What does HACCP stand for, and what is its purpose?

HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points. It is a preventive food-safety management system that identifies biological, chemical, and physical hazards in the flow of food and establishes controls at the points where those hazards can be prevented, eliminated, or reduced to safe levels. Rather than relying only on finished-product inspection, HACCP builds safety into the process. A manager uses HACCP to systematically analyze risks and put controls and monitoring in place. Understanding HACCP as a structured, preventive approach to managing hazards is central to the food-manager role.