Which statement about HACCP hazard analysis is true?

• A. It eliminates hazards completely
• B. It is optional
• C. It happens after verification
• D. It identifies hazards reasonably likely to occur

Answer: (C)

Hazard analysis in HACCP is the proactive step where you identify potential hazards that could reasonably occur at each stage of the process and evaluate their significance. The purpose is not to eliminate every hazard outright, since some risks can only be controlled rather than completely removed, but to determine which hazards are significant and require preventive controls. This analysis is performed early in developing the HACCP plan, before verification, which is a separate step to confirm the plan’s effectiveness. It’s also not optional; hazard analysis is a required part of HACCP. So the statement that hazard analysis identifies hazards reasonably likely to occur is the correct one.