HACCP-based checklists: food preparation, holding and storage
A HACCP-based checklist turns each SOP into yes/no checks with a corrective action for every 'No', covering preparation, holding, refrigerators, freezers, milk coolers and stores.
How a HACCP-based checklist works
A HACCP-based SOP checklist is built from the unit's SOPs and HACCP plan. Each line is something that can be seen or measured, answered Yes or No. Every 'No' needs a corrective action, written at once. The top of the sheet carries the unit name, date, time and name of the checker; the bottom carries the checker's and manager's signatures. Filled sheets are kept as records, which prove control during FSSAI inspections and audits and show patterns (for example a refrigerator that keeps running warm). Temperatures here are the limits commonly used and taught; always follow your unit's validated limits.
Checklist: food preparation
| Check item | Yes / No | Corrective action if 'No' |
|---|---|---|
| Handlers in clean uniform, cap or hairnet; no jewellery; nails short | Yes / No | Change uniform; remove jewellery; retrain |
| Hands washed before starting and after each change of task | Yes / No | Rewash at once; retrain |
| Work surfaces and utensils cleaned and sanitised before use | Yes / No | Clean and sanitise before starting |
| Separate (colour-coded) boards and knives for raw and cooked food | Yes / No | Change to the right board; discard cross-contaminated food |
| Frozen food thawed in the refrigerator, not on the counter | Yes / No | Follow the thawing SOP; discard food thawed at room temperature |
| Vegetables and fruits washed in potable water before cutting | Yes / No | Wash before use |
| Perishable food out of refrigeration only for the shortest time | Yes / No | Return to the refrigerator; prepare in small batches |
| Cooked food reaches 75 °C at the centre, checked with a probe | Yes / No | Continue cooking until 75 °C is reached |
| Probe thermometer clean, sanitised and calibrated | Yes / No | Clean, sanitise and recalibrate |
| Tasting done with a clean spoon each time | Yes / No | Stop practice; retrain |
Checklist: hot holding and cold holding
| Check item | Yes / No | Corrective action if 'No' |
|---|---|---|
| Hot-holding unit preheated before food is placed | Yes / No | Preheat before use |
| Hot food at 63 °C or above, checked and recorded at set intervals | Yes / No | Under 2 hours below 63 °C: reheat to 75 °C. Longer or unknown: discard |
| Hot-holding unit not used to reheat food | Yes / No | Reheat on the stove to 75 °C, then hold |
| Cold food at 5 °C or below, checked and recorded | Yes / No | Chill at once; discard if time above 5 °C is unknown or too long |
| Ice in cold displays up to the level of the food | Yes / No | Add ice; pre-chill the display |
| Food covered or behind sneeze guards | Yes / No | Cover; fix the guard |
| A clean serving spoon or tongs for each dish | Yes / No | Replace with clean utensils |
Checklist: refrigerator, freezer and milk cooler
| Check item | Yes / No | Corrective action if 'No' |
|---|---|---|
| A working thermometer in each unit | Yes / No | Place or replace the thermometer |
| Refrigerator at 5 °C or below; recorded at the start and end of each shift | Yes / No | Adjust; call maintenance; check food and discard if unsafe |
| Freezer at −18 °C or below; food hard frozen | Yes / No | Adjust; call maintenance; check whether food has thawed |
| Milk cooler at 5 °C or below; milk within its Use by date | Yes / No | Adjust; discard warm or out-of-date milk |
| Food covered, labelled and dated | Yes / No | Cover, label and date; discard unlabelled food of unknown age |
| Raw meat and fish stored below cooked and ready-to-eat food | Yes / No | Rearrange; discard any food that has been dripped on |
| Not overloaded; cold air can circulate | Yes / No | Remove excess; rearrange |
| Clean inside; door seals intact; no heavy ice build-up | Yes / No | Clean; repair seals; defrost |
| FIFO or FEFO followed | Yes / No | Rotate stock; remove expired items |
Checklist: food storage and dry storage
| Check item | Yes / No | Corrective action if 'No' |
|---|---|---|
| Store clean, dry, cool, well lit and ventilated | Yes / No | Clean; improve ventilation |
| All food on racks or pallets off the floor and away from walls | Yes / No | Move onto racks |
| Opened packs in covered, labelled, dated containers | Yes / No | Transfer, label and date |
| FIFO or FEFO followed; no expired items | Yes / No | Remove expired stock; rotate |
| No pests, droppings, webbing or torn bags | Yes / No | Call pest control; discard damaged food |
| Cleaning chemicals stored separately, away from food | Yes / No | Move chemicals to their own area |
| Damaged cans (swollen, leaking, deeply dented) removed | Yes / No | Remove, record and return or discard |
A hospital or hostel kitchen can print these as a daily log: the cook ticks each line and the dietitian signs it, giving ready proof for FSSAI inspections and hygiene audits.
2 marks: “What is a HACCP-based checklist?” A yes/no checklist built from the unit's SOPs and HACCP plan, with a corrective action for every 'No', signed and kept as a record.
5 marks: “Prepare a checklist for a refrigerator, freezer and milk cooler.” A three-column table (item, yes/no, corrective action) with thermometer, temperatures (5 °C, −18 °C), covering and labelling, raw below cooked, not overloaded, clean seals, FIFO/FEFO.
10 marks: “Prepare HACCP-based SOP checklists for food preparation, hot holding and cold holding.” Header; three tables of 6-8 items each with corrective actions; signature and record rules; note to follow validated limits.
Every 'No' needs a 'Now': no line ends without a corrective action and a signature.