Prerequisite programmes: what HACCP assumes is already in place

A HACCP study identifies the significant hazards that remain after good hygiene practice is working. When prerequisite programmes are weak, those hazards migrate into the plan and the site ends up with critical control points it cannot realistically manage.

The usual suspects

• Cleaning and disinfection, with validated methods and verified outcomes.
• Pest control, including the trend analysis nobody reads until the audit.
• Maintenance and hygienic design, particularly after equipment modification.
• Personal hygiene and visitor control.
• Supplier approval and incoming material verification.

The test

For each hazard you have classed as significant, ask whether a functioning prerequisite programme would have controlled it. If the answer is yes, fix the programme rather than adding a control point — the plan gets shorter and the site gets safer.