HACCP FLOW CHART TEMPLATE (Free Download)

8 key elements to include in a HACCP flow chart

A complete HACCP flow chart should include all food handling stages relevant to your operation.

1. Ingredient and raw material receiving

Show where ingredients enter the process and identify supplier-related risks.

2. Storage stages

Include chilled, frozen, ambient, and segregated allergen storage where applicable.

3. Preparation processes

Document activities such as washing, cutting, mixing, portioning, thawing, or marinating.

4. Cooking, cooling, and reheating

These stages frequently contain important food safety controls and often include Critical Control Points (CCPs).

5. Holding, packaging, or plating

Food can become contaminated or enter unsafe temperature ranges during these stages if controls are not maintained.

6. Delivery or service

The final stage should show how food reaches customers, patients, residents, or consumers.

7. Process flow arrows

Arrows clearly indicate the sequence of operations and improve understanding during audits and staff training.

8. Control points and CCPs

Where applicable, identify CCPs and other control measures so they can be linked directly to monitoring procedures and critical limits.

This information provides the foundation for determining critical limits and establishing corrective actions.

How to create a HACCP flow chart in 5 steps

Step 1. Define all food processes

Start by identifying every food-related process that occurs within your operation.

Examples include:

• Receiving ingredients
• Storage
• Thawing
• Preparation
• Cooking
• Cooling
• Freezing
• Reheating
• Packaging
• Transportation
• Service

Only include stages through which food physically passes. Activities such as cleaning schedules, audits, pest control, or staff training belong elsewhere within your HACCP documentation.

Step 2. List the process steps in order

Arrange the identified stages exactly as they occur in practice.

If products follow different routes, such as ready-to-eat products versus cooked meals, document each route separately.

For example:

Receiving → Storage → Preparation → Cooking → Hot Holding → Service

or

Receiving → Storage → Preparation → Packaging → Delivery

The chart should reflect actual operations, not intended procedures.

See below how the flow process chart changes:

Step 3. Identify control points and critical control points

Once the process is mapped, review each stage for potential hazards and identify any control points.

Some stages may become CCPs because they prevent, eliminate, or reduce hazards to acceptable levels.

Examples commonly found in hospitality operations include:

• Cooking
• Cooling
• Reheating
• Hot holding

Understanding the difference between CCPs and standard controls is essential when applying the 7 HACCP principles.

You can also review common critical control point examples to understand how these are typically applied in food businesses.

Step 4. Define control measures

For each control point, identify what must be monitored.

Examples include:

• Cooking temperature
• Cooling time
• Hot holding temperature
• Delivery temperature
• Allergen controls

These measures support hazard prevention and ensure food remains safe throughout the process.                                                                                     

Step 5. Verify the flow chart

Verification confirms that the flow chart accurately reflects real operations.

A practical verification should include:

• Walking through the operation step-by-step
• Comparing the chart to actual practice
• Consulting chefs, supervisors, and food safety leads
• Correcting any missing or inaccurate stages

Verification is one of the preliminary HACCP activities and should occur before the hazard analysis begins.

Who should create and verify the HACCP flow chart?

The most accurate HACCP flow charts are developed by a multidisciplinary team.

Typical contributors include:

• Food safety managers
• Head chefs
• Kitchen supervisors
• Catering managers
• Operations managers
• Quality assurance personnel

Each team member brings operational knowledge that helps ensure the diagram accurately reflects daily activities.

Verification should always involve an on-site review rather than a desk-based assessment alone.

When should you update your HACCP flow chart?

Your HACCP flow chart should be reviewed regularly and updated whenever significant changes occur.

Common triggers include:

• Annual HACCP review
• New equipment installation
• Menu changes
• New suppliers
• New ingredients
• Allergen changes
• Introduction of delivery services
• New production processes
• Audit findings requiring corrective action

Changes should also be reflected in your prerequisite programmes where relevant.

Keeping historical versions can help demonstrate continuous improvement and due diligence during inspections.

How FoodDocs helps create HACCP flow charts faster

Creating a HACCP flow chart manually can take hours or even days, especially when multiple product groups require separate diagrams.

FoodDocs automatically generates a HACCP flow chart as part of a complete HACCP plan in less than one hour.

The system also creates associated HACCP documentation, including:

• Hazard analysis
• Critical Control Points (CCPs)
• Critical limits
• Monitoring procedures
• Corrective actions
• Verification procedures
• SOPs
• Prerequisite programmes

Benefits include:

• Easy drag-and-drop editing
• Unlimited flow charts for different product groups
• Consistent documentation across locations
• Faster HACCP implementation
• Simplified audit preparation

FoodDocs gives food safety leaders a real-time overview of HACCP plans and flow charts across all locations and allows them to update documentation centrally without visiting individual sites, saving valuable time.

Frequently asked questions