Which statement about critical limits is true?

• A. Only sensory information is a critical limit.
• B. Moisture is never a critical limit.
• C. Temperature, time, and pH are examples of critical limits.
• D. Critical limits define CCP boundaries only, not safety.

Answer: (C)

Critical limits are the measurable values that must be met at a critical control point to prevent, eliminate, or reduce a food safety hazard to an acceptable level. Temperature, time, and pH are typical examples because they directly influence microbial growth, survival, and inactivation, as well as enzyme activity. For instance, cooking to a specific internal temperature for a set time helps ensure pathogens are destroyed, while maintaining a certain pH can inhibit growth of harmful organisms. Sensory information alone is not a reliable critical limit because it is subjective and may not reflect safety. Moisture content or water activity can also be a critical limit in some processes, so saying moisture is never a critical limit isn’t accurate. Critical limits are chosen to protect safety; they define when a CCP is in control and prompt corrective actions when a limit is exceeded, rather than merely describing CCP boundaries without safety implications.