The key points of the HACCP system can be identified in seven principles, which must be preceded by five preliminary steps before their application. Thus, it involves putting twelve key steps into practice according to a well-specified pattern. Let us briefly illustrate these basic steps of HACCP system development: 1) Formation of the HACCP-team 2) Description of the product 3) Identification of the intended use 4) Construction of the flowchart 5) On-site confirmation of the flowchart.

The HACCP system is based on the application of seven principles:

1. Hazard identification and risk analysis.
2. Identification of CCPs (critical control points)
3. Definition of Critical Limits
4. Definition of monitoring activities
5. Definition of corrective actions
6. Definition of verification activities
7. Documentation management

Principle 1 Identify potential hazards associated with the production of a food at all stages, from cultivation or breeding to processing, production and distribution to consumption. Assess the likelihood of the hazard occurring and identify preventive measures to control it. Hazards that attend product safety can be classified into: Physical, chemical and biological.

Principle 2 Identify points, procedures and operational stages that can be controlled in order to eliminate hazards or minimize their likelihood of occurrence (critical control points). A stage represents each stage of food production and/or handling, encompassing both agricultural labor and raw materials, their receipt and/or production, formulation, processing, storage, transportation, sale, and consumer use.

Principle 3 Establish critical limits that must be observed to ensure that each CCP is under control. In practice, critical limit is that value that separates acceptability from unacceptability. Critical limits are inferred from legal limits, if any, or from GMP (good manufacturing practices), meaning that they can result from adopting a hygienic processing practice.

Principle 4 Establish a monitoring system to ensure the control of CCPs by testing, or by scheduled observations. The monitoring system will, therefore, consist of detections, at defined times, of a given parameter that must remain within an established critical limit.

Principle 5 Establish the action to be implemented when monitoring indicates that a particular CCP is not under control. Corrective actions require both the actions of dealing with “nonconformities” and revising the system to eliminate the possibility that deviation from the set parameters may occur again.

Principle 6 Establish procedures for verification that include additional tests and procedures to confirm that the HACCP system is working effectively.

Principle 7 Establish documentation regarding all registration procedures appropriate to these principles and their applications.

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