What must establishments determine when assessing potential hazards for each step in the flowchart?

• A. Whether each hazard is reasonably likely to occur (RLTO) or not reasonably likely to occur (NRLTO)
• B. Whether each step has at least one hazard identified in each category (biological, chemical, physical)
• C. Whether the establishment identifies every hazard mentioned in the FSIS Hazards and Controls Guide
• D. Whether all identified biological hazards are considered reasonably likely to occur

Answer: (A)

When you analyze potential hazards for each step in the flowchart, you must decide for every hazard whether it is reasonably likely to occur or not reasonably likely to occur. This likelihood classification drives what preventive controls, if any, are needed at that step. If a hazard is reasonably likely to occur, you’d establish and implement a preventive control to address it; if it’s not reasonably likely to occur, you don’t need a specific preventive control for that hazard at that step.

Think about it as a step-by-step risk filter: each potential hazard is examined in its specific context—the equipment, processes, environment, and conditions of that step—to judge plausibility. This is the standard way FSIS and HACCP-based analyses determine where controls are required.

The other options miss the core idea. It isn’t required that every step contain hazards from every category, nor that you identify every hazard listed in a guide, nor that all biological hazards are deemed likely to occur. The emphasis is on evaluating the likelihood of each hazard within each step.