What is the role of monitoring in a HACCP plan?

Monitoring in a HACCP plan serves a fundamental role in ensuring food safety by verifying that critical limits at each Critical Control Point (CCP) are consistently met. The critical limits are predefined thresholds established to prevent, eliminate, or reduce a food safety hazard to an acceptable level. Through continuous or regular monitoring of these limits, a facility can identify any deviations from the established standards in real time.

This proactive approach helps to address potential safety issues before they escalate into major problems. For example, if the temperature of a product exceeds the critical limit for safe storage, monitoring would alert staff to take corrective actions immediately, thereby preventing harmful pathogens from proliferating.

While documenting changes in customer preferences, providing feedback on employee performance, and creating marketing strategies may be important aspects of a business's overall operation, they do not directly relate to the primary objective of a HACCP plan. The focus of HACCP is on food safety through the management of hazards, which underscores the pivotal role that monitoring plays within this framework.