HACCP Hazard Identification & Risk Assessment 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following organisms is most commonly associated with undercooked poultry and is a key biological hazard to identify in poultry processing HACCP plans?
- Clostridium botulinum
- Campylobacter jejuni (Correct answer)
- Staphylococcus aureus
- Bacillus cereus
Correct answer: Campylobacter jejuni
Campylobacter jejuni is the most frequently reported foodborne pathogen linked to poultry and is a primary biological hazard in poultry HACCP plans.
Question 2: What distinguishes a 'hazard' from a 'defect' in HACCP terminology?
- A hazard refers to quality issues while a defect refers to safety issues
- A hazard poses a reasonable potential to cause illness or injury; a defect affects quality but not safety (Correct answer)
- A defect always requires a CCP; a hazard does not
- There is no distinction; they are used interchangeably in HACCP
Correct answer: A hazard poses a reasonable potential to cause illness or injury; a defect affects quality but not safety
HACCP focuses exclusively on safety hazards — agents that can cause harm — while defects are quality issues that do not pose a health risk.
Question 3: A food safety team identifies that incoming raw milk can harbor Brucella spp. At which HACCP principle is this finding documented?
- Principle 2 — Identify Critical Control Points
- Principle 1 — Conduct a Hazard Analysis (Correct answer)
- Principle 6 — Establish Verification Procedures
- Principle 7 — Establish Record-Keeping Procedures
Correct answer: Principle 1 — Conduct a Hazard Analysis
Identifying and evaluating biological hazards such as Brucella in raw materials is part of Principle 1, the hazard analysis.
Question 4: Histamine fish poisoning (scombrotoxin) in tuna is classified as which type of hazard?
- Physical — from fish bones
- Biological — from bacterial growth producing toxin, but categorized as chemical (Correct answer)
- Radiological — from ocean contamination
- Allergen — because tuna is a major allergen
Correct answer: Biological — from bacterial growth producing toxin, but categorized as chemical
Although histamine is produced by bacterial action, the toxin itself is a chemical compound and is classified as a chemical hazard in HACCP.
Question 5: Which factor would INCREASE the significance rating of a biological hazard during HACCP hazard analysis?
- The hazard is easily destroyed by normal cooking temperatures
- The product is intended for sale in a hospital cafeteria serving immunocompromised patients (Correct answer)
- The facility has a validated PRP controlling that specific hazard
- The organism has a very high infectious dose requirement
Correct answer: The product is intended for sale in a hospital cafeteria serving immunocompromised patients
Serving immunocompromised consumers dramatically increases severity, raising the significance of hazards that might be acceptable for the general public.
Question 6: Which of the following is NOT typically considered a physical hazard in HACCP?
- Metal fragments from equipment
- Bone fragments in ground meat
- Norovirus particles on food contact surfaces (Correct answer)
- Wood splinters from pallets
Correct answer: Norovirus particles on food contact surfaces
Norovirus is a biological hazard (a virus), not a physical hazard; physical hazards are tangible foreign objects that cause injury.
Question 7: A HACCP team documents that a hazard exists at a step but determines it is NOT reasonably likely to occur. What is the correct next step?
- Establish a CCP for that step anyway as a precaution
- Document the justification and move on — no CCP is required for that hazard at that step (Correct answer)
- Shut down the production line until the risk is fully eliminated
- Report the finding to the FDA immediately
Correct answer: Document the justification and move on — no CCP is required for that hazard at that step
If a hazard is not significant (not reasonably likely to occur AND/OR not of sufficient severity), it does not require a CCP, but the decision must be documented.
HACCP Hazard Identification & Risk Assessment 4
Which of the following organisms is most commonly associated with undercooked poultry and is a key biological hazard to identify in poultry processing HACCP plans?