When are Critical control points used?

Answer 1

A Critical Control Point (CCP) is not actually a system, but is a point in a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) procedure. Where the overall goal of the HACCP procedure is to eliminate potential hazards (most notably in the food industry), the CCP is the absolute bare minimum requirement in order to do so.

For example, the internal temperature of a chicken has to be cooked to 165F (74C) in order to eliminate any chance of contamination due to the natural bacteria present in chicken. Therefore, the CCP of cooking chicken is 165F - that is the absolute minimum temperature where bacteria is no longer present, or able to multiply (depending on the type). As well, refrigerated foods have to be kept at a temperature of 4C or below. Therefore, 4C is the absolute maximum temperature the food can be.

Therefore, a Critical Control Point only really requires the absolute minimum (or maximum) allowed volume, temperature, or anything where you have to regulate a variable to achieve acceptable (critical) levels.

Answer 2

In meat and poultry plants, critical control points (CCPs) are used when a hazard has been identified within a system as reasonably likely to occur and must be controlled, reduced to an acceptable level or eliminated. One example would be monitoring the temperature of a cooler to ensure the product stored within it does not get warm enough to support bacterial growth; the bacterial growth would be the hazard that must been controlled.

Answer 3

Very carefully.