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Title / Demonstrate understanding of a HACCP application in a food processing operation
Level / 4 / Credits / 10
Purpose / This unit standard is for experienced operators and others required to have a full understanding of a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) system in their workplace in a food processing operation.
People credited with this unit standard are able to demonstrate understanding of: the application of HACCP as a tool for identifying and controlling potential food safety hazards; the factors that affect the implementation of a HACCP application; the uses of critical control points and critical limits; the content of a HACCP application and pre-requisite programmes; the corrective actions to be taken where critical limits are exceeded and the verification activities that confirm ongoing compliance and effectiveness of HACCP and documentation and record keeping, for a food processing operation.
Classification / Primary Products Food ProcessingPrimary Products Food Processing -Core Skills
Available grade / Achieved
Guidance information
1Demonstration of competency must be consistent with all relevant legislation and subsequent amendments; this includes but is not limited to:
- Animal Products Act 1999
- Food Act 2014
- Food Hygiene Regulations 1974
- Food (Safety) Regulations 2002
- New Zealand (Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code) Food Standards 2002, available at
2Definitions
Critical limit – a criterion which separates acceptability from unacceptability.
CCP – critical control point, a step at which control can be applied. A critical control point is essential to prevent or eliminate a food safety hazard or reduce it to an acceptable level, which is a level of hazard considered essential for food safety.
Food processing operation – a processing operation that operates at any level of the food chain from growing/harvesting to consumption.
HACCP – hazard analysis critical control point; a system that identifies, analyses, and controls hazards which are significant for food safety.
HACCP application (also known as HACCP plan)– can be either a hazard identification and analysis with no critical control points or an application with one or more critical control points which involve the use of all of the HACCP principles.
Hazard – a condition of food or a biological, chemical, or physical agent in food with the potential to cause an adverse health effect.
Organisational requirements – instructions to staff on policies and procedures that are documented in memo, electronic, or manual format and available in the workplace.
Prerequisite programmes (also known as supporting programmes or Good Operating Practice) – cover all those activities which interact within and across various processes, that may influence the food safety outcomes of the product. These programmes and practices need to be built before a HACCP plan is developed. These programmes support the HACCP plan once implemented.
Risk-basedprogrammes – the collective term used to cover programmes such as risk management programmes (RMPs) under the Animal Products Act 1999 and food safety programmes (FSPs)/food control plans (FCPs) under the Food Act 2014.
Understanding means that there should be evidence of a learner’s thorough comprehension of a topic. A learner with a good understanding of a topic should have applied, or should be able to apply what they have learnt to a workplace situation and will be able to alter their practices to the different contexts they are applying their learning to. Assessors should be confident that the learner’s understanding is embedded in their practices and behaviour.
3Codex Alimentarius Commission – Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Systems and Guidelines for its application, available from the Primary ITO,
4Evidence must be provided in an industry context.
5A HACCP application may be used for product other than for human consumption e.g. a product intended for animal consumption.
Outcomes and Performance criteria
Outcome 1
Demonstrate understanding of the application of HACCP as a tool for identifying and controlling potential food safety hazards in a food processing operation.
Performance criteria
1.1Describe the seven principles of HACCP in combination with other elements in terms of the controlling potential food safety hazards.
Rangeother elements include but are not limited to – scope, product description, process description.
1.2Describe the nature and significance of chemical, biological, and physical food safety hazards that can affect the production of product and their impact for a food processing operation.
1.3Describe the method used to identify CCPs in accordance with the HACCP application.
1.4Describe methods used to monitor and control a CCP in in accordance with the HACCP application.
Outcome 2
Demonstrate understanding of the factors that affect the implementation of a HACCP application in a food processing operation.
Performance criteria
2.1Describe the benefits of HACCP for a food processing operation in relation to product safety.
2.2Describe the factors required to establish a HACCP application for a food processing operation.
Rangefactors may include but are not limited to – HACCP team, documentation, process, products, people responsibilities and authorities, pre-existing good operating practice, resources;
evidence is required for at least three factors.
2.3Describe HACCP methodology in terms of its origin and importance to the workplace.
Rangeorigin – Codex Alimentarius;
importance includes but is not limited to – NZ regulatory requirements, export, public health.
Outcome 3
Demonstrate understanding of the uses of critical control points and critical limits in a food processing operation
Performance criteria
3.1Describe a critical control point in terms of its relationship with a HACCP application.
3.2Identify critical control point/s used in the workplace and describe their use in the HACCP application.
Rangeevidence is required for at least one critical control point.
3.3Describe sources of industry standards in terms of their role in standard setting in the HACCP application.
Rangesources may include but are not limited to –regulatory requirements, process requirements, specifications.
evidence is required for at least one.
3.4Describe the consequences of exceeding critical limits within a documented HACCP application.
3.5Describe the monitoring of critical control point/s within the HACCP application.
Outcome 4
Demonstrate understanding of the content of a HACCP application and pre-requisite programmes for a food processing operation.
Performance criteria
4.1Describe the role of prerequisite programmes in the implementation of a HACCP application in accordance with organisational requirements.
4.2Describe the responsibilities within the HACCP application for roles in an organisation in terms of their specific requirements.
Rangeroles include but are not limited to – managers, supervisors, coordinators, operators.
4.3Describe the organisational requirements for critical control points to be included in a HACCP application in accordance with organisational requirements.
Outcome 5
Demonstrate understanding of the corrective actions to be taken where critical limits are exceeded in a food processing operation.
Performance criteria
5.1Describe corrective actions to be taken where critical limits are exceeded in accordance with the documented HACCP application.
5.2Describe actions to be taken for isolating product and/or bringing the process and/or situation back into control and preventative reoccurrence if critical limits are exceeded in accordance with requirements.
Rangerequirements include but are not limited to – internal policies and procedures, responsibilities, limits of authority, regulatory/market access requirements.
Outcome 6
Demonstrate understanding of the verification activities that confirm ongoing compliance and effectiveness of HACCP and documentation and record keeping for a food processing operation.
Performance criteria
6.1Describe activities, methods, procedures, or tests used to determine the process is compliant and remains effective.
6.2Describe documentation and record-keeping in terms of their role in the HACCP application.
Planned review date / 31 December 2022Last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process / Version / Date / Last Date for AssessmentRegistration / 1 / 27 January 2015 / 31 December 2022
Review / 2 / 20 July 2017 / N/A
Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR) reference / 0022
This CMR can be accessed at
Comments on this unit standard
Please contact the Primary Industry Training Organisation if you wish to suggest changes to the content of this unit standard.
Primary Industry Training OrganisationSSB Code 101558 / New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2018