Which of the following is a core component of HACCP?

• A. Menu planning
• B. Employee scheduling
• C. Hazard analysis
• D. Kitchen lighting

Answer: (C)

Hazard analysis is the foundational step in HACCP. This approach focuses on identifying all potential biological, chemical, and physical hazards that could occur at each stage of the flow of food, from receiving through preparation to serving, and evaluating how serious and how likely each hazard is. By understanding which hazards could realistically affect safety, you can decide where to apply preventive controls and what limits or monitoring are needed. Without hazard analysis, you wouldn’t know which points in the process require controls or how to keep safety measures effective.

Menu planning, while important for nutrition and operations, isn’t itself a HACCP component. Employee scheduling affects workflow and the ability to monitor processes, but it doesn’t identify or manage hazards. Kitchen lighting relates to the working environment but isn’t a step in the HACCP framework. So the best answer is hazard analysis because it anchors the entire system by pinpointing the hazards that need control.