Hazard analysis for HACCP
A hazard analysis for HACCP is an overview of all hazards that can enter your food at each process step, with a judgement on the likelihood and severity of each one. It is the first of the 7 HACCP principles and the basis of your entire plan. Article 5 of EU Regulation 852/2004 on food hygiene refers to “identifying every hazard that must be prevented, eliminated or reduced to an acceptable level” (translated from the Dutch text).
The FAO describes it as step 6 of the Codex approach: you list all hazards that can reasonably be expected and decide which ones are significant. Only those significant hazards go on to the CCP decision tree.
A hazard analysis does not have to be a thick report. For a small bakery, one table of two pages is enough, as long as every process step is in it and your choices are justified.
Which hazards do you include in the HACCP hazard analysis?
The NVWA (Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority) distinguishes four types of hazard. For each type, we give examples you come across in practice.
| Type of hazard | What it is | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Microbiological | Bacteria, viruses, moulds, parasites | Salmonella in eggs, Listeria in raw milk cheese, norovirus spread by hands |
| Chemical | Substances that should not be there | Cleaning agent, pesticide residues, too much nitrite |
| Physical | Hard or sharp particles | Glass, metal from a sieve, pieces of plastic, stones in nuts |
| Allergens | Substances that cause an allergic reaction | Nuts in a nut-free product, gluten through flour in the air |
The Codex classifies allergens as chemical hazards. The NVWA mentions them separately, because they often go wrong in practice. Always include them as a separate column or category.
Making a hazard analysis step by step
You move from a process flow chart to a table with assessments. This is how you do it.
- Make a process flow chart. Put all steps in order, from receiving to sale. Do not forget storage, transport and leftovers.
- List the hazards for each step. Ask yourself: can something enter the product here, can it grow here, or does it survive here?
- Assess likelihood and severity. How often does it happen without control, and how ill could it make you?
- Decide whether the hazard is significant. A high score means you must control it actively.
- Choose a control measure. Is it basic hygiene, or is a specific measure needed at this step?
Assessing likelihood and severity in HACCP
Most businesses use a simple score from 1 to 3 for likelihood and for severity. Likelihood multiplied by severity gives the risk score. This is the same structure as a risk matrix.
| Score | Likelihood | Severity |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Almost never happens | Minor discomfort, no lasting harm |
| 2 | Happens sometimes | Illness, visit to the GP |
| 3 | Happens regularly | Serious illness, hospital, risk to life |
In this example, a score of 6 or higher counts as significant. You choose that threshold yourself, but you record why. The Codex asks for a judgement of likelihood and severity, not a fixed formula.
Example hazard analysis: artisan bakery
Below is a completed hazard analysis for a small bakery that makes bread, cream puffs and sausage rolls. Use the structure and fill in your own steps.
| Process step | Hazard | Type | Likelihood | Severity | Score | Significant? | Control measure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Receiving minced meat | Bacterial growth from a delivery at too high a temperature | Micro | 2 | 3 | 6 | Yes | Measure temperature on receipt, max. 7 °C |
| Receiving flour | Stones or insects | Physical | 1 | 1 | 1 | No | Supplier agreement, sieving |
| Storing nuts | Cross-contact with nut-free products | Allergen | 2 | 3 | 6 | Yes | Closed containers, separate shelf, label |
| Making pastry cream | Bacteria from egg and milk | Micro | 2 | 3 | 6 | Yes | Bring cream to the boil, then chill quickly |
| Cream puffs in display case | Growth in a display case that is too warm | Micro | 2 | 3 | 6 | Yes | Refrigerated display case, measure temperature twice a day |
| Baking sausage rolls | Bacteria surviving in the minced meat | Micro | 2 | 3 | 6 | Yes | Measure core temperature per baking tray |
| Slicing bread | Metal particles from the slicing machine | Physical | 1 | 2 | 2 | No | Weekly maintenance, visual check |
| Cleaning | Residues of cleaning agent | Chemical | 1 | 2 | 2 | No | Rinse as set out in the cleaning plan |
| Labelling | Allergen not on the label | Allergen | 2 | 3 | 6 | Yes | Have the recipe and label checked by a second person |
Six hazards are significant. They go on to the decision tree. The three non-significant hazards are controlled with prerequisite programmes, such as cleaning and maintenance. They stay in the table, so it is visible that you have considered them.
Hazard analysis and prerequisite programmes: what is the difference?
Prerequisite programmes, also called good hygiene practices or PRPs, are the general rules that always apply. Think of handwashing, cleaning and pest control. They already cover most hazards.
The hazard analysis shows which hazards need more than that basis. In the example, “residues of cleaning agent” is covered by the cleaning plan. “Bacteria in minced meat” requires a measurement at a fixed step. For how prerequisite programmes and HACCP work together within a management system, read HACCP and PRPs within ISO 22000.
When do you update the hazard analysis?
Your hazard analysis is never finished. Article 5 of the regulation requires you to review the procedure when the product, its preparation or one of its steps changes.
Examples of moments to update it:
- you add a new product or recipe;
- you change supplier for a high-risk ingredient;
- you buy a new oven, cold room or slicing machine;
- there is a complaint, incident or product recall in your sector;
- the NVWA or your hygiene code points to a new hazard.
Record the date and what changed with every review. An inspector then sees that the analysis is kept up to date.
Common mistakes in the HACCP hazard analysis
- Forgetting allergens. Many analyses only look at bacteria, even though allergens often cause the biggest problems.
- Skipping steps. Storage, leftovers and transport to the shop are often forgotten.
- No justification. “Not significant” without a reason raises questions during an audit or inspection.
- Copying from another business. An example is useful as a starting point, but your processes and products are different.