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HACCP Decision Trees

Last updated on 24th April 2023

UK consumers trust that the food they buy and eat is safe and accurately labelled. The food system is complex, and its regulation involves multiple bodies, such as the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and Food Standards Scotland (FSS) in Scotland.

Risks to consumers are varied, including foodborne disease, food allergic reactions or intolerances, risks associated with food crime such as the misrepresentation or adulteration of food, and risks arising from mislabelling.

The Food Standards Agency carries out a bi-annual survey which measures self-reported consumer knowledge, attitudes and behaviours related to food safety and other food issues amongst adults in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. This is called “Food and You 2”.

In the latest survey published in July 2021, they found that:

  • More than 9 in 10 (93%) respondents reported that they had confidence that the food they buy is safe to eat.
  • Three quarters (78%) of respondents who had a least some knowledge about the FSA trust the FSA to make sure food is safe and what it says it is.
  • Most respondents (88%) reported that they had no concerns about the food they eat.
  • Over three quarters of respondents (77%) reported that they had confidence in the food supply chain.
  • Respondents were asked to indicate how confident they were that key actors involved in the food supply chain ensure that the food they buy is safe to eat. Respondents were more likely to report confidence in farmers (88%) and shops and supermarkets (87%) than in takeaways (70%) and food delivery services (52%).

It appears from these figures that the majority of UK consumers have trust in the food safety risk assessments and safety management procedures that are taken to ensure that the food that they buy and eat is safe.

Chef teaching colleagues about HACCP decision trees

What is HACCP?

HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points and is an internationally recognised method of identifying and managing food safety related risk. Many of the world’s leading food manufacturers and vendors use the system as a basis for their food safety management programmes and for compliance with food safety audit schemes.

The HACCP concept was first developed in the 1960s by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), working with Pillsbury, to ensure crumb and pathogen free food had extensive shelf-life properties for space travel. It was the first pathogen monitoring and measurement requirement imposed on the food industry.

Following a 1980 World Health Organization (WHO) International Commission on Microbiological Safety of Foods (ICMSF) report on HACCP, WHO EUROPE recommended the use of HACCP in 1983.

In the early 1990s, there was talk of HACCP as an effective tool to control food safety hazards and the Guidelines for the Application of the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point System were established in 1993 by the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) – An international inter-governmental body in the Joint Food Standards Program established by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and WHO.

Today, the International HACCP Alliance (IHA) serves as the international authority on HACCP systems and regulatory compliance. 164 member countries of the World Trade Organization (WTO), including the UK, recognise the CAC HACCP standards as food safety policy that meets international expectations for food safety management.

A key element in the applications of food safety management systems in the food industry is to be able to identify and analyse hazards. The HACCP system was designed to establish critical control points (CCPs) in addition to hygiene practices to prevent these hazards from occurring further down the operation line.

HACCP is important because it prioritises and controls potential hazards in food production, reducing foodborne hazards and ensuring that public health protection is improved.

HACCP involves (Source FSA):

  • Looking closely at what you do in your business, what could go wrong and what risks there are to food safety.
  • Identifying any critical control points in the areas a business needs to focus on to ensure those risks are removed or reduced to safe levels.
  • Deciding what action that you need to take if something goes wrong.
  • Making sure that your procedures are being followed and are working.
  • Keeping records to show your procedures are working.

In January 2006, HACCP became a legal and mandatory requirement with the introduction of an EU regulation about hygiene in foodstuffs, Regulation (EC) No 852/2004. In Article 5 of this regulation, it states that “food business operators shall put in place, implement and maintain a permanent procedure based on the Codex HACCP principles”.

The seven HACCP principles are:

  • Conduct a hazard analysis – This involves identifying where different types of hazard could arise within the food production process to ensure that food safety standards are upheld. HACCP is centred around:
    – Physical hazards.
    – Biological hazards.
    – Chemical hazards.
    With biohazards being the main focus within the HACCP system.
  • Identify the critical control points – You can identify CCPs within your own food production process by using a decision tree designed for HACCP.
  • Establish critical limits – This means establishing the parameter which is typically based on food regulatory standards and will involve monitoring some form of measurement, e.g. temperature, weight, pH, etc.
  • Find a system for monitoring the CCPs – This is a system which establishes how, when and where a measurement will be taken, how frequently this needs to be done and who is ultimately responsible for doing so.
  • Create relevant procedures for corrective action – If your system discovers that a measurement taken at a CCP has exceeded your critical limit for a particular hazard, you will need safety protocols in place which can be put into action when required.
  • Verify the effectiveness of your HACCP plan – This involves checking to make sure that your CCP checks and actions have been successful in producing food safely.
  • Keep records of all procedures and actions within the HACCP plan – This is to be able to prove that you are producing food safely on any potential inspection. It enables you to check that standards are consistently being met and that your HACCP plan has been successfully implemented by all staff.
Food being stored in appropriate conditions

What is a HACCP decision tree?

The HACCP decision tree, which is typically produced as a flow chart, is a tool used to analyse hazards in the food production process for the establishment of critical control points. Critical control points (CCPs) are any process in food operations that can be applied with control measures to eliminate identified hazards for the production of food that is safe to eat.

Some examples of CCPs may include but are not limited to:

  • Correct cooking temperature.
  • Proper conditions of storage.
  • Monitoring the integrity of packaging material.

This type of risk analysis shows whether a point in a process is a CCP, whether an Operational Prerequisite Programme (OPRP), that is, a programme for controlling a significant hazard, should be applied there, or whether the point in the process indicates that the procedure or product needs to be altered.

An example of this could be the disinfection of a piece of equipment which may be identified as critical to control the hazard of E. coli 0157. If there is no control later in the process to prevent these bacteria spreading, this prerequisite is described as an “operational prerequisite” because it is essential for producing safe food.

The HACCP decision tree is designed to prevent dangers within the context of food production, packaging and handling that may lead to consumer illness or injury.

What is in a HACCP decision tree?

A HACCP decision tree consists of a set of questions designed to arrive at conclusions of whether a step is a CCP or not. The questions involved in a HACCP decision tree are always answerable by a yes or no answer. However, if in doubt over the answer to a question, always assume the worst situation until you have evidence to say otherwise.

There are many different HACCP decision trees to choose from. The FSA does not specify that a particular HACCP decision tree needs to be used, and some businesses even devise their own design.

There are, however, five key questions that make up the decision tree and these need to be addressed for each product or product group, and every process step where risks are identified:

  • Are adequate actions for hazard control in place?
  • Are actions required?
  • Is the step necessary to eliminate the hazard?
  • Can the hazard increase at this step?
  • Does a further step eliminate the hazard?

After these questions have been clarified, the HACCP decision tree graphically shows whether the analysed measure is a CCP or an OPRP.

The FSA provides links to two examples of HACCP decision trees; these are:

The basics of the HACCP decision tree

The HACCP decision tree creates an easy to follow visual diagram of the steps in the food production process for a specific product, allowing you to accurately identify the critical control points (CCPs) in your food production process. It is a qualitative evaluation that uses questions to evaluate the steps.

Critical Control Points can be isolated and identified by understanding the different risks and hazards that can occur within your environment, then calculating when and where they can happen during your food production process.

An example would be during the defrosting process before cooking, and unsuitable defrosting practices that can result in bacteria developing on the foodstuffs. If no CCPs are identified, you should look again at the decision tree you used and check your answers to the questions, in case you have missed anything.

However, if you are using Operational Prerequisite Programmes (OPRP), these may be controlling some significant hazards in your process. Operational Pre-Requisite Programmes are broad controls; for example, temperature control which may be critical to food safety.

Critical limits are the minimum and maximum limits of each separate CCP. These limits are set so that each hazard is managed safely in order to eliminate, prevent or manage food safety risks. A critical limit marks the acceptability or unacceptability level of a CCP. For example, if it was critical to keep high-risk food out of the danger zone (between 5°C and 60°C), it would be acceptable to refrigerate meat at a temperature of 4°C but unacceptable to refrigerate it at 8°C.

A specific HACCP decision tree is not universal. Some adjustments and additional elements may need to be applied to fit the nature of specific food processing; a decision tree must be flexible.

You should keep a record of the decision tree you use and the reasons for your answers to each of the questions asked.

Man using HACCP decision trees

What is a HACCP decision tree used for?

Food safety management procedures should be based on HACCP principles. A HACCP decision tree is used specifically for each type of hazard in the context of food production.

It is considered a vital part of your HACCP plan documentation and implementation. To protect your intended consumers, it is important to conduct all stages of hazard analysis and perform adequate actions such as the implementation of CCPs to control them.

Using an incorrectly structured decision tree can lead to inaccurately identified CCPs and unnecessary control standards. The HACCP decision tree is used to separate CCPs from other preventive measures such as prerequisite programmes, control points, etc. Businesses can often identify too many steps as CCPs. The more questions involved, the more complicated the decision tree gets.

When would you use a HACCP decision tree?

HACCP can be applied throughout the food chain from primary production to final consumption. The most obvious time to use a HACCP decision tree is during the concept stage of your HACCP plan. Choosing whether to use a decision tree in HACCP is based on whether establishing CCPs can be done based on existing literature and experience from similar cases, but a decision tree can help in this process.

The extensiveness of a decision tree to be used depends on the requirements of the individual business and the requirements of the food safety agencies and authorities.

A decision tree is used when logical reasoning for the establishment of a CCP is required. The questions can serve as justification for your decision and can address more than one hazard in the process.

You should identify all food safety risks for a specific product, designate which operation they are most likely to occur, and which step is capable of controlling this hazard. Operation steps such as the temperature control during the cooking process, inspection upon receipt of raw materials, and hazard control during storage can be considered as CCPs and passed through a decision tree.

Your HACCP plan must be kept up to date, so too must the HACCP decision trees. You will need to review the plan and the decision trees from time to time, especially whenever something in your food operation changes; for example, if you decide to start hot holding food you will need to update your plan to include this additional step.

In conclusion

Proper implementation of a HACCP programme helps reduce the likelihood of customer complaints or a recall, by identifying and controlling potential hazards which may come from raw materials, facility processes and human error. HACCP supports regulatory compliance, brand protection and customer trust and is recognised as the most widely accepted food safety method in the world.

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About the author

Evie Lee

Evie Lee

Evie has worked at CPD Online College since August 2021. She is currently doing an apprenticeship in Level 3 Business Administration. Evie's main roles are to upload blog articles and courses to the website. Outside of work, Evie loves horse riding and spending time with her family.



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