis?

Is there a training plan to implement identified training requirements?

CALIBRATION

Has the calibration state of measuring equipment been recognised?

Are there methods for examining material produced while equipment was out of calibration?

Are there documented methods for calibration?

PRODUCT IDENTIFICATION

Have methods for product identification been established and documented?

Is a "heldout" product identified?

COMPLETION

Name and signature of the inspector:

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Frequently asked questions

What should I do if a critical limit is exceeded during a HACCP process?

When a critical limit is exceeded, take immediate corrective action to prevent unsafe products from reaching consumers. Isolate affected items, then investigate the root cause of the deviation. Document the incident, including the corrective measures taken, and adjust your processes or retrain staff if necessary.

What records should I keep as part of my HACCP compliance?

Key records include hazard analyses, CCP monitoring logs, calibration reports for equipment, corrective actions, and verification results. You should also maintain records of staff training on HACCP principles. These documents are essential during inspections or audits.

How does HACCP apply to food packaging and storage?

HACCP principles also cover packaging and storage by focusing on preventing contamination and maintaining product integrity. For packaging, monitor materials for safety and ensure proper sealing. In storage, control environmental factors like temperature, humidity, and pest risks to protect food quality.

This template, developed by Lumiform employees, serves as a starting point for businesses using the Lumiform platform and is intended as a hypothetical example only. It does not replace professional advice. Companies should consult qualified professionals to assess the suitability and legality of using this template in their specific workplace or jurisdiction. Lumiform is not liable for any errors or omissions in this template or for any actions taken based on its content.