In developing your hazard analysis, what is the first step?

The first step in developing a hazard analysis is to identify potential hazards. By recognizing and understanding the variety of biological, chemical, and physical hazards that can affect food safety, you lay the groundwork for a comprehensive hazard analysis. Identifying these hazards allows you to assess their significance and the risks they pose to food safety. This step is crucial because it informs subsequent actions, such as evaluating existing controls or documenting the process flow, all of which are based on the identified hazards. It essentially sets the stage for the entire HACCP plan, ensuring that all potential aspects that could compromise food safety are considered from the outset.