Introduction to HACCP

HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) is a system that helps food business operators look at how they handle food and introduces procedures to make sure the food produced is safe to eat.

As part of routine inspections, the enforcement officer will check that the business has an appropriate HACCP-based food safety management system in place.

HACCP guidance

The Food Standards Agency has developed a range of food safety management packs for different sectors of the food industry to help food business operators manage their food safety management procedures. For more information, go to the links below.

Safer food, better business (SFBB) helps small food businesses and childminders put in place food safety management procedures and comply with food hygiene regulations.

CookSafe is the FSA in Scotland’s food safety management system to help caterers comply with legal requirements.

RetailSafe, also developed by the FSA in Scotland, assists retailers handling unwrapped high-risk foods to comply with legal requirements.

Safe Catering is FSA Northern Ireland's food safety management guide to help catering businesses produce a food safety management plan based on HACCP principles and to keep records appropriate to their business.

HACCP in meat plants contains a short guide to completing a HACCP plan, information on training, a meat plant HACCP manual and CD ROM, model documents and a food safety management diary.

Wild Game Guide is for those producing wild game meat for human consumption, either at an approved game handling establishment or under an exemption allowed by the Food Hygiene Regulations. It includes the Wild Game HACCP Plan.

More in this section

  • Safer food, better business

    Safer food, better business (SFBB) is an innovative and practical approach to food safety management. It has been developed to help small businesses put in place food safety management procedures and comply with food hygiene regulations.

  • Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) in meat plants

    HACCP is an internationally recognised way of managing food safety and protecting consumers. All food business operators except farmers and growers are required by EU food hygiene legislation, to implement and maintain hygiene procedures based on HACCP principles.

  • Butchers

    This section provides information for butchers, and other people working in butchers' shops, to help them recognise the food safety risks in their particular businesses and develop procedures to manage food safety to show what they do to keep food safe.

  • Safe Catering

    Safe Catering is FSA Northern Ireland's food safety management guide. A joint initiative with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, Safe Catering is a practical and easy to use guide that will help catering businesses and retailers with a catering function to comply with food legislation, produce a food safety management plan based on HACCP principles and to keep the appropriate records.

  • CookSafe

    CookSafe helps catering businesses in Scotland understand and implement HACCP-based systems. By reading this manual and following the instructions, you will be able to develop HACCP-based procedures that fit your needs.

  • RetailSafe

    RetailSafe has been designed for retailers in Scotland handling unwrapped high-risk foods. It has been designed to assist with compliance with the food hygiene regulations and is built on the CookSafe approach and structure.

  • Wild game guide: a guide to food hygiene legislation

    The guide is for people who shoot wild game and supply it either in-fur or in-feather or as small quantities of wild game meat. It gives information on hygiene regulations and ways to make sure meat is safe to eat.