Level 2 · Lesson 6

Prerequisite
programmes

HACCP does not work on its own. It rests on a set of basic conditions that keep the whole place hygienic, and without them the critical control points have nothing to stand on.
The idea in one picture

Prerequisites are the foundation HACCP rests on

HACCP plan the critical control points Cleaning Pest control Maintenance Hygiene Training Waste Stable
On its own, a HACCP plan has nothing to stand on.
What they are

The basics that keep the place hygienic

A prerequisite programme is

a basic condition or activity needed to keep the whole operation hygienic, so that HACCP has a clean and controlled environment to work in.

They are called prerequisites because they come first. They have to be in place before HACCP can control the few points that remain.
The usual programmes

What counts as a prerequisite

Cleaning

Scheduled cleaning and disinfection of surfaces and equipment.

Pest control

Keeping insects and rodents out of the premises entirely.

Maintenance

Keeping the building and equipment in good, safe repair.

Personal hygiene

Handwashing, clean workwear, and fitness to work rules.

Staff training

Making sure everyone knows how to work safely.

Waste management

Removing refuse promptly so it never contaminates food.

Why they matter

They keep the critical points few

Prerequisites

Hold the whole environment at a safe baseline. Clean surfaces, no pests, sound equipment, trained staff. This lowers the general level of hazard everywhere.

CCPs

Handle the few specific steps that remain critical once the baseline is safe. Because prerequisites do so much, only a handful of points have to be CCPs.

Strong prerequisites mean fewer critical control points to manage. Weak ones leave so many hazards that no HACCP plan could cope.
Try it

Pull a block out of the foundation

Tap any programme below to switch it off, and watch the foundation and the plan above it. Tap it again to bring it back.

0 of 6 switched off
HACCP planStable · a few critical control points
Hazard load Low
Six prerequisite programmes are holding the baseline. Switch one off to see what it was doing.
The point
Your turn

What do strong prerequisites do?

A business improves its cleaning, pest control and maintenance until they are consistently excellent. What effect does this have on its HACCP plan?
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The five things to remember

1Prerequisites are the basic conditions that keep the whole operation hygienic
2They include cleaning, pest control, maintenance, hygiene, training and waste
3They are the foundation HACCP rests on, and must be in place first
4They support the whole system instead of controlling one hazard at one step
5Strong prerequisites keep the number of critical control points small
Sample question

One question from the quiz

What is a prerequisite programme?
Tap anywhere to continue

The foundation is set

You have the whole system now: hazards, principles, CCPs, limits, monitoring, corrective action, and the prerequisites underneath it all. The last lesson brings it home to you. The quiz is where you prove what you know and earn a certificate recognised by TrustBite. One payment covers all three levels, so Levels 1 and 3 are included at no extra cost.

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Level 2 · Lesson 6 of 7
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