In HACCP, identify a critical control point for canned tomato production?

• A. Hazard analysis is the sole component of HACCP.
• B. Thermal processing to achieve adequate microbial kill and safe acidity.
• C. Record-keeping is optional.
• D. Verification is not part of HACCP.

Answer: (B)

Controlling safety at the specific step where you can directly affect the outcome is the essence of HACCP. For canned tomato production, the step where heat is applied to the product to destroy microorganisms and ensure the acidity is safe is the critical control point. This heat treatment must achieve sufficient microbial kill and maintain safe acidity, because that is the point in the process where you can prevent a dangerous hazard from remaining in the product. If this control isn’t achieved, pathogenic organisms could survive, compromising safety.

Hazard analysis, record-keeping, and verification are essential components of HACCP, but they are not the step where a hazard is actively controlled. Hazard analysis guides where controls are needed; record-keeping documents performance; verification confirms that the plan works.