HACCP's 7 Principles for the Food Manager Exam
Updated October 27, 2026
HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) is a system for preventing food safety hazards before they happen. Food protection manager exams expect you to know the seven principles in order and to recognize critical control points and critical limits. Here’s an explanation, followed by free practice questions.
The seven principles
- Conduct a hazard analysis. Identify biological, chemical and physical hazards in each step of preparation.
- Determine critical control points (CCPs). Find the points where a hazard can be prevented, eliminated or reduced to safe levels, such as cooking, cooling or hot holding.
- Establish critical limits. Set the measurable limit at each CCP, such as cooking chicken to 165°F.
- Establish monitoring procedures. Decide how, when and by whom each CCP is checked, such as taking a temperature.
- Identify corrective actions. Decide what to do when a critical limit isn’t met, such as continuing to cook or throwing food out.
- Verify that the system works. Check that the plan is working, for example by reviewing records and calibrating thermometers.
- Establish record keeping and documentation. Keep records of monitoring, corrective actions and verification.
A way to remember the order: analyze, find the points, set limits, monitor, correct, verify, record.
When is a HACCP plan required?
Under the FDA Food Code, a HACCP plan is required for certain specialized processes, such as smoking food as a method of preservation, curing, using food additives to make food non-TCS, reduced-oxygen packaging, and operating under a variance. Your regulatory authority decides what applies to your operation.
Free HACCP practice questions
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What is the first principle of HACCP?Answer: AHACCP begins with a hazard analysis: identifying the biological, chemical and physical hazards in the process.
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Cooking chicken breasts to 165°F is an example of a:Answer: BA critical limit is the measurable requirement at a critical control point. Cooking chicken to at least 165°F is the critical limit at the cooking step.
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A cook checks that chicken reached 165°F and finds it only reached 150°F. Continuing to cook it to 165°F is an example of which principle?Answer: CA corrective action is what's done when a critical limit isn't met, such as continuing to cook food until it reaches the required temperature.
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Which principle involves checking food temperatures at a critical control point?Answer: AMonitoring is how a critical control point is checked, such as measuring a food's temperature, and who does it and how often.
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Reviewing temperature logs and calibrating thermometers to make sure the plan works is:Answer: DVerification confirms the HACCP system works, for example by reviewing records and checking that thermometers are accurate.
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Which is the last of the seven HACCP principles?Answer: BThe seventh principle is establishing procedures for record keeping and documentation.
Pass your food manager exam on the first try
- All 171 questions on foodborne illness, hygiene, storage, cooking and cooling, cleaning and HACCP
- An explanation for every answer, with its source, usually the FDA Food Code section
- Unlimited full 80-question practice exams across all six areas