Creating a HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) flow chart for a menu item like lasagna, which contains potentially hazardous foods such as ground beef and cheese, ensures food safety by aligning with the flow of food—from receiving to reheating. At receiving and storage, store ground beef and cheese at 4 Celsius/39 Fahrenheit or colder to prevent bacterial growth, rejecting deliveries not meeting this critical control point (CCP).

For cooking ground beef, reach 71 Celsius/160 Fahrenheit for 15 seconds to eliminate pathogens like E. coli, verified with a probe thermometer. During baking lasagna, ensure the combined ingredients hit 74 Celsius/165 Fahrenheit for 15 seconds, checking with a probe thermometer.

For hot holding, maintain 60 Celsius/140 Fahrenheit or hotter, monitoring every two hours and logging temperatures. When cooling leftovers, reduce from 60 Celsius/140 Fahrenheit to 4 Celsius/39 Fahrenheit within 6 hours in small, shallow containers, stirring frequently. For reheating, reach 74 Celsius/165 Fahrenheit within 2 hours if hot holding, using a stove or microwave, not slow cookers. This HACCP flow chart safeguards customer health by controlling hazards, educates staff on allergens like dairy in cheese, and ensures rigorous food safety standards are met.

Read more About the lesson (Optional)

Welcome to the third lesson in the Construction, Design and Facilities module of the Safe Food Handler Certificate course! In this lesson, you’ll learn how to create a HACCP flow chart for a menu item like lasagna, focusing on critical control points (CCPs) to ensure food safety throughout the flow of food. Let’s dive in!

HACCP and the Flow of Food

A HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) plan aligns with the flow of food, ensuring potentially hazardous foods (e.g., meats, dairy) stay within safe time and temperature limits at each stage—receiving, cooking, hot holding, cooling, and reheating. If these limits are exceeded, the food must be discarded to prevent foodborne illness. A HACCP flow chart outlines these controls for each menu item, educating staff on safe preparation and allergen risks.

HACCP Flow Chart Example: Lasagna

Let’s create a HACCP flow chart for lasagna, which includes potentially hazardous ingredients: ground beef and cheese (noodles and tomato sauce are not hazardous).

• Receiving and Storage:
  • CCP: Store ground beef and cheese at 4°C/39°F or colder to prevent bacterial growth.
  • Action: Reject deliveries not meeting this temperature to avoid temperature abuse.
• Cooking Ground Beef:
  • CCP: Cook ground beef to an internal temperature of 71°C/160°F for 15 seconds to destroy pathogens (e.g., E. coli).
  • Action: Use a probe thermometer to verify the temperature.
• Baking Lasagna:
  • CCP: Bake the combined ingredients (ground beef, cheese, noodles, sauce) to an internal temperature of 74°C/165°F for 15 seconds to ensure safety of mixed potentially hazardous foods.
  • Action: Check with a probe thermometer.
• Hot Holding:
  • CCP: Hot hold lasagna at 60°C/140°F or hotter to prevent bacterial spore growth.
  • Action: Monitor with a probe thermometer every two hours and record temperatures.
• Cooling Leftovers:
  • CCP: Cool leftovers from 60°C/140°F to 4°C/39°F within 6 hours using small, shallow containers to stay out of the danger zone (4°C/39°F to 60°C/140°F).
  • Action: Stir frequently and refrigerate promptly.
• Reheating:
  • CCP: Reheat lasagna to 74°C/165°F for 15 seconds within 2 hours if hot holding before serving.
  • Action: Use a stove or microwave, not slow cookers, and verify with a probe thermometer.

Why This Matters

A HACCP flow chart ensures food safety by controlling hazards at each stage, educates staff on proper practices, and informs them about allergens (e.g., dairy in cheese) to communicate with customers. Implementing HACCP prevents foodborne illness and demonstrates due diligence. Check course resources for more guidance on safe food handling practices.

Key Takeaways:

• A HACCP flow chart outlines time and temperature controls for each stage of food preparation, like receiving (4°C/39°F), cooking (71°C/160°F or 74°C/165°F), and hot holding (60°C/140°F).
• It ensures potentially hazardous foods like ground beef and cheese are safe and informs staff about allergens.
• HACCP prevents foodborne illness and educates food handlers on safe practices.