HACCP Certification: Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points
Independent third-party HACCP audits and certificates for food manufacturers, processors, packers, caterers and food logistics companies, based on the Codex HACCP principles and the food safety rules of the markets you sell into.
- Audit of your hazard analysis, critical control points and HACCP records
- On-site audit of the plant, prerequisite programmes and staff practices
- Company certificate your buyers and distributors can verify online
From $800Certified by EUROTECH
Or call +1 307 205 1833, Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 18:00 (US Mountain Time)
- Issuing certificates since 2004
- 500+ certificates issued
- On-site audits in the USA, Europe, Asia, Africa
- Verify any EUROTECH certificate
What is HACCP certification?
HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points. It is a preventive system for food safety: instead of relying on testing finished products, a food business identifies the biological, chemical and physical hazards in its process, decides which steps are critical for controlling them, and monitors those steps every time it produces. The internationally used reference is the HACCP system described in the Codex Alimentarius General Principles of Food Hygiene (CXC 1-1969).
HACCP certification is an independent, third-party audit of that system. A EUROTECH auditor reviews your HACCP plan, visits your site, watches the critical control points in operation and checks your monitoring, corrective action and verification records. After an independent review, we issue a certificate that names the site, the products and processes covered, and the reference audited. Buyers, retailers, distributors and importers use it as evidence that food safety at your site is controlled by a working, documented system.
HACCP certification is for companies. If you are looking for a HACCP course or a personal training certificate for staff, that is a different product: our training partner MEGADEMI offers HACCP training.
HACCP, ISO 22000 and FSSC 22000: which one do you need?
HACCP is the core of every food safety standard, but the standards around it differ in scope and in who recognises them. The right choice depends mainly on what your customers ask for.
Many manufacturers start with HACCP certification and move to ISO 22000 or a scheme recognised by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) when a large retailer or brand owner requires it. A working HACCP system makes that step much easier, because the hazard analysis and records are already in place.
| Aspect | HACCP certification | ISO 22000 | FSSC 22000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| What is audited | Hazard analysis, CCPs, prerequisite programmes and records | HACCP plus a full food safety management system | ISO 22000 plus sector prerequisite programmes and scheme requirements |
| GFSI recognised | No | No | Yes |
| Typical buyers asking | Distributors, importers, food service and smaller retailers | Buyers who want a management system standard | Large retailers and global brand owners |
| Good fit for | Small and medium plants, caterers, first certification | Companies building a full system | Suppliers to GFSI-driven supply chains |
See our ISO 22000 certification and FSSC 22000 certification pages if your customers ask for those.
The 7 HACCP principles we audit
Codex describes HACCP in seven principles, applied after preliminary steps such as forming a HACCP team, describing products and their intended use, and drawing a process flow diagram that is confirmed on site. The audit checks each principle against what actually happens on your production floor.
- 1. Hazard analysis: biological, chemical (including allergens) and physical hazards identified for each step
- 2. Critical control points: the steps where control is essential, such as cooking, chilling or metal detection
- 3. Critical limits: measurable limits for each CCP, such as a minimum core temperature
- 4. Monitoring: who checks each CCP, how and how often
- 5. Corrective actions: what happens to product and process when a limit is missed
- 6. Verification: calibration, record review, internal audits and validation of the plan
- 7. Documentation and records: the evidence that the system runs every day
HACCP only works on a solid base of prerequisite programmes, also called good hygiene practices: cleaning, pest control, personal hygiene, maintenance, water, supplier approval and allergen control. The auditor checks these as well, because a weak prerequisite programme puts pressure on every CCP.
Benefits of HACCP certification
What an independent HACCP audit and certificate give your food business.
Stronger food safety control
An outside auditor tests whether your hazard analysis is complete and your CCPs are really under control, before a customer complaint or an inspection finds the gap.
Buyer and distributor acceptance
Importers, distributors, food service companies and retailers often ask suppliers for HACCP certification. A certificate with a clear scope answers that request quickly.
Alignment with legal requirements
Food laws in the EU, the USA and many other markets are built on HACCP principles. The audit checks that your system reflects the rules of the markets you sell into.
Export readiness
Exporters use HACCP certification to show overseas buyers that their plant runs a recognised food safety system, alongside the documents each destination market requires.
A step towards GFSI schemes
A certified HACCP system is the foundation for ISO 22000, FSSC 22000, BRCGS and similar schemes, so the next certification takes less work.
Continuous improvement
Yearly surveillance audits keep your HACCP plan current when products, recipes, equipment or suppliers change, instead of letting it go out of date.
Has a buyer asked for your HACCP certificate?
Tell us your products, processes, sites and the markets you sell into. We confirm the scope and send a written quote with audit days and every fee.
Industries we serve
Hazards and legal requirements differ by product. We scope each HACCP audit to your products and processes, and to the rules that apply in your sector.
Food and beverage manufacturing
Codex HACCP; FSMA preventive controls in the USA
Bakeries, dairies, snack, confectionery, ready meal, frozen food and ingredient plants. Typical CCPs include cooking, cooling, pasteurisation and metal detection. In the USA, most of these facilities are regulated under the FSMA preventive controls rule (21 CFR Part 117) rather than a HACCP regulation; our audit checks your HACCP system and notes how it relates to your preventive controls plan.
Seafood processing
21 CFR Part 123 (USA)
Fish and fishery product processors and exporters. In the USA, seafood processors must operate HACCP plans under 21 CFR Part 123, which covers hazards such as histamine, pathogens and parasites. The audit checks your hazard analysis, CCP monitoring and sanitation records against the rules of your destination market.
Juice and beverage producers
21 CFR Part 120 (USA)
Fruit and vegetable juice processors. US juice processors must apply HACCP under 21 CFR Part 120, including a validated process to reduce pathogens. Bottled water and soft drink plants are audited against the HACCP principles and the hygiene rules that apply to them.
Meat and poultry processing
USDA FSIS, 9 CFR Part 417 (USA)
Slaughter, cutting, processing and further processing plants. In the USA, meat and poultry establishments operate HACCP systems under USDA FSIS rules in 9 CFR Part 417, verified by FSIS inspectors. Our voluntary certificate is evidence for buyers and does not replace FSIS inspection.
Catering, restaurants and central kitchens
Codex HACCP; EU Regulation (EC) No 852/2004
Contract caterers, hotel kitchens, airline and institutional catering, and restaurant groups with central production. EU food law requires food businesses to have procedures based on HACCP principles, and many corporate clients ask caterers for certification. The audit covers receiving, storage, cooking, hot and cold holding, and allergen control.
Food packaging, storage and logistics
Codex HACCP, scoped to your activity
Cold stores, warehouses, transport companies and makers of food contact packaging. HACCP for these businesses focuses on temperature control, pest control, segregation and contamination of packaging. For food packaging hygiene, see also EN 15593.
Ingredient suppliers and exporters
Codex HACCP and destination market rules
Spice, grain, nut, oil and dried fruit processors and traders who export. The audit checks hazards typical of raw materials, such as mycotoxins, pesticide residues and foreign bodies, and the supplier approval and testing that control them. Supplement makers selling into the USA should also see cGMP certification.
Applicable HACCP requirements
HACCP is an international method, but each market writes it into law differently, and some sectors have their own HACCP regulations. We agree the reference with you at scoping, and the certificate names it.
Codex CXC 1-1969
International HACCP reference
The Codex Alimentarius General Principles of Food Hygiene set out good hygiene practices and the HACCP system with its seven principles. This is the default reference for our HACCP certification.
- Good hygiene practices (prerequisite programmes)
- Preliminary steps and the HACCP team
- Seven HACCP principles
- Validation, verification and review
21 CFR 120, 123 and 9 CFR 417
US sector HACCP rules
In the USA, HACCP plans are mandatory for juice (21 CFR Part 120), seafood (21 CFR Part 123) and meat and poultry (USDA FSIS, 9 CFR Part 417).
- Hazard analysis and HACCP plan content
- Monitoring, corrective action and verification
- Sanitation control procedures
- Record keeping
21 CFR Part 117
US food facilities (FSMA)
Most other US food facilities follow the FSMA rule on current good manufacturing practice and hazard analysis and risk-based preventive controls, which is similar to HACCP but not identical.
- cGMP requirements
- Hazard analysis and preventive controls
- Supply chain program
- Food safety plan records
EU Regulation (EC) No 852/2004
EU and UK food hygiene
Article 5 requires food business operators to put in place, implement and maintain procedures based on HACCP principles. The UK retains equivalent rules.
- Procedures based on HACCP principles
- General hygiene requirements
- Documents proportionate to business size
- Review when products or processes change
We do not mix these rules. A seafood exporter selling to the USA and the EU is audited against Codex HACCP with the sector requirements of both markets in scope, and the certificate states what was audited.
Our HACCP certification process
Eight clear stages from application to certificate. You know what happens next, who decides and what it costs before you commit.
- 1
Application and initial assessment
You send your products, processes, sites and employee numbers. We confirm we can audit your scope and send a written quote.
- 2
Scope and requirements review
We agree the products, processes and sites in scope, the HACCP reference and any sector rules, and the audit plan and dates.
- 3
Documentation review
The auditor reviews your HACCP plan, hazard analysis, flow diagrams and prerequisite programmes before the visit.
- 4
HACCP audit
On site, the auditor confirms the flow diagrams, watches CCPs being monitored, checks hygiene and interviews staff.
- 5
Corrective actions, if required
Findings are explained in a written report. You send root cause, corrections and evidence within the agreed time, and we verify them.
- 6
Independent certification decision
A qualified reviewer who did not take part in the audit checks the audit file and makes the certification decision.
- 7
Certificate issuance
You receive a HACCP certificate naming the site, products, processes and reference audited, listed on our online verification portal.
- 8
Ongoing compliance and surveillance, where applicable
Yearly surveillance audits confirm that your HACCP plan stays current as products, recipes, equipment and suppliers change.
Documentation requirements
A HACCP audit is judged on records. These are the documents we typically sample; the depth expected depends on the size and risk of your operation.
HACCP team and scope
Team members and their competence, the products and processes covered, and the date of the last plan review.
Product descriptions and intended use
Ingredients, packaging, shelf life, storage conditions, intended consumers and allergens for each product group.
Verified flow diagrams
Process flow diagrams for every product group, confirmed on site and signed off by the HACCP team.
Hazard analysis and HACCP plan
Hazards for each step, the CCP decisions, critical limits, monitoring methods and responsibilities.
CCP monitoring records
Temperature, time, metal detection and other CCP checks, signed and reviewed as your plan requires.
Corrective action records
What happened when a critical limit was missed, what was done with the product and how the cause was fixed.
Prerequisite programme records
Cleaning schedules, pest control reports, maintenance, water quality, supplier approval and allergen control.
Verification, training and traceability
Calibration records, internal audits, plan validation, staff training and a recent traceability or mock recall test.
Keep records for at least as long as your sector rules require. In the USA, for example, the seafood and juice HACCP rules set minimum retention periods. Complete, current records keep the audit short.
Why choose EUROTECH for HACCP certification?
Professional certification services
EUROTECH has issued certificates since 2004, with more than 500 certificates issued to companies across several continents.
Experienced technical auditors
We assign auditors whose food industry background matches your products and processes, and confirm the audit team before the visit.
International client support
On-site audits in the USA, Europe, Asia and Africa, with our office in Sheridan, Wyoming and an agency office in Istanbul.
Transparent certification process
Audit days, travel and every fee are in a written quote before you commit. Findings and decisions come in writing.
Efficient application management
Combined audits with GMP, ISO 22000 or ISO 9001 avoid checking the same records twice, and certificates can be checked online.
Industry-specific technical expertise
Our food services cover HACCP, GMP, cGMP, ISO 22000, FSSC 22000, BRCGS and Halal, so we can plan your next certification with you.
Please note: EUROTECH HACCP certification is a voluntary third-party conformity assessment of your company's food safety system. It does not replace official inspections, food business registration or licensing, or the HACCP plans that regulators require in sectors such as seafood, juice, meat and poultry. It is a company certificate, not a personal training certificate.
Ready to start your HACCP certification?
Apply now or ask our certification team a question. We reply with the scope, the audit plan and a written quote.
HACCP certification: frequently asked questions
What is HACCP certification?
It is an independent third-party audit of a food business's HACCP system, covering the hazard analysis, critical control points, prerequisite programmes and records, followed by a certificate that states the site, products and reference audited.
How do I become HACCP certified?
For a company: build and run a HACCP plan, keep records for a few months, then apply to a certification body. We agree the scope, review your documents, audit your site, verify any corrective actions and, after an independent decision, issue the certificate. Individuals take a HACCP training course instead.
How much does HACCP certification cost?
With EUROTECH it starts at $800. The final price depends on the number of products and processes, production lines, employees, sites, the sector rules in scope and travel, and is confirmed in a written quote.
How long does it take to get HACCP certification?
It depends on whether your HACCP plan is already running and how many findings need correcting. The on-site audit usually takes one to a few days. We set out the timeline in your written quote.
Is HACCP certification mandatory?
HACCP certification itself is voluntary. What is often mandatory is having a HACCP-based system: EU law requires procedures based on HACCP principles, and the USA requires HACCP plans for seafood, juice, meat and poultry. Certification is an independent way to show buyers that the system works.
What are the 7 principles of HACCP?
Conduct a hazard analysis, determine critical control points, establish critical limits, establish monitoring, establish corrective actions, establish verification procedures, and keep documentation and records.
What is the difference between HACCP and ISO 22000?
HACCP is the hazard control method. ISO 22000 is a full food safety management system standard that includes HACCP plus management elements such as policy, objectives, internal audit and management review.
Is HACCP certification recognised by GFSI?
No. GFSI recognises certification programmes such as FSSC 22000, BRCGS and SQF. HACCP certification is a common first step for suppliers who will need one of those schemes later.
What is the difference between HACCP and HARPC?
HARPC refers to the hazard analysis and risk-based preventive controls required for many US food facilities under FSMA. It builds on HACCP ideas but covers more hazards and controls, and it applies where the sector HACCP rules for seafood, juice, meat and poultry do not.
Is a HACCP certificate the same as HACCP training?
No. A HACCP training certificate shows that a person completed a course. HACCP certification shows that a company's HACCP system passed an independent audit. We certify companies; our partner MEGADEMI provides training.
Can I get HACCP certification online?
Company HACCP certification needs an on-site audit, because the auditor must see your process, CCP monitoring and hygiene in practice. Online options exist for personal HACCP training, not for company certification.
Can restaurants and caterers get HACCP certification?
Yes. Restaurants, central kitchens, hotels and contract caterers are audited on receiving, storage, cooking, cooling, holding and allergen control, scaled to the size of the operation.
How long is a HACCP certificate valid?
Our HACCP certificates are valid for three years, with yearly surveillance audits to confirm that the system remains in place.
What documents do I need for a HACCP audit?
Typically your HACCP plan and hazard analysis, verified flow diagrams, product descriptions, CCP monitoring and corrective action records, prerequisite programme records, training, calibration and a traceability test.
Related services
- ISO 22000 certification
From $800
- FSSC 22000
From $2,000
- BRCGS
From $2,000
- GMP certification
From $1,500
- cGMP certification
From $1,500
- Halal certification
From $1,500
Request a quote for HACCP certification
Tell us your company, sites and the standard you need. We reply with a written quote and the audit plan.
Prefer to talk? Call +1 307 205 1833
Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 18:00 (US Mountain Time)