Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) is the FDA-mandated food-safety framework for seafood processors and distributors in the United States. Understanding the basics helps restaurant buyers evaluate whether a supplier is meeting its obligations.
What HACCP requires
Seafood processors and distributors must identify potential hazards at each step of handling — receiving, storage, processing, shipping — and document control measures at critical points, such as holding temperatures and time limits, to prevent those hazards from reaching the plate.
What this looks like in practice
A compliant facility maintains temperature logs for cold storage and delivery trucks, documented receiving inspections that check for temperature and quality on arrival, and traceability records connecting each lot back to its source.
What to ask your supplier
Ask whether their facility operates under a written HACCP plan, how often it's reviewed, and whether they can produce temperature logs or inspection records if your health department asks for supplier documentation during your own inspection.
Why this matters beyond compliance
A distributor with disciplined HACCP practices is also, in practice, more likely to deliver consistent product quality — the same controls that prevent food-safety hazards also catch temperature abuse or handling problems before they reach your kitchen.
Your kitchen's role
Compliance doesn't end at your loading dock. Check delivery temperatures on receipt, log them, and maintain your own cold-chain discipline once product is in your building — the supplier's HACCP plan protects the product only up to your door.