Measurable criteria
Critical limits must be measurable parameters —temperature, time, pH, water activity— not subjective criteria.
Scientific or regulatory basis
Every critical limit is justified by applicable regulation, scientific literature or in-house validation, never set arbitrarily.
Operating limits
An operating limit stricter than the critical one is often set, to act before control of the process is actually lost.
What an auditor usually asks for
- A documented, measurable critical limit for every CCP
- A regulatory or scientific justification for every limit
- Operating limits defined where applicable
- Limits reviewed after product or process changes
How to cover critical limits in Kimobox
- 1Log each CCP's critical limit directly on its record in Kimobox.
- 2Link the regulatory or scientific justification as a controlled document.
- 3Set up the operating limit as an early warning ahead of the critical limit.
The critical limit and its justification stay linked to the CCP, ready for any audit.
Where each figure comes from
References to the official text in force. If a standard is revised, this page is updated and the review date says so.
- Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs EUR-Lex · 29 April 2004
- General Principles of Food Hygiene, CXC 1-1969 Codex Alimentarius (FAO/WHO) · 2020 revision
- Regulation (EU) 2017/625 on official controls EUR-Lex · 15 March 2017