What HACCP records do you
actually need?
The records behind a working HACCP system — what to keep, how often, and what an auditor looks for when they ask to see them.
A HACCP system needs two kinds of records. CCP records prove each critical control point stayed within its limits, and what you did when it didn’t. Prerequisite program (PRP) records prove the everyday basics ran: cleaning, pest control, supplier approval, training, maintenance and more. Your HACCP plan sets the exact records and frequencies. The test is simple: could you produce any of them, for any date, when asked?
The 7 HACCP principles, and the record each one leaves
Based on the Codex Alimentarius HACCP principles used by Australian food safety programs and GFSI schemes.
| # | Principle | What it means | The record it leaves |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hazard analysis | Identify biological, chemical, physical and allergen hazards at each step. | Hazard analysis worksheet and process flow diagram |
| 2 | Determine CCPs | Find the steps where control is essential to prevent or reduce a hazard. | CCP decision record |
| 3 | Set critical limits | Define the limit that separates safe from unsafe at each CCP. | Critical limits with their validation evidence |
| 4 | Monitor | Check each CCP at a set frequency. | Monitoring logs: reading, time, who checked |
| 5 | Corrective action | Act when a limit is breached, including what happens to affected product. | Corrective action records with root cause and close-out |
| 6 | Verification | Confirm the system works, through record review, calibration and testing. | Verification and review records |
| 7 | Documentation | Keep the plan and its records current and available. | Controlled HACCP plan, versions and retained records |
Prerequisite programs, and the records behind them
How PRPs are grouped varies by standard. These are the ones auditors most often ask to see evidence for.
Supplier approval
Approved supplier list, current certificates and allergen declarations, and supplier reviews.
Receiving and storage
Delivery temperatures, rejections, stock rotation and storage temperature logs.
Cleaning and sanitation
Cleaning schedules, sign-offs, sanitiser concentration and verification.
Pest control
Contractor reports, bait station maps, sightings and corrective actions.
Allergen management
Allergen matrix, segregation, changeover cleaning validation and label checks.
Personal hygiene and training
Hygiene policy, induction and training records, and illness reporting.
Maintenance and calibration
Equipment register, maintenance logs and thermometer calibration.
Foreign matter and glass
Glass and brittle plastics register, metal detection checks and incident logs.
Traceability and recall
Batch records, trace tests and your recall procedure.
EthicalHub organises these into 18 prerequisite programs with default frequencies. Your HACCP plan and your auditor set the final requirements.
What makes a record audit-proof
A record only counts if an auditor can trust it.
Complete
No gaps on days you operated. A blank Tuesday reads as a check that didn’t happen.
Attributable
Who did the check, and when. Initials and a time on every entry.
Actioned
Every out-of-range result links to a corrective action that was closed out.
Retrievable
Findable in minutes for any date, not reconstructed from memory.
How complete are your records today?
The free assessment shows which record areas an auditor would question.
Related
HACCP records: common questions
What records does HACCP require?
What is the difference between a CCP and a PRP?
How long should I keep HACCP records?
Can HACCP records be digital?
How many prerequisite programs are there?
Records that are ready when asked.
EthicalHub keeps CCP logs, PRP records and corrective actions together, and exports any of them in one click.