A Comprehensive Checklist for HACCP Food Safety
C H Ec k l i st by R m o n i
Quality Control and HACCP in Food Service & Retail
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HACCP FOOD SAFETY checklist
HACCP Food Safety: A
Comprehensive Checklist
HACCP, or Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points, is a food
safety management system that is designed to identify and
control potential hazards in the food production process.
To ensure your HACCP plan meets modern standards, we’ve created a comprehensive
checklist for you to download and use at your convenience. But first, let’s take a look at
the HACCP system itself.
What is HACCP?
HACCP was developed by NASA in the 1960s for ensuring the safety of food for
astronauts, and has since become a widely adopted standard in the food industry. It’s
important for food safety because it helps to minimize the risk of foodborne illnesses by
proactively identifying and controlling potential hazards at each stage of the food
production process. This includes biological, chemical, and physical hazards, such as bacteria, toxins, and
foreign objects. By using the HACCP approach, food businesses can ensure that the
food they produce is safe for consumers to eat.
Beyond it being mandatory to have an HACCP plan within restaurants, cafés, or food
manufacturing plants, pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies are also increasingly
adopting this system.
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HACCP FOOD SAFETY checklist
What are the 12 steps of HACCP?
To fully implement HACCP according to legal requirements, the a 12-step process
should be followed, which looks like this
Assemble your HACCP tea
List all the ingredients, products and processe
Identify the end-consume
Construct a complete flow diagram for each final produc
Check and validate the flow diagram is accurat
Analyse each flow diagram for potential hazard
Establish your Critical Control Points (CCPs
Determine critical limits for each CC
Monitoring each CCP’s controlling measure
Set up actions for correcting exceeded critical limit
Set up procedures that verify the HACCP system is effectiv
Set up documentation and due-diligence procedures
How to automate HACCP with a
digital solution
Digital HACCP registration allows for all the necessary documentation of processes and
record keeping, regarding your HACCP plan, to be stored digitally. This means that
information such as checklists, CCPs and data from wireless sensors are all stored and
accessed digitally. In order to successfully implement HACCP and make executing the necessary
procedures feasible, digital HACCP registration is preferred over paper documents. Go
to www.rmoni.com to learn more about Digital Quality Management solutions.
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HACCP FOOD SAFETY checklist
A comprehensive checklist for
HACCP in food service & retail
To help you prepare for an HACCP audit, we’ve compiled a comprehensive checklist for
food service & retail businesses that want to comply with food safety regulations. Go over the following points, divided by topic, and check where okay:
Personal Hygiene
Employees wear clean and proper uniform including shoes.
Effective hair restraints are properly worn.
Fingernails are short, unpolished, and clean (no artificial nails).
Jewelry is limited to a plain ring, such as wedding band and a watch and no
bracelets
Hands are washed properly, frequently, and at appropriate times.
Burns, wounds, sores or scabs, or splints and water-proof bandages on hands
are bandaged and completely covered with a foodservice glove while handling
food.
Eating, drinking, chewing gum, smoking, or using tobacco are allowed only in
designated areas away from preparation, service, storage, and ware washing
areas.
Employees use disposable tissues when coughing or sneezing and then
immediately wash hands.
Employees appear to be in good health.
Hand sinks are unobstructed, operational, and clean.
Hand sinks are stocked with soap, disposable towels, and warm water.
A handwashing reminder sign is posted.
Employee restrooms are operational and clean.
All staff is trained in food safety and hygiene regulations
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HACCP FOOD SAFETY checklist
Food Storage and Dry Storage
Food on delivery is check for temperature, quality and expiry date
Temperatures of dry storage area is between 10 ºC and 20 ºC unless otherwise
stated by your public health department requirement.
All food supplies are stored 15 to 20 centimeters off the floor.
All food is labeled with name and received date.
Open bags of food are stored in containers with tight fitting lids and labeled with
common name.
The FEFO (First Expired, First Out) method of inventory management is used.
There are no bulging or leaking canned goods.
Food is protected from contamination.
Food is stored in original container or a food grade container.
All food is properly wrapped, labeled, and dated.
Goods are stored in warehouse, cold storage and freezer cells in an orderly and
hygienic way, off the floor and detached from the walls?
Are raw materials and / or meal components and prepared food stored in the
right way under the right conditions (packaging, method, coding, FeFo,
separation raw / prepared, cold chain, traceability)?
Food Preparation
All food stored or prepared in facility is from approved sources.
Food equipment utensils, and food contact surfaces are properly washed,
rinsed, and sanitized before every use.
Frozen food is thawed under refrigeration, cooked to proper temperature from
frozen state, or in cold running water.
Thawed food is not refrozen.
Preparation is planned so ingredients are kept out of the temperature danger
zone to the extent possible.
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HACCP FOOD SAFETY checklist
Food is tasted using the proper procedure.
Cross-contamination is prevented by good hygiene practices during the work
Food is handled with suitable utensils, such as single use gloves or tongs.
Food is prepared in small batches to limit the time it is in the temperature
danger zone.
Food is cooked to the required safe internal temperature for the appropriate
time. The temperature is tested with a calibrated food thermometer.
The internal temperature of food being cooked is monitored and documented.
Are remnants of meals and prepared food not reused but destroyed?
Quality of the frying oil is checked regularly, the oil is refreshed in time and the
temperature is max. 175 °C
Hot & Cold Holding
Hot & cold holding unit is clean.
Food is heated to the required safe internal temperature before placing in hot
holding. Hot holding units are not used to reheat potentially hazardous foods.
Hot holding unit is pre-heated before hot food is placed in unit.
Temperature of hot food being held is at or above 60 ºC.
Temperature of cold food being held is at or below 5 - 7 ºC.
Food is protected from contamination.
Temperature Management
Temperatures of chilled and frozen products at good reception are correct (-15 °
C, <4 ° C, <7 ° C or according to supplier's declaration).
roduct temperatures in coolers and cold holding/buffets are correct (<4 ° C or
P
<
7 ° C ).
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HACCP FOOD SAFETY checklist
Product temperatures in the freezer / cells are good (<-18 ° C).
Raw products are properly cooked during preparation to the correct core
temperature of > 75 ° C (excluding products served rosé / medium / rare).
Proper chilling procedures are used.
Pre-heated dishes are properly heated during regeneration (within 1 hour > 60 °
C).
Product temperatures during hot holding are correct (> 60 ° C).
Transported food is kept at the right temperature (<7 ° C or > 60 ° C).
Thermometers are available and accurate.
Ambient air temperature of all refrigerators and freezers is monitored and
documented.
Cleaning & Sanitizing
Three-compartment sink is properly set up for ware washing.
Dishwashing machine is working properly (such as gauges and chemicals are at
recommended levels).
Water temperatures are correct for wash and rinse.
I
f using a chemical sanitizer, it is mixed correctly and a sanitizer strip is used to
test chemical concentration.
Smallware and utensils are allowed to air dry.
Wiping cloths are stored in sanitizing solution while in use.
All small equipment and utensils, including cutting boards and knives, are
cleaned and sanitized between uses.
Small equipment and utensils are washed, sanitized, and air-dried.
Work surfaces and utensils are clean.
Work surfaces are cleaned and sanitized between uses.
loors (including drains), walls, doors and ceilings (including ventilation and light
F
fitt
ing) are clean.
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HACCP FOOD SAFETY checklist
Food slicer is disassembled, cleaned, and sanitized before and after every use.
Exhaust hood and filters are clean.
Food equipment utensils, and food contact surfaces are properly washed,
rinsed, and sanitized before every use.
Cleaning cloths are used only for sanitizing equipment, utensils, and surfaces
and not for drying hands.
Refrigerators are kept clean and organized.
All food surfaces are clean.
Chemicals are clearly labeled and stored away from food and food- related
supplies.
There is a regular cleaning schedule for all food surfaces.
Thermometers are cleaned and sanitized after each use.
Thermometers are calibrated on a routine basis.
Garbage Storage and Disposal
Kitchen garbage cans are clean and kept covered.
Garbage cans are emptied as necessary.
Boxes and containers are removed from site.
Loading dock and area around dumpsters are clean and odor-free.
Dumpsters are clean.
Outside doors have screens, are well-sealed, and are equipped with a
selfclosing device.
No evidence of pests is present.
There is a regular schedule of pest control by a licensed pest control operator.
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HACCP FOOD SAFETY checklist
Final notes on this HACCP checklist
for food service & retail
The above checklist is relatively extensive, and will help you on your way to prepare for
HACCP audits. However, do please refer to the official HACCP guidelines set in your
country, as this checklist is not in any way intended to replace official guideline
regulations.
We hope this HACCP checklist can help optimize food safety for your business. Please
note: a lot of the processes mentioned above can be automated with Rmoni’s Digital
Quality Management solution. Interested in hearing how that would work? Get in touch with us at info@rmoni.com.
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