HACCP Certification for Food Businesses: Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point Audits
HACCP certification for food manufacturers, processors, caterers, and suppliers. We audit your hazard analysis, critical control points, and records on the production floor, then make an independent certification decision for your defined scope. Most programs take 6–12 weeks.
Page reviewed 28 September 2026 by the Accredify Global certification team.
What Is HACCP Certification?
HACCP certification is independent confirmation that a food business has a working Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point system. An auditor checks that biological, chemical, and physical hazards have been analyzed and that critical control points are monitored against limits, with records to prove it.
HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point. It is a preventive system. Instead of testing finished products, you control the steps where a hazard can be prevented, removed, or reduced to a safe level. The HACCP system rests on good hygiene practices, such as cleaning, pest control, and staff hygiene, that must already be in place.
Accredify Global is a UAF-accredited certification body with ISO 22000 food safety management in its accreditation scope. We audit your HACCP system on site, report control gaps with corrective action priorities, and issue the certificate for the operational scope you define.
Is HACCP Certification Mandatory? What US and EU Law Actually Require
The law requires a HACCP system in some sectors, but not a certificate. In the US, HACCP plans are mandatory for seafood processors and importers (21 CFR Part 123) and juice processors (21 CFR Part 120). They are also mandatory for meat and poultry plants regulated by USDA FSIS (9 CFR Part 417). Most other FDA-registered food facilities must follow the FSMA preventive controls rule (21 CFR Part 117), which builds on HACCP. In the EU, Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 requires food businesses to run procedures based on HACCP principles.
A certificate is what buyers, retailers, and importers ask for as proof that the system works. The international reference is the Codex General Principles of Food Hygiene (CXC 1-1969), revised in 2020. The revision made HACCP its own chapter, strengthened good hygiene practices, and added food safety culture and allergen management.
Sources: FDA: Seafood HACCP · FDA: Juice HACCP · Codex CXC 1-1969 (FAO)
HACCP Certification for Businesses vs HACCP Training Certificates
Many people searching for this need a personal training certificate. This page covers certifying a food business's system.
| Question | Business certification | Personal training certificate |
|---|---|---|
| What is certified? | Your site's HACCP system: hazard analysis, CCPs, monitoring, and records | An individual's knowledge of HACCP principles |
| How is it earned? | An on-site audit by an independent auditor, then a certification decision | A course and, usually, an exam |
| Who asks for it? | Retailers, importers, food service buyers, and supplier approval programs | Employers, and regulators for certain roles |
| Who provides it? | A certification body such as Accredify Global, accredited for ISO 22000 | Training providers |
Which Food Businesses Need a HACCP Audit?
Most projects start when a buyer, retailer, or export market asks for independent proof of food safety control.
Supplier approval for retailers and brand owners, with CCPs such as cooking, chilling, and metal detection.
Sectors where US law already requires a HACCP plan, and buyers want it independently verified.
Establishments running HACCP under USDA FSIS rules that also need a certificate for customers.
Central kitchens and hospitality groups proving consistent control across sites. See hotels and restaurants.
Suppliers into food manufacturing, where customers audit hazards before approving a supplier.
Export markets and importers that ask for HACCP evidence, including temperature control in storage and transport.
The 7 HACCP Principles, and What the Auditor Checks for Each
The auditor walks your process flow and tests each principle against real records from the production floor.
| Principle | What the auditor checks |
|---|---|
| 1. Conduct a hazard analysis | Every step on a verified flow diagram, with biological, chemical, physical, and allergen hazards assessed |
| 2. Determine critical control points | A clear, justified reason why each step is or is not a CCP |
| 3. Establish critical limits | Measurable, validated limits, such as a core temperature or time |
| 4. Establish monitoring | Who monitors each CCP, how often, and with calibrated equipment |
| 5. Establish corrective actions | What happened to product and process when a limit was missed |
| 6. Validate and verify | Evidence the plan works, plus record reviews, calibration, and testing |
| 7. Keep documentation and records | Complete, signed records that match what the auditor sees on the floor |
How to Get HACCP Certification
Six stages from first call to certificate.
Not sure whether your hazard analysis and CCP records would stand up to an audit? A free scoping review tells you before the auditor does.
Book a free scoping reviewWhat Makes a HACCP Audit at Accredify Global Different
The outcomes buyers and food safety teams care about most.
We verify the flow diagram on the floor, watch CCP monitoring happen, and compare it with the records. A plan that only works on paper won't pass.
We check the areas the 2020 Codex revision added: food safety culture, allergen cross-contact controls, and stronger good hygiene practices.
Each gap comes with the evidence behind it and a corrective action priority, so your team knows what to fix first.
When buyers want a full food safety management system, your HACCP work carries straight into ISO 22000 certification.
HACCP Requirements: What You Need Before the Audit
A HACCP audit looks at two layers: the hygiene programs your plan depends on, and the HACCP plan itself.
Documents and records the auditor will ask for
- HACCP team, with the competence of each member
- Product descriptions and intended use
- Process flow diagrams, verified on site
- Hazard analysis, including allergens
- HACCP plan: CCPs, critical limits, monitoring, and corrective actions
- Validation evidence for critical limits
- CCP monitoring and deviation records
- Verification records: reviews, calibration, and testing
Good hygiene practices your plan relies on
- Cleaning and sanitation, with verification
- Pest control
- Personal hygiene and health of food handlers
- Supplier approval and incoming goods checks
- Allergen management and cross-contact control
- Temperature control in storage and transport
- Traceability and recall procedures
- Staff training and food safety culture
Cost of HACCP Certification and Timeline
There is no list price. The cost follows the audit effort your scope needs. A free scoping review gives you a tailored proposal for your real scope.
What moves the cost
- Sites — how many locations, and how far apart
- HACCP plans — the number of product groups and processes
- CCPs and risk — high-risk products such as ready-to-eat foods
- Shifts — whether CCPs must be seen on more than one shift
- Readiness — how complete your plan and records already are
How long HACCP certification takes
| Typical program | 6–12 weeks, depending on scope and readiness |
|---|---|
| Records needed before the audit | Enough CCP monitoring records to show the plan in routine use |
| After certification | Follow-up audits, with the schedule set in your proposal |
Starting without a HACCP plan? Build and run it first, then book the audit once monitoring records exist.
HACCP vs ISO 22000, GFSI Schemes, FSMA, and GMP
HACCP is the foundation most food safety schemes build on. Here's how it compares with what buyers also ask for.
| Standard or rule | What it covers | How it relates to HACCP |
|---|---|---|
| ISO 22000 | A full food safety management system | Includes HACCP, and adds management, prerequisite programs, and continual improvement. |
| GFSI-benchmarked schemes | FSSC 22000, SQF, BRCGS, and similar | Many large retailers require one of these. A HACCP certificate alone does not meet a GFSI requirement. |
| FSMA preventive controls | US rule for most FDA-registered food facilities | HACCP-based, but also covers allergen, sanitation, and supply-chain controls. |
| GMP | Good manufacturing practices | The hygiene and operational base that a HACCP plan depends on. |
Check your buyer's exact wording. If it names a GFSI scheme, a HACCP certificate won't satisfy it; ask us about the right route at scoping.
How to Choose a HACCP Certification Body
The questions worth asking before you sign, and how Accredify Global answers them.
| Question to ask | Accredify Global's answer |
|---|---|
| Are you accredited? | Yes. We are a UAF-accredited certification body, with ISO 22000 in our scope. Check it in the UAF directory. |
| Will the certificate satisfy my buyer? | We check your buyer's wording at scoping. If it names a GFSI scheme, we tell you before you commit. |
| Is the audit done on site? | Yes. CCPs, monitoring, and records are verified where food is produced. |
| Who makes the certification decision? | A decision separate from the audit, for your defined operational scope. |
| What do we get besides a certificate? | An audit report with control gaps and corrective action priorities. |
| How is it priced? | A tailored proposal after a free scoping review, based on sites, plans, and risk. |
| Can we move on to ISO 22000 later? | Yes. Your HACCP system becomes part of the ISO 22000 audit. |
What You Receive
Issued by Accredify Global for the operational scope, sites, and products you define.
Control gaps, the evidence behind them, and corrective action priorities.
Buyers can check your certificate on our certificate verification page.
Certificate and scope wording ready for supplier approval and import checks.
Dates and focus areas for ongoing verification, agreed upfront.
Extend to a full food safety management system when buyers ask.
Frequently Asked Questions About HACCP Certification
Straight answers on the law, the seven principles, cost, timeline, and choosing a certification body.
What is HACCP certification?
HACCP certification is independent confirmation that a food business runs a working Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point system. An auditor checks that hazards have been analyzed and critical control points are monitored against limits. Records must prove the system works on the production floor.
What does HACCP stand for?
HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point. It is a preventive food safety system. It controls biological, chemical, and physical hazards at the steps where they can be prevented, eliminated, or reduced to a safe level.
Is HACCP certification mandatory?
The law requires a HACCP system in some sectors, but not a certificate. In the US, HACCP plans are mandatory for seafood, juice, and USDA-regulated meat and poultry. In the EU, food businesses must run procedures based on HACCP principles. Certification is usually what buyers, retailers, and importers ask for.
What are the 7 principles of HACCP?
1) Conduct a hazard analysis. 2) Determine critical control points. 3) Establish critical limits. 4) Establish monitoring. 5) Establish corrective actions. 6) Validate and verify the plan. 7) Keep documentation and records.
What is the difference between HACCP certification and a HACCP training certificate?
HACCP certification applies to a food business: an auditor checks the site's HACCP system and a certification body makes a decision. A HACCP training certificate applies to a person who has completed a course and, usually, an exam.
How do I get HACCP certification for my business?
Build and run a HACCP plan on top of good hygiene practices, and keep monitoring records. Then have an independent certification body audit it. With Accredify Global the path is a free scoping review, document review, on-site audit, corrective actions, certification decision, and follow-up audits.
What are the HACCP certification requirements?
You need a HACCP team, product descriptions, verified flow diagrams, and a hazard analysis including allergens. The HACCP plan sets out CCPs, critical limits, monitoring, and corrective actions. You also need validation and verification records, and working hygiene programs such as cleaning, pest control, and supplier approval.
How much does HACCP certification cost?
The cost of HACCP certification depends on your sites, HACCP plans, and CCPs. Product risk and how ready your records are also matter. Accredify Global reviews your scope for free and sends a tailored proposal.
How long does HACCP certification take?
Most Accredify Global HACCP programs take 6 to 12 weeks, depending on scope and readiness. You need enough CCP monitoring records to show the plan is in routine use before the audit.
How long does HACCP certification last?
It depends on the certification body and scheme. Accredify Global confirms the certificate cycle and the follow-up audit schedule in your proposal. A personal HACCP training certificate follows its training provider's own rules.
What is a HACCP certification body?
A HACCP certification body is an independent organization that audits a food business's HACCP system and decides whether to certify it. Choose one that audits on site and whose certificate your buyer or market accepts.
Is HACCP certification the same as ISO 22000?
No. ISO 22000 is a full food safety management system standard that includes HACCP and adds management, prerequisite programs, and continual improvement. HACCP certification covers the HACCP system itself.
Does HACCP certification meet GFSI requirements?
No. Retailers that require a GFSI-benchmarked scheme, such as FSSC 22000, SQF, or BRCGS, will not accept a HACCP certificate on its own. Check your buyer's exact wording before choosing a route.
Is HACCP the same as FSMA preventive controls?
No. Most FDA-registered food facilities must follow the FSMA preventive controls rule, which builds on HACCP but also covers allergen, sanitation, and supply-chain controls. Seafood and juice processors follow their own HACCP rules instead.
What changed in the 2020 Codex HACCP revision?
The Codex General Principles of Food Hygiene (CXC 1-1969) were revised in 2020. HACCP became its own chapter, good hygiene practices were strengthened, and food safety culture and allergen management were added.
Is Accredify Global an accredited certification body?
Yes. Accredify Global is a UAF-accredited certification body under the IAF MLA framework, with ISO 22000 food safety management in its accreditation scope. We issue HACCP certificates for the operational scope you define. If a buyer asks specifically for an accredited food safety management certificate, ISO 22000 is the route.
Can HACCP certification lead to ISO 22000?
Yes. Your HACCP plan and hygiene programs become part of an ISO 22000 food safety management system. Certifying HACCP first is a practical step toward it.
Find Out Whether Your HACCP System Is Ready for an Audit
Tell us about your sites, products, and the buyer or market asking for it. We'll confirm the certificate fits the requirement, recommend a timeline, and send a tailored proposal.
Book your free scoping review →