Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) is a logical system designed to identify hazards and/or critical situations and to produce a structured plan to control these situations.

Developed by the Pillsbury Company for the early US Space Program, HACCP (pronounced HAS-SIP) has become the accepted method for ensuring safe foods worldwide.

HACCP was introduced to the food processing industry in 1971. Since then, it has seen wide application in many different settings.

The Food Code is a model code published by the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA). Although not a federal requirement, it is adopted by all levels of government as a consistent standard to insure that food is safe and properly protected and presented at retail and foodservice establishments.

In the 1993 FDA Model Food Code, FDA unveiled its HACCP concept for the retail and food service sector. The seven HACCP principles have been carried through each successive Food Code and have become the framework and spearhead for a number of food safety initiatives.

In this course, the terms HACCP program, HACCP system, HACCP process and HACCP plan are used interchangeably.