What is the primary purpose of a HACCP plan?

The primary purpose of a HACCP plan is to identify and control food safety hazards in food production. HACCP, which stands for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points, is a systematic approach that focuses specifically on the safety of food by identifying potential biological, chemical, and physical hazards in the production process. Once these hazards are identified, the HACCP plan outlines critical control points that need to be monitored and controlled to minimize or eliminate these risks. By implementing such a plan, organizations can proactively prevent food safety issues rather than just reacting to them after they occur.

While ensuring compliance with food safety regulations, improving the quality of food products, and enhancing customer satisfaction are important objectives within the broader context of food safety and business operations, they do not encapsulate the primary goal of developing a HACCP plan. Compliance and quality improvements can be seen as benefits resulting from a well-implemented HACCP plan, but the focus of the plan itself is on hazard control to safeguard consumer health.