Which of the following is not a critical control point in food safety?

In food safety, critical control points (CCPs) are specific stages in the food production process where controls can be applied to prevent, eliminate, or reduce food safety hazards to an acceptable level. Cooking, storing, and shipping all play essential roles in ensuring food safety.

Cooking is a crucial CCP because it involves applying heat to food, which is necessary to kill harmful bacteria and pathogens. Storing food is another critical point since maintaining proper temperatures and conditions can prevent spoilage and contamination. Shipping also represents a crucial time when food must be kept at safe temperatures and conditions to prevent growth of pathogens during transport.

Marketing, however, does not directly affect the safety of food products in the same way. While marketing influences consumer awareness and behavior, it does not involve the handling or preparation of food in a manner that impacts its safety. Therefore, marketing is not considered a critical control point, as it does not address the direct prevention or reduction of foodborne hazards.