CHA Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield CHA facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. What role do standard operating procedures play in CHA Engine Performance & Tuning? → Ensuring consistency and quality through documented instructions
2. A facility uses potable water for both food contact surfaces and ingredient use. Under which prerequisite program category does water quality management fall? → Water safety and supply control
3. A HACCP team is analyzing a new ready-to-eat salad product. Which of the following hazards would be considered 'inherent' to leafy greens? → E. coli O157:H7 from irrigation water or soil contamination
4. A food manufacturer discovers that a CCP monitoring record is missing for one production lot. Under HACCP, what is the FIRST action required? → Initiate corrective action procedures
5. What is the principle of least privilege in CHA technology? → Users get only the minimum access needed for their role
6. According to NACMCF, the HACCP team should include individuals with expertise in which combination of knowledge areas? → Production, sanitation, quality assurance, food microbiology, and engineering
7. Which of the following BEST describes the relationship between prerequisite programs (PRPs) and HACCP with respect to preventive maintenance? → PM is a PRP that supports HACCP by controlling general equipment-related hazards
8. Which of the following BEST describes the scope of a HACCP audit compared to a GMP inspection? → HACCP audits assess the systematic application of the 7 HACCP principles and their records
9. A HACCP auditor is sampling monitoring records and finds several entries where the monitor's signature is missing. This is BEST categorized as: → A record-keeping nonconformance
10. What is evidence-based practice in CHA Preventive Maintenance Procedures? → Integrating research evidence with expertise and client needs
11. An auditor finds that a critical control point record has a blank entry for a monitoring check. Under HACCP principles, this should be treated as: → Presumptive evidence that monitoring was not performed, requiring corrective action
12. A food safety auditor evaluating a cold storage facility should verify that temperature monitoring equipment is included in which documented program? → Equipment maintenance and calibration PRP
13. How do regulations differ from standards in CHA practice? → Regulations are legally binding; standards are typically voluntary
14. Why is employee training important in HACCP system implementation? → To ensure all staff can effectively implement HACCP practices
15. What is the purpose of a Master Sanitation Schedule (MSS) in relation to preventive maintenance? → It coordinates deep-cleaning tasks that complement equipment PM activities
16. When implementing HACCP in a facility for the first time, which activity should occur BEFORE the hazard analysis is conducted? → Assembling a multidisciplinary HACCP team and describing the product and its intended use
17. When a HACCP auditor requests 'objective evidence' during a third-party audit, which of the following would be the LEAST acceptable form? → Verbal assurance from the plant manager that the process is under control
18. What is peer review in CHA Engine Performance & Tuning? → Quality evaluation by qualified colleagues for improvement
19. The primary purpose of an opening meeting at the start of a HACCP audit is to: → Confirm audit scope, objectives, methods, and introduce audit team members
20. Which of the following is the MOST appropriate first step when conducting a HACCP audit? → Conducting an opening meeting with the auditee
21. In a HACCP system, how long must HACCP records typically be retained under 21 CFR Part 123 (Seafood HACCP)? → 2 years for refrigerated products; 3 years for frozen or shelf-stable
22. Why is validation necessary in HACCP? → To ensure that all hazards are controlled
23. When a HACCP facility migrates data from a legacy monitoring system to a new platform, what must be verified before decommissioning the old system? → That all historical HACCP records transferred accurately and completely with no data loss
24. During a HACCP prerequisite program audit, which electrical documentation is most critical to verify? → Up-to-date electrical panel schedules, single-line diagrams, and inspection records
25. Under 21 CFR Part 120 (juice HACCP), what is the required log reduction target for the most resistant pathogen of concern? → 5-log
26. Why is proper documentation crucial in HACCP system implementation? → To provide evidence of compliance and effectiveness
27. During an audit, the HACCP auditor notices that the facility lacks a documented supplier approval program. This is a gap in which area? → Prerequisite programs
28. A facility's HACCP software update includes a patch that modifies how the system stores CCP temperature readings. What document must be updated FIRST? → The software change control record
29. Under the Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) program, by what annual deadline must facilities submit Form R reports? → July 1
30. Which of the following BEST describes the role of a prerequisite program (PRP) in relation to HACCP? → PRPs provide the foundation of basic conditions needed for HACCP to function effectively