What does "monitoring" seek to achieve in HACCP?

Monitoring in the context of HACCP is essential for ensuring that each Critical Control Point (CCP) consistently meets the established critical limits. This process involves systematically checking and observing the CCPs to verify that they are operating within the defined parameters that are critical to food safety. By doing so, organizations can proactively identify potential issues before they become significant problems, thus preventing food safety incidents.

Monitoring provides real-time data that allows food safety teams to make informed decisions about production processes. When monitoring indicates that a critical limit is not being met, corrective actions can be implemented immediately to address the situation. This helps in maintaining the integrity of the food safety system and ensures compliance with regulatory standards. While other options, such as equipment functioning or audit data collection, are part of overall food safety management, they do not specifically address the core purpose of monitoring within the HACCP framework, which is focused on verifying that each CCP is under control.