Critical Control Point Examples for Restaurants, With CCP Tables

These critical control point examples show the CCPs that come up in most US restaurant, food truck and catering HACCP plans, with the limit, monitoring, corrective action and record for each. If you are writing a plan for the first time, deciding which steps are CCPs is usually the hardest part. The examples and the decision tree below make that easier.

Limits come from the FDA Food Code 2022. Your state may use a different edition or add its own rules, and your plan is a draft for the health department to review.

What a critical control point is

The NACMCF HACCP principles and application guidelines define a critical control point as a step at which control can be applied and is essential to prevent or eliminate a food safety hazard or reduce it to an acceptable level.

Three ideas sit inside that definition:

1. It is a step, such as cooking or cooling, not a general program like cleaning.
2. Control can be applied, meaning you can set a measurable limit and check it.
3. Control is essential, meaning if this step fails, nothing later will catch the hazard.

Every CCP comes from the hazard analysis. See hazard analysis examples.

A simple CCP decision tree

Many teams use a version of the classic decision tree. For each hazard at each step, ask:

1. Is there a control measure for this hazard at this step? If no, and control is needed for safety, change the process or product. If no and not needed, it is not a CCP.
2. Is this step specifically designed to eliminate the hazard or reduce it to an acceptable level? If yes, it is a CCP.
3. Could contamination or growth reach unacceptable levels here? If no, it is not a CCP.
4. Will a later step eliminate the hazard or reduce it to an acceptable level? If yes, this step is not a CCP for that hazard. If no, it is a CCP.

The decision tree is a guide, not a rule. NACMCF guidance notes that teams should use judgment. Write down your reasons.

Worked example: running the decision tree on chili

Take a batch of chili with ground beef, cooked in the morning and served the next day.

Receiving ground beef, hazard STEC. Is there a control measure? Yes, receiving temperature and supplier approval. Is the step designed to eliminate the hazard? No. Could the hazard increase here? Only slightly with poor temperatures. Will a later step eliminate it? Yes, cooking. Result: not a CCP.

Cooking, hazard STEC and Salmonella. Is there a control measure? Yes, cooking to temperature. Is the step designed to eliminate the hazard? Yes. Result: CCP.

Cooling, hazard C. perfringens. Is there a control measure? Yes, the cooling limits. Is the step designed to eliminate the hazard? No, it prevents growth. Could growth reach unacceptable levels? Yes, chili is a classic vehicle. Will a later step eliminate it? Reheating may kill vegetative cells, but it does not reliably undo growth that has already happened. Result: CCP.

Cold storage, hazard growth. Control exists, could growth reach unacceptable levels over days? Yes. Later step? Reheating partially. Most teams make it a CCP for cooked food held overnight.

Reheating, hazard survivors and growth. Is there a control measure? Yes, 165°F within 2 hours. Result: CCP, because it is the last step that reduces bacteria before hot holding.

Hot holding, hazard growth. Control measure: 135°F. Later step to fix it? No. Result: CCP.

Writing the decisions out like this, even briefly, is what makes a plan defensible.

CCP example 1: cooking

Hazard: survival of vegetative pathogens such as Salmonella, Campylobacter and STEC.

Critical limits (3-401.11):

• Poultry, stuffed foods, wild game: 165°F instantaneous.
• Ground meat, injected or tenderized meat, pooled eggs: 155°F for 17 seconds.
• Whole-muscle meat, fish, eggs for immediate service: 145°F for 15 seconds.
• Roasts: per the time and temperature table.

Monitoring: probe the thickest part of the food at the end of cooking. Every batch for batch-cooked items; a set number of items per hour for items cooked to order.

Corrective action: keep cooking until the limit is reached. If a cook served an item before checking, review and retrain.

Record: cooking log with item, time, temperature and initials.

Why it is a CCP: it is the only step designed to kill pathogens, and nothing later does it again.

CCP example 2: cooling

Hazard: growth of spore-formers such as Clostridium perfringens and Bacillus cereus.

Critical limits (3-501.14): 135°F to 70°F within 2 hours, and 135°F to 41°F within a total of 6 hours. For food made from room temperature ingredients, 41°F within 4 hours.

Monitoring: probe the center of each batch at the start, at 2 hours and at 6 hours. Many kitchens add a check at 4 hours.

Corrective action: if above 70°F at 2 hours, reheat to 165°F and restart cooling, or discard. If above 41°F at 6 hours, discard.

Record: cooling log.

Why it is a CCP: spores survive cooking, and if cooling is slow they germinate and multiply. Reheating does not destroy some toxins, so no later step reliably fixes poor cooling.

CCP example 3: hot holding

Hazard: growth of spore-formers and other bacteria that survived or entered after cooking.

Critical limit (3-501.16): 135°F or above.

Monitoring: probe food in each pan every 2 hours (a common choice that gives time to act).

Corrective action: if below 135°F for less than 2 hours, reheat to 165°F; if time is unknown, discard. Fix the equipment.

Record: hot holding log.

Alternative: time as a public health control, with a written procedure and discard times. See time as a public health control.

CCP example 4: cold holding

Hazard: growth of pathogens in TCS food, especially Listeria in ready-to-eat foods.

Critical limit (3-501.16): 41°F or below.

Monitoring: probe food or a product simulant in each unit at opening, mid-shift and closing. Air thermometers are useful but food temperature is what counts.

Corrective action: if food is above 41°F, check how long. Discard if unknown or beyond what the plan allows; move food and repair the unit.

Record: restaurant temperature log.

Why it is a CCP for ready-to-eat food: there is no later kill step. For raw meat that will be cooked, cold storage is often a prerequisite instead.

CCP example 5: reheating for hot holding

Hazard: survival of bacteria that grew during cooling or storage; growth during slow reheating.

Critical limit (3-403.11): 165°F for 15 seconds within 2 hours.

Monitoring: probe at the end of reheating; record the start time.

Corrective action: continue heating if under 2 hours; discard if 165°F was not reached within 2 hours.

Record: reheating log. See reheating food to 165°F.

CCP example 6: receiving for specific hazards

Receiving is usually a prerequisite, but it can be a CCP when a hazard cannot be controlled later:

• Histamine in scombroid fish such as tuna and mackerel: once formed, histamine is not destroyed by cooking. Receiving temperature and supplier records are a CCP in many seafood plans.
• Shellstock for raw oysters: tags and receiving temperature.
• Parasite destruction records for fish served raw.

Critical limits: fish at 41°F or below; shellstock with intact tags from certified sources.

Corrective action: reject the product.

See the receiving temperature log and seafood HACCP plan.

CCP example 7: parasite destruction by freezing

Hazard: Anisakis and other parasites in fish served raw.

Critical limits (3-402.11): -4°F for 7 days, or -31°F until solid then 15 hours at -31°F, or -31°F until solid then 24 hours at -4°F.

Monitoring: supplier letter, or your own freezer log if you freeze in house.

Corrective action: do not serve raw; cook instead.

Record: freezing records kept 90 days beyond the time of service or sale (3-402.12).

CCP example 8: acidification of sushi rice

Hazard: growth of B. cereus and other bacteria in rice held without temperature control.

Critical limit: pH at or below 4.2 is a value used in Food Code annex guidance for sushi rice; your variance sets the actual limit.

Monitoring: calibrated pH meter on each batch.

Corrective action: add more vinegar mix and retest, or treat the rice as TCS and refrigerate or discard.

See the HACCP plan for sushi rice.

CCP example 9: sous vide cooking and cold storage

Hazard: survival of pathogens at lower cooking temperatures; C. botulinum and Listeria growth in sealed bags.

Critical limits: cooking time and temperature from 3-401.11 or a validated table under a variance; cooling per 3-501.14; storage at 41°F for 7 days or 34°F for 30 days under 3-502.12(D).

See the sous vide HACCP plan and cook-chill HACCP plan.

CCP example 10: date marking

Hazard: slow growth of Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat TCS food during long refrigerated storage.

Critical limit (3-501.17): use or discard within 7 days at 41°F or below, day of preparation counted as day 1.

Monitoring: check labels daily.

Corrective action: discard food past the date or without a label.

Some plans treat date marking as a prerequisite rather than a CCP. Either is acceptable if it is explained. See date marking under the Food Code.

Steps that are usually not CCPs

| Step or program | Why usually not a CCP | |---|---| | Handwashing | Applies everywhere, hard to set a step-specific limit; prerequisite | | Cleaning and sanitizing | Prerequisite, though sanitizer concentration is monitored | | Pest control | Prerequisite | | Cold storage of raw meat to be cooked | Cooking controls the pathogen later | | Washing produce | Reduces but does not reliably eliminate pathogens | | Allergen labeling | Often handled as a prerequisite program; some plans make it a CCP |

These still matter. They just belong in a different part of the plan. See sanitation SOPs for restaurants and the food allergen control plan.

CCP table layout

Each CCP gets a row in the plan:

| CCP | Hazard | Critical limit | Monitoring (what, how, when, who) | Corrective action | Verification | Record | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | 1 Cook | Pathogens in raw chicken | 165°F | Probe thickest piece, each batch, line cook | Continue cooking | Manager reviews log daily; thermometer calibrated weekly | Cooking log | | 2 Cool | Spore-former growth | 135 to 70°F in 2 h, to 41°F in 6 h | Probe at 0, 2, 6 h, prep cook | Reheat and restart or discard | Manager review daily | Cooling log | | 3 Cold hold | Pathogen growth | 41°F or below | Probe at open, mid, close, shift lead | Evaluate and discard; repair | Weekly check of unit with reference thermometer | Temperature log |

The HACCP critical limits chart lists all the Food Code values.

Too many or too few CCPs

Too many CCPs makes a plan hard to follow. If every step is a CCP, cooks stop paying attention to the ones that matter. Signs you have too many: CCPs for handwashing, cleaning, receiving dry goods, or every storage step for raw meat.

Too few CCPs leaves real hazards uncontrolled. Signs: no cooling CCP in a kitchen that cools soups, no cold holding CCP for ready-to-eat items, no special CCPs for sous vide or acidified foods.

CCPs in a bakery or small producer

Bakeries usually have fewer CCPs than restaurants because most baked goods are not TCS. CCPs tend to sit around custard, cream and cheese fillings: cooking the filling, cooling it within the cooling limits, and holding finished pastries at 41°F or below. Cottage food producers generally make only non-TCS foods, so their plans focus on labeling and allergens. See the bakery HACCP plan and the cottage food HACCP plan.

CCPs on a food truck

Food trucks often end up with these CCPs:

• Cooking at the commissary or on the truck.
• Cooling at the commissary.
• Cold holding on the truck, which is often the weak point.
• Reheating on the truck.
• Hot holding or time control during service.

See the food truck HACCP plan.

CCPs for caterers

Caterers add transport and off-site holding:

• Hot holding during transport: food at 135°F or above when packed and on arrival.
• Cold holding during transport: 41°F or below.
• Time control at the venue, with discard times.

See the HACCP plan for catering.

Monitoring that actually works

A CCP is only as good as its monitoring. Practical tips:

• Keep thermometers where they are used. A probe in every station.
• Calibrate weekly and record it. See thermometer calibration log.
• Print the limit on the log next to the reading box.
• Assign a person, not "staff."
• Review logs daily. A log nobody reads catches nothing.

Writing a monitoring procedure for a CCP

The CCP table is a summary. Staff need a short procedure that says exactly what to do. An example for the cooling CCP:

1. When a batch of soup, chili, rice or braised meat finishes cooking, write the item and the time on the cooling log.
2. Divide the food into shallow pans no more than 2 inches deep, or use an ice wand or ice bath.
3. Probe the center of the thickest pan and record the starting temperature.
4. Set a timer for 2 hours. Probe again and record. If it is above 70°F, tell the manager and follow the corrective action.
5. Set a timer for another 4 hours. Probe and record. If it is above 41°F, discard and record.
6. Initial each entry.

A procedure like this takes a few minutes to write and removes most of the guesswork for new staff. Write one for each CCP and keep it with the log.

Corrective actions for each CCP

Every CCP needs a written corrective action that:

1. Brings the process back under control.
2. Decides what happens to the affected food.
3. Finds and fixes the cause.
4. Is recorded.

See HACCP corrective actions examples for a full set.

Verifying CCPs

Verification checks that the CCPs work as intended:

• Daily review and sign-off of logs.
• Weekly thermometer calibration.
• Periodic observation of staff taking readings.
• Annual review of the plan.

See HACCP verification and record keeping.

Critical control point examples by menu item

| Menu item | Likely CCPs | |---|---| | Fried chicken | Cook, hot hold | | Caesar salad with house dressing (raw egg) | Cold hold, or use pasteurized eggs | | Beef stew | Cook, cool, reheat, hot hold | | Sushi rolls | Rice acidification or time control, fish freezing or species exemption, cold hold | | Raw oysters | Receiving (tags, temp), cold hold | | Sous vide pork belly | Cook, cool, cold store, rethermalize | | Cut fruit cup | Cold hold, date mark | | Pizza by the slice | Cold hold of toppings, hot hold of slices |

Explaining your CCPs to an inspector

Inspectors often ask a cook, "What is the critical control point here and what is the limit?" A cook who can answer "cooling, 70 degrees in 2 hours and 41 in 6, here is the log" makes a strong impression. Practice this in training. Post each station's CCPs and limits where cooks can see them. See HACCP training for restaurant staff.

Build your CCP table

The HACCP builder suggests CCPs for each process you choose, fills in Food Code limits with section numbers, and creates matching logs. Start free with one process or cover everything with the Plan Pack. For background, see how to write a HACCP plan and the HACCP plan template. Your plan is a draft for the health department to review.

Frequently asked questions

What is a critical control point?

NACMCF guidance defines a CCP as a step at which control can be applied and is essential to prevent or eliminate a food safety hazard or reduce it to an acceptable level.

What is the difference between a control point and a critical control point?

A control point is any step where something can be controlled, often for quality or as part of a prerequisite program. A CCP is a step where losing control could lead to an unacceptable health risk and where no later step would fix it.

How many CCPs should a restaurant have?

There is no fixed number. A simple same-day menu may have two or three per process; a complex process like cook, cool, reheat may have four or five. Too many CCPs usually means prerequisite programs have been labeled as CCPs.

Is handwashing a CCP?

Usually not. Handwashing is critical but it is a prerequisite program that applies everywhere, and it is hard to set a measurable limit at a single step. Most restaurant plans treat it as a prerequisite.