What is the HACCP hazard analysis?

• A. Systematic identification of potential hazards and assessment of significant risks
• B. Determining daily production targets
• C. Cleaning schedules
• D. Packaging selection based on color

Answer: (A)

Hazard analysis in HACCP is the systematic process of identifying potential hazards and evaluating which pose significant risks to food safety, so you can decide where to apply preventive controls. It considers biological, chemical, and physical hazards that could occur at any step of production, from ingredient receipt to final packaging, and weighs factors like how likely the hazard is to occur and how severe the consequences would be if it did. The goal is to prioritize hazards and determine where controls, monitoring, and corrective actions are needed, forming the foundation of the HACCP plan. Other options describe day-to-day production targets, sanitation tasks, or packaging decisions that don’t identify and assess risks in this way.