# HACCP Plan Template

A blank, fillable HACCP plan for one product or one process. The layout follows
FDA's HACCP Principles and Application Guidelines (the NACMCF method): the five
preliminary tasks come first, then the seven principles land in the hazard
analysis and CCP summary tables.

- Source: https://www.fda.gov/food/hazard-analysis-critical-control-point-haccp/haccp-principles-application-guidelines
- One plan covers one product or process. A facility with several product lines keeps several plans.
- Fill every blank, replace the example rows with your own, and reassess the plan at least once a year and whenever an ingredient, process, supplier, or rule changes.

A CCP (critical control point) is a step where control is applied and is
essential to prevent, eliminate, or reduce a food-safety hazard to a safe level.
Its critical limit is the measurable maximum or minimum — a temperature, time,
pH, or water activity — the CCP must stay within.

---

## Cover

| Field | Entry |
| --- | --- |
| Facility name | |
| Facility address | |
| Product or product line this plan covers | |
| Plan number and version | |
| Date issued | |
| Next scheduled review | |

## HACCP team

Everyone who owns a piece of the plan. The team should be multidisciplinary —
production, sanitation, quality, and people who actually run the line.

| Name | Role on the team | Title or department |
| --- | --- | --- |
| (example) Dana Ruiz | HACCP coordinator | Quality assurance |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |

## Product description and intended use

Preliminary tasks two and three: what the food is, how it moves, who eats it.

| Field | Entry |
| --- | --- |
| Product name | |
| Description (ingredients, structure, key characteristics) | |
| Food-safety characteristics (pH, water activity, preservatives) | |
| Packaging | |
| Shelf life and storage conditions | |
| Method of distribution (frozen, refrigerated, ambient) | |
| Intended use and any preparation by the customer | |
| Intended consumers (note any sensitive populations) | |
| Labeling for safe handling and allergens | |

## Process flow

Sketch or attach the flow diagram, then walk the floor to confirm it matches
what actually happens. List every step in order, from receiving through shipping.

1. Receiving — ____
2. ____
3. ____
4. ____
5. ____
6. ____
7. Shipping — ____

Flow diagram verified on the floor by: ____  Date: ____

## Hazard analysis

Principle 1. At each step, list every hazard that could be introduced,
increased, or controlled there, decide whether it is significant, and name the
control.

| Process step | Potential hazard — B / C / P | Significant? (Y/N) | Basis for the decision | Control measure | CCP? (Y/N) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| (example) Cook | B — pathogen survival (e.g., Salmonella) | Y | Reasonably likely to cause illness with no later kill step | Cook to a validated time and temperature | Y |
| (example) Weigh and mix | C — undeclared allergen (one of the Big 9) | Y | Allergen-containing products share the line | Allergen control program; label reconciliation | N |
| (example) Metal detection | P — metal fragment | Y | Equipment wear can shed metal | Functional metal detector on the line | Y |
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | |

Hazards fall into three families — biological (B), chemical (C), which includes
allergens and chemical residues, and physical (P). A hazard is significant when
it is reasonably likely to cause injury or illness if it is not controlled —
FDA's own test for what belongs in the plan.

Allergens are the Big 9: milk, egg, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts,
peanuts, wheat, soybeans, and sesame. Sesame became the ninth major food
allergen on January 1, 2023 under the FASTER Act — check every product against
nine, not eight.

- FASTER Act: https://www.fda.gov/food/food-allergies/faster-act-sesame-ninth-major-food-allergen

## CCP summary

Principles 2 through 7, one row per CCP. These are the columns from FDA's HACCP
Plan Summary Table.

| CCP | Critical limit(s) | Monitoring (what / how / frequency / who) | Corrective action | Verification | Records |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| (example) Cook step | Internal temp >= ____ F held >= ____ min | Probe every batch, recorded by the line lead | Hold or reprocess the affected batch; find and fix the cause | Daily record review; probe calibrated on a set schedule | Cook log; calibration log |
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | |

## Sign-off

The plan is not in force until the people accountable for it sign. Reassess and
re-sign at least once a year and after any change to the product, process,
ingredients, suppliers, or rules that govern it.

| Role | Name | Signature | Date |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| HACCP coordinator | | | |
| Operations or plant manager | | | |
| Quality assurance | | | |