HACCP Principles

HACCP Plan Example: A Worked Template for UK Food Businesses

A practical, worked HACCP plan example you can follow

One of the biggest barriers to creating a HACCP plan is not knowing what the finished product looks like. This page walks through a complete, worked HACCP plan example for a typical UK restaurant kitchen. It covers every required element: the preliminary steps (team, product descriptions, flow diagram), the hazard analysis table, CCP identification using the decision tree, critical limits, monitoring procedures, corrective actions, verification activities, and record-keeping requirements. You can use this as a reference when building your own plan. While every business is different, the structure and level of detail shown here is what Environmental Health Officers expect to see during an inspection.

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Key takeaways

A HACCP plan follows a standard structure: preliminary steps, hazard analysis, CCP identification, monitoring, and review

Most restaurant HACCP plans identify 4-6 CCPs focused on temperature control

Every CCP needs a specific critical limit, monitoring method, frequency, and corrective action

Records must be kept and reviewed regularly to demonstrate an active system

The plan must be reviewed annually or whenever there are significant changes

Preliminary steps: team, scope, and flow diagram

Before the seven principles, a HACCP plan starts with preliminary steps. In this example, a 60-cover restaurant serving lunch and dinner has assembled a HACCP team of three: the head chef (food safety lead), the sous chef, and the general manager. The scope covers all food served on-site, including takeaway orders. Product descriptions list the main food categories handled: raw meats (beef, chicken, lamb), fresh fish, dairy, eggs, salads, cooked grains, and desserts. Intended use is defined as immediate consumption by the general public, including potentially vulnerable customers (pregnant women, elderly). The flow diagram maps the full process: purchasing, delivery, storage (chilled, frozen, ambient), preparation, cooking, cooling, reheating, hot holding, plating, and service. This diagram was verified by the head chef walking the kitchen floor with the document and confirming each step matches reality.

Hazard analysis table

The hazard analysis table is the core of Principle 1. For each process step, the team identifies biological, chemical, and physical hazards. At the delivery step, biological hazards include receiving chilled goods above 8C (allowing bacterial growth), chemical hazards include contaminated packaging, and physical hazards include damaged containers with foreign material. At the preparation step, the main biological hazard is cross-contamination between raw and ready-to-eat foods. The team assesses the likelihood and severity of each hazard, then determines whether existing control measures (PRPs) are sufficient or whether a CCP is needed. For this restaurant, the team identified five CCPs: delivery temperature checks, chilled storage temperature, cooking core temperature, cooling time-temperature, and reheating core temperature. Each hazard that is controlled by a PRP (such as cleaning, personal hygiene, pest control) is noted but not designated as a CCP.

CCPs, critical limits, and monitoring

Each CCP is documented with its critical limit, monitoring procedure, frequency, responsible person, and corrective action. CCP 1 (Delivery): critical limit is that chilled goods must arrive below 8C and frozen goods below -15C. Monitoring is by probe thermometer check on every delivery. The kitchen porter is responsible. Corrective action: reject any delivery outside limits and record the rejection. CCP 2 (Chilled Storage): critical limit below 5C (best practice). Monitoring twice daily using a calibrated thermometer. Corrective action: if temperature exceeds 8C, assess food safety, discard if above 8C for more than 4 hours, call engineer. CCP 3 (Cooking): core temperature must reach 75C for at least 2 seconds (or 70C for 2 minutes). Monitoring by probing the thickest part of at least one item per batch. Corrective action: continue cooking until limit is met. CCP 4 (Cooling): food must cool from 63C to below 8C within 90 minutes. Monitoring by temperature checks at 30-minute intervals. Corrective action: if not below 8C after 90 minutes, discard. CCP 5 (Reheating): core temperature must reach 75C (82C in Scotland). Monitoring by probe before service. Corrective action: continue heating or discard.

HACCP Principles

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Verification, records, and review

Verification activities confirm the HACCP system is working as intended. This restaurant conducts monthly internal checks: reviewing temperature logs for completeness, checking that corrective actions were properly recorded, confirming probe thermometers are calibrated against a reference thermometer quarterly, and observing staff practices during service. Records are kept digitally using food safety management software, with daily temperature logs, delivery records, and corrective action forms. The HACCP plan is reviewed annually by the full team, or sooner if there is a menu change, equipment change, new supplier, staff change, customer complaint related to food safety, or after an EHO inspection. Each review is documented with the date, attendees, changes made, and sign-off by the food safety lead. This documentation trail is what EHO inspectors look for as evidence of a living, active system rather than a document created once and forgotten.

What to do next

Map your kitchen process flow

Walk through your kitchen from delivery to service and document every step. Verify the flow diagram matches what actually happens, not what you think happens.

List your CCPs with specific limits

For each CCP, write down the exact critical limit (e.g. 75C core, not just "cook thoroughly"), who monitors it, how often, and what to do if it fails.

Set up a review schedule

Put an annual HACCP review in your calendar. Also trigger a review whenever you change your menu, suppliers, equipment, or kitchen layout.

Common mistakes to avoid

Mistake

Creating the plan but never updating it

Instead

A HACCP plan from 2019 with a menu from 2024 will fail an EHO inspection. Review and update whenever your operation changes.

Mistake

Making everything a CCP

Instead

If you have 20 CCPs, you have a monitoring burden nobody can maintain. Most kitchens need 4-6 CCPs. Other hazards are controlled by prerequisite programmes.

Frequently asked questions

How many pages should a HACCP plan be?

There is no set length. A small cafe might have a 10-page plan. A large restaurant with multiple cooking methods might need 25-30 pages. What matters is that it covers all the required elements and is specific to your operation. A short, accurate plan is better than a long, generic one.

Can I use a template for my HACCP plan?

Templates are a good starting point but must be customised to your business. An EHO inspector will immediately spot a generic template that has not been adapted. Your flow diagram, hazard analysis, and CCPs must reflect your actual kitchen, menu, and processes.

Do I need a new HACCP plan for each menu change?

Not a completely new plan, but you need to review and update it. If you add a new food category (e.g. raw fish when you previously only served cooked), that requires a new hazard analysis for those items. Minor additions within existing categories usually just need a note in the review log.

What software can help me create a HACCP plan?

Paddl generates HACCP plans tailored to your business type, creates monitoring routines from your CCPs, and maintains digital records. The FSA also offers MyHACCP, a free online tool for building basic plans.

HACCP Principles