Which of the following is the fifth HACCP principle?

• A. Establish Critical Limits
• B. Identify the Critical Control Points (CCP)
• C. Establish the Corrective Action(s)
• D. Verify HACCP system is working

Answer: (C)

Corrective actions address what to do when a CCP monitoring result shows a deviation from its critical limit. The goal is to bring the process back under control and protect product safety. This involves quickly identifying why the deviation occurred, stopping or adjusting the process as needed, determining the fate of any affected product (whether it can be reworked, treated, or discarded), and implementing steps to prevent recurrence (such as retraining, equipment adjustments, or revised procedures). All actions are documented, and the process is rechecked to ensure the CCP is back in control before resuming normal operations. Other HACCP steps focus on deciding which CCPs exist, setting their limits, monitoring them, verifying the system, and maintaining records, but corrective actions specifically handle deviations and their root causes to keep the system effective.