Which of the following is an example of a critical limit?

• A. Color of packaging
• B. Maximum allowable water activity
• C. Minimum cooking temperature
• D. Number of employees on shift

Answer: (C)

A critical limit is a specific, measurable value at a CCP that must be reached to reliably control a safety hazard. A minimum cooking temperature fits this role because it sets a concrete threshold that the product must reach (for a defined time) to achieve the necessary reduction of harmful microorganisms. This provides a clear, verifiable standard operators can monitor during processing and inspectors can verify.

Color of packaging isn’t a safety-control parameter and doesn’t directly affect hazard elimination. The number of employees on shift is an operational detail, not a parameter that controls a hazard. Maximum allowable water activity can be a critical limit in some processes, but the most straightforward and widely applicable example in cooking-related HACCP is the minimum cooking temperature.