Critical Control Point (CCP)

A Critical Control Point (CCP) is a step in a food process where control is essential to prevent, eliminate or reduce a significant food-safety hazard to an acceptable level. CCPs are identified through a hazard analysis as part of a HACCP-based food-safety system. Not every step in a kitchen is a CCP; some hazards are controlled through prerequisite programs such as sanitation, supplier approval and staff hygiene.

Examples of potential CCPs

• Cooking: achieving a validated time-temperature combination that controls relevant pathogens.
• Cooling: reducing the temperature of cooked food within the required time limits.
• Cold storage: maintaining a specified temperature where the hazard analysis identifies it as a CCP.
• Metal detection or other processing controls: in food manufacturing, where a significant physical hazard is controlled at that step.

What a CCP requires

A HACCP plan identifies the critical limit, monitoring method, corrective action, verification activity and records for each CCP. The critical limit must be measurable or otherwise observable and supported by a valid food-safety basis.

Chef’s safety note: A cooking temperature is not automatically a CCP in every operation. The hazard analysis determines where CCPs are needed, and the critical limits must follow the applicable food code and validated process.

Key distinction: A CCP is a specific step where control is essential for food safety; a control point may be useful operationally without meeting the HACCP definition of a CCP.