HACCP Documentation: What to Record and How to Organize It

HACCP documentation should do two things at the same time: make daily operations easier, and make it easy to prove control during an inspection or audit. If your documentation feels like paperwork that nobody uses, it usually fails at both.

In simple terms, HACCP documentation is your proof that food safety controls are defined, followed, and checked over time.

If you want the full HACCP framework first, start here.

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What HACCP documentation really is

Most businesses think “documentation” means lots of forms. In practice, good HACCP documentation is a small set of clear items:

• Routines: what you do and how you do it
• Records: proof that checks were done
• Corrective actions: what happened and how you handled it
• Review: how you confirm it keeps working

That is it. The goal is control you can demonstrate, not maximum paperwork.

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The minimum HACCP documentation most food service businesses need

If you run a restaurant, café, canteen, bar, or catering operation, this is a practical minimum set that works for most teams:

1) A short “how we work” pack (routines)

Keep routines short and specific to your workflow. One page per routine is usually enough.

Typical routines:

• Receiving and basic checks (temperature, packaging, dates)
• Storage and labeling (date marking, FIFO, separation rules)
• Personal hygiene and illness rules
• Allergen handling and cross-contact prevention
• Cleaning and sanitizing
• Temperature control (cold storage, hot holding, cooling, reheating where relevant)

2) Simple logs and checklists (records)

Records are what you show in an inspection. They should be fast to use and hard to misunderstand.

Common records:

• Temperature logs (cold storage, hot holding, cooking where relevant)
• Cooling and reheating checks (if you cool and reheat food)
• Cleaning checklists (daily and weekly)
• Receiving checks (especially for high-risk items)

3) A deviation and corrective action log

This is where many systems break. Auditors do not expect perfection, but they do expect that deviations are handled consistently.

A good record includes:

• What happened and when
• What product was affected
• What you did with the food (held, reworked, discarded)
• What you changed to prevent it happening again
• Who signed it off

4) A basic hazard assessment and review note

This does not need to be a long document. It should simply reflect your menu and workflow, and be updated when something changes.

If you want a clear explanation of the underlying method, click here.

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What auditors typically look for in your records

Auditors usually focus less on the design of your forms and more on whether the system is believable and controlled. These are common things they check:

• Consistency: records exist for the days they should exist
• Reality check: logs look realistic for a busy operation
• Corrective actions: deviations are recorded and handled, not ignored
• Root cause follow-up: repeated issues lead to a change, not endless repeat logs
• Version control: staff use the current routine, not an old printout
• Responsibility: it is clear who checks, who signs off, and who follows up

A practical tip: if you never record deviations, it can look like you are filling logs in afterwards. A few well-documented corrective actions often increase trust.

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A simple structure that works in practice

If you want to avoid “document chaos”, use one structure across the whole business. Here is a practical setup:

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Folder A: Routines (6–12 short procedures)

Name each routine clearly, for example “Cooling food safely” or “Allergen orders”.

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Folder B: Daily checklists

Short and repeatable:

• Opening checks
• Temperature checks
• Closing checks

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Folder C: Logs

Temperature logs and any cooling or reheating checks.

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Folder D: Deviations and corrective actions

One place where every deviation is recorded and followed up.

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Folder E: Reviews

A monthly review note (even a one-page summary) that shows you check patterns and improve.

This structure works on paper and digitally. The key is that everyone knows where to find things and how to use them fast.

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How often should you review and update documentation?

Use a rhythm that fits real life:

• Daily/weekly: complete logs and checklists while the work happens
• Weekly: look at deviations and fix repeat issues quickly
• Monthly: quick review of records and trends (15 minutes is enough)
• When changes happen: update routines and hazard assessment if you change menu, equipment, layout, suppliers, or workflow

The most important rule: update documentation when the risk changes.

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Common mistakes that make HACCP documentation useless

These are the most common patterns that cause trouble in audits:

• Routines are generic templates that do not match how you work
• Logs are filled in later instead of during service
• Deviations are recorded, but nothing changes to prevent repeats
• Documents exist, but staff do not know where they are
• Too many forms, too little clarity

If it is hard to use, people will work around it. Keep it short, visible, and practical.

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Summary

HACCP documentation is your proof of control. A small set of clear routines, simple logs, and a reliable corrective action process is usually enough to demonstrate food safety in practice and perform well in inspections.

Read our full HACCP overview and how it all fits together.

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Sources

https://openknowledge.fao.org/handle/20.500.14283/cc6125en

https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/sh-proxy/en/?lnk=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fworkspace.fao.org%2Fsites%2Fcodex%2FStandards%2FCXC%2B1-1969%2FCXC_001e.pdf

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2004/852/oj/eng

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/2004/852/contents

https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/hazard-analysis-and-critical-control-point-haccp

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