What is the primary focus of the monitoring procedures step in HACCP?

The primary focus of the monitoring procedures step in HACCP is to observe and measure critical limits. This step is essential because it involves consistently checking that each critical limit defined in the HACCP plan is being met. Critical limits are thresholds that ensure food safety, such as specific temperature ranges or time limits for food storage and cooking.

Monitoring helps to verify that the processes are functioning as intended, ensuring that food safety hazards are controlled. By measuring and observing these critical limits, any deviations can be detected quickly. This allows for timely corrective actions to be taken before unsafe food enters the marketplace, thereby protecting public health.

While other elements like determining proper cooking of food, identifying hazards, and ensuring accurate record-keeping are important components of a food safety program, they do not encapsulate the primary aim of monitoring procedures within HACCP, which is specifically about measuring and observing limits to maintain safety standards.