HACCP EXAM QUESTIONS WITH
COMPLETE ANSWERS
Sources of biological hazards in meat: - Answer-In raw meat/poultry product
On pests
In the premises
On humans
How to do HACCP (12 steps) - Answer-1 - Assemble HACCP team
2 - Describe the product (HACCP plan is product specific)
3 - Identify intended use and consumers
4 - Construct a flow diagram which describes the process
5 - Confirm/verify on-site flow diagram
6 - List all potential hazards, conduct a hazard analysis and consider control measures
7 - 12 - Apply principles 2 - 7
What is a hazard? - Answer-A biological/chemical/physical agent with potential to cause
an adverse health effect when present at an unacceptable level
Food poisoning bacteria - Answer-E. coli 0157, Salmonella, Campylobacter,
Staphylococcus, Clostridium, Listeria, Baccilus cereus
What to consider during hazard analysis - Answer-Qualitative/quantitative evaluation of
the hazard's presence
Survival/multiplication of pathogenic organisms
Contamination/re-contamination of an agent on the raw materials/in-process
product/finished product
Overall risk - likelihood of hazard occurrence and severity of the consequence (1 - 4
score)
Assessing acceptable/unacceptable levels of a hazard - Answer-Contaminants are
acceptable if their levels remain below a certain minimum.
Hazard control principles - Answer-Prevent contamination
Prevent increase in level of contamination
Assurance of adequate reduction
Prevent re contamination
Prevent dissemination
Elimination
Controlling hazards in beef slaughter (CCPs) - Answer-Purchase from reputable
supplier
Visually check animals prepared for slaughter
Sheduled cleaning
, Correct temp control (chilling hall / knife and saw sterilisers / scald tank) - minimise time
carcass spends at ambient temp
Use potable water - water analysis checks
Staff hygiene rules/training
Staff fitness to work
Correct stock rotation
Food-safe packaging
Pest control
When to perform hazard analysis - Answer-During product development
During industrialization of new product
When new hazards emerge
When new raw materials used
When formulation/use/equipment is changed
With new layout of production area
What is used to identify and locate CCPs? - Answer-CCP decision trees
Suggested CCPs at a cattle/sheep abattoir - Answer-Acceptance of animals for
slaughter
Hide/fleece removal
Evisceration (including bunging and rodding)
Chill and storage
Dispatch and transport
Suggested CCPs at a pig abattoir - Answer-Scald/singe
Evisceraiton (bunging)
Chill and storage
Dispatch and transport
Establishing critical limits for CCPs - Answer-Max/min value to which a hazard must be
controlled at a CCP, used to distinguish between safe and unsafe operating conditions.
Each control measure can have 1 or more critical limits which must be based on sound
science with supporting documents maintained as part of HACCP
Examples of critical limits at CCPs and how monitoring could be done - Answer-- 0
visible faecal material/ingesta/milk on carcass after slaughter and internal carcass -
visual monitoring of a certain no. of carcasses/hour
- Temperature within 24 of slaughter - checking carcass temp by the cooler operator
every hour
Monitoring - Answer-Regular observation and/or measurements to assess whether the
CCP is under control and produce accurate record for future use in verification. Correct
monitoring should detect a problem before critical limits are reached
COMPLETE ANSWERS
Sources of biological hazards in meat: - Answer-In raw meat/poultry product
On pests
In the premises
On humans
How to do HACCP (12 steps) - Answer-1 - Assemble HACCP team
2 - Describe the product (HACCP plan is product specific)
3 - Identify intended use and consumers
4 - Construct a flow diagram which describes the process
5 - Confirm/verify on-site flow diagram
6 - List all potential hazards, conduct a hazard analysis and consider control measures
7 - 12 - Apply principles 2 - 7
What is a hazard? - Answer-A biological/chemical/physical agent with potential to cause
an adverse health effect when present at an unacceptable level
Food poisoning bacteria - Answer-E. coli 0157, Salmonella, Campylobacter,
Staphylococcus, Clostridium, Listeria, Baccilus cereus
What to consider during hazard analysis - Answer-Qualitative/quantitative evaluation of
the hazard's presence
Survival/multiplication of pathogenic organisms
Contamination/re-contamination of an agent on the raw materials/in-process
product/finished product
Overall risk - likelihood of hazard occurrence and severity of the consequence (1 - 4
score)
Assessing acceptable/unacceptable levels of a hazard - Answer-Contaminants are
acceptable if their levels remain below a certain minimum.
Hazard control principles - Answer-Prevent contamination
Prevent increase in level of contamination
Assurance of adequate reduction
Prevent re contamination
Prevent dissemination
Elimination
Controlling hazards in beef slaughter (CCPs) - Answer-Purchase from reputable
supplier
Visually check animals prepared for slaughter
Sheduled cleaning
, Correct temp control (chilling hall / knife and saw sterilisers / scald tank) - minimise time
carcass spends at ambient temp
Use potable water - water analysis checks
Staff hygiene rules/training
Staff fitness to work
Correct stock rotation
Food-safe packaging
Pest control
When to perform hazard analysis - Answer-During product development
During industrialization of new product
When new hazards emerge
When new raw materials used
When formulation/use/equipment is changed
With new layout of production area
What is used to identify and locate CCPs? - Answer-CCP decision trees
Suggested CCPs at a cattle/sheep abattoir - Answer-Acceptance of animals for
slaughter
Hide/fleece removal
Evisceration (including bunging and rodding)
Chill and storage
Dispatch and transport
Suggested CCPs at a pig abattoir - Answer-Scald/singe
Evisceraiton (bunging)
Chill and storage
Dispatch and transport
Establishing critical limits for CCPs - Answer-Max/min value to which a hazard must be
controlled at a CCP, used to distinguish between safe and unsafe operating conditions.
Each control measure can have 1 or more critical limits which must be based on sound
science with supporting documents maintained as part of HACCP
Examples of critical limits at CCPs and how monitoring could be done - Answer-- 0
visible faecal material/ingesta/milk on carcass after slaughter and internal carcass -
visual monitoring of a certain no. of carcasses/hour
- Temperature within 24 of slaughter - checking carcass temp by the cooler operator
every hour
Monitoring - Answer-Regular observation and/or measurements to assess whether the
CCP is under control and produce accurate record for future use in verification. Correct
monitoring should detect a problem before critical limits are reached