What is the primary purpose of HACCP?

The primary purpose of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) is to identify hazards and establish critical control points throughout the food production process. This systematic preventive approach is crucial for ensuring food safety by focusing on physical, chemical, and biological hazards that can affect food quality and safety. By identifying specific points in the production and preparation process where control measures can be effectively applied, HACCP helps to minimize risks of foodborne illnesses and ensures that food products are safe for consumption.

The other options, while related to food safety, do not capture the essence of HACCP. Ensuring sanitation in kitchens is a part of food safety but is more general and does not encompass the detailed risk management approach that HACCP represents. Training food handlers in safe practices is important but does not directly describe the structured hazard analysis that HACCP focuses on. Improving customer service in dining establishments pertains more to customer experience rather than the technical processes for ensuring food safety. Thus, identifying hazards and establishing critical control points stands out as the core purpose of HACCP.