What is the purpose of HACCP?

The purpose of HACCP, or Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point, is to identify and manage food safety hazards. This systematic preventive approach is used in the food production and processing industry to ensure that foods are safe for consumption. It involves analyzing the entire production process to identify potential hazards—biological, chemical, or physical—that could compromise food safety. By identifying critical control points in the process where these hazards can be effectively managed or eliminated, HACCP helps ensure that food is handled in a way that minimizes risks, thus protecting public health.

This focus on food safety is crucial in agricultural practices, as it helps prevent contamination throughout the supply chain, from production to consumption. The other choices relate to specific agricultural practices but do not pertain to food safety management—evaluating soil erodibility, controlling pests, and assessing crop yields all focus on different aspects of agricultural production rather than ensuring that the food produced is safe for eating.