Food hygiene glossary: HACCP, FBO, CCP, PRP and other key terms

Updated 2026-07-12 · Reviewed by: Redazione ce85204 — revisione editoriale assistita da AI (2026-07-12)

Glossary of food hygiene terms under Reg. (EC) 852/2004: FBO is the food business operator, HACCP the hazard analysis and critical control points system (Art. 5), CCP the critical control point, PRP the prerequisite programmes. Each entry links to its concept page and legal basis.

This glossary gathers the terms that recur in European food hygiene law, defined from the text of Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 and the general food law framework Article 2(1) of Regulation (EC) No 852/2004. Each entry is a standalone card: the working definition sits here, while the full analysis — legal basis, practice and common errors — is on the linked concept page. Entries are generated automatically from the published cards and sorted alphabetically, so the glossary stays aligned with the rest of the knowledge base.

Allergens(allergens, food allergens, 14 allergens, allergenic substances, allergeni)

Food allergens are the substances or products causing allergies or intolerances, listed exhaustively in Annex II to Regulation (EU) 1169/2011 (14 categories). Their presence must be indicated to the consumer both on prepacked and non-prepacked food, and their spread must be prevented throughout the chain.

CCP(critical control point, control point, CCP)

A CCP (Critical Control Point) is a step in the food process at which control can and must be applied to prevent, eliminate or reduce to an acceptable level a food-safety hazard. It is the second of the seven HACCP principles in Article 5 of Regulation (EC) 852/2004 and is characterised by measurable critical limits and monitoring.

Cold chain(cold chain, temperature control, chilled storage, catena del freddo)

The cold chain is the uninterrupted maintenance of a controlled temperature across all stages of storage, transport, display and service of perishable food, so as to prevent the growth of pathogenic microorganisms or the formation of toxins. In Regulation (EC) 852/2004 it is governed by Annex II, Chapter IX, which prohibits its interruption save for limited derogations.

Cross-contamination(cross-contamination, cross contact, cross contamination, contaminazione crociata)

Cross-contamination is the unintended transfer of a hazard — biological, chemical or physical, including allergens — from one food, surface, equipment item or person to another food. Regulation (EC) 852/2004 counters it by requiring, in Annex II Chapter IX, that food be protected against any contamination at all stages.

Decision tree(CCP decision tree, decision diagram, HACCP decision tree)

The decision tree is a logic tool, developed by the Codex Alimentarius, for establishing whether a step in the food process is a critical control point (CCP). It consists of a sequence of yes/no questions that, applied to each significant hazard, guides the operator in identifying CCPs, implementing the second HACCP principle.

FBO(food business operator, FBO, operator, OSA, business proprietor)

A food business operator (FBO) is the natural or legal person responsible for ensuring that the requirements of food law are met within the food business under their control. The definition is set out in Article 3(3) of Regulation (EC) 178/2002 and connects to the food business of Article 3(2); the FBO is the party bearing primary responsibility for food safety.

Flexibility for small businesses(HACCP flexibility, proportionality for small businesses, 852/2004 derogations, traditional food methods)

Flexibility is the principle, stated in recital 15 of Regulation (EC) 852/2004, that hygiene and self-monitoring requirements apply in proportion to the nature and size of the business. It takes the form of Commission derogations and national measures adapting Annex II (Article 13(3)-(7)), protecting traditional methods and businesses in regions with geographical constraints.

Food safety culture(FSC, food safety culture, Chapter XIa, safety culture)

Food safety culture is the set of shared values, attitudes and behaviours regarding food safety within a food business. Since 24 March 2021, Chapter XIa of Annex II to Regulation (EC) 852/2004 makes it a legal duty: operators must establish, maintain and provide evidence of it, with commitment from management and all employees.

Food safety manual(HACCP manual, food safety manual, self-monitoring plan, HACCP documentation)

The food safety management manual (or HACCP manual) is the in-house document by which a food business operator describes its permanent HACCP-based procedures and demonstrates their application to the competent authority, under Article 5(4) of Regulation (EC) 852/2004. It is not a certificate or an attestation: it is the documentary tool of self-monitoring.

HACCP(HACCP system, self-monitoring, HACCP plan, food safety plan)

HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) is the food-safety self-monitoring method that every food business operator must apply after primary production to identify hygiene hazards and keep them under control. It is built on seven principles codified by the Codex Alimentarius and made mandatory in the EU by Article 5 of Regulation (EC) 852/2004.

OPRP(operational prerequisite programme, oPRP, OPRP)

An OPRP (Operational Prerequisite Programme) is, in the ISO 22000 standard, a control measure applied to prevent or reduce to an acceptable level a significant food-safety hazard when that hazard is not managed by a critical control point with a measurable critical limit. It sits between general prerequisites (PRPs) and CCPs.

PRP(prerequisites, prerequisite programmes, GHP, good hygiene practices, PRP)

PRPs (Prerequisite Programmes) are the basic hygiene conditions and activities needed to maintain an environment suitable for producing, handling and supplying safe food. They cover cleaning and sanitation, maintenance, pest control, personal hygiene and waste management, and form the foundation on which the HACCP system is built.

Registration vs approval(food establishment registration, EC approval, EC mark, identification mark, approval vs registration)

Registration and approval are the two administrative regimes for starting up a food establishment. Registration (Article 6(2) of Regulation (EC) 852/2004) is a notification owed by every business. Approval (Article 6(3)) is a prior authorisation, following an inspection, required for establishments handling products of animal origin under Regulation (EC) 853/2004.

Traceability(traceability, food traceability, rintracciabilità, one step back one step forward)

Traceability is the ability to trace and follow a food, feed, food-producing animal or substance intended to be, or expected to be, incorporated into a food through all stages of production, processing and distribution. It is required by Article 18 of Regulation (EC) 178/2002 under the 'one step back, one step forward' model.