Certified Professional Food Safety (CP-FS) Practice Exam

Which of the following is an example of a critical limit in a HACCP plan?

1. Cooking meats at a specified temperature

2. Washing hands thoroughly

3. Refrigerating foods at or below 41°F

4. Discarding food after a specified time

The correct answer is: Refrigerating foods at or below 41°F

In a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan, critical limits are specific and measurable thresholds set for controlling food safety hazards at critical control points (CCPs). The concept of critical limits is crucial because they help ensure that food is handled safely to minimize the risk of foodborne illness. Refrigerating foods at or below 41°F is a critical limit because it establishes a clear and measurable temperature boundary that must be maintained to inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria. This limit is based on scientific research and is widely accepted as a standard for safe cold storage. Staying at or below this temperature is essential for controlling a specific food safety hazard—particularly those associated with time-temperature abuse, which can allow bacteria to proliferate. While the other options involve important food safety practices, they do not qualify as critical limits within the context of a HACCP plan as clearly as the cold storage guideline. Cooking meats at a specified temperature is indeed a critical limit, but it might not directly apply to all foods and is more specific to cooking processes. Washing hands thoroughly is a fundamental food safety practice but not a measurable limit for controlling a specific hazard at a CCP. Discarding food after a specified time addresses food safety, but it lacks the precise definition of