2) FOOD SAFETY: SYSTEMS AND QUALITY INTRODUCTION Food safety is defined as the prevention of food borne diseases whereas food quality means acceptability of food referring to taste, aroma, palatability and appearance (Gardner, 1999). In the past, the term of food safety has been used for the hazards coming from chemical substances found in foods whereas food hygiene has been referred to microorganisms. It has been reported that consumers still tend to be more concerned about chemicals used during processing of foods (Eilers, 1990). In the past the terms “quality control” and “quality assurance” were used to control hazards in food processing (Forsyth and Hayes, 1998). More recently, Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point program (HACCP) was developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the US Army Natick Laboratory. The principles of HACCP was first applied in 1972 by The Pillsbury Company to assure the safety of the food that astronauts would eat while working in outer space (Anon. 2001). HACCP system is approved as the best food safety management system all over the word. In HACCP system, control is not used as a synonym for checking; it means, “keeping things under control” (van Schothorst and Jongeneel, 1994). QUALITY PROGRAMS Quality control was used to control all process parameters that determined the product quality. The system concerned with (Forsythe and Hayes, 1998): • • •

Process control Testing raw material and final product Line hygiene

Quality assurance system was developed later than quality control system and dealt with wider aspects such as (Forsythe and Hayes, 1998): • • • • •

The evaluation of raw material and final product specifications Factory design Process line layout Equipment design Packaging storage and transportation

Recently quality assurance programs in food industry are designed to achieve good manufacturing practices (GMP) (Gardner, 1999) and other prerequisite programs for HACCP System. These activities are generally focused on food hygiene. GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF FOOD HYGIENE To provide food safety hygienic conditions during processing of foods should be maintained. The term food hygiene means the maintenance of good health and prevention of damages to health (van Schothorst, 1999). The elements of an effective food hygiene programme should focus on (FAO, 1998):

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Establishment: design and facilities Premises, equipment and facilities should be constructed and designed to minimize contaminations; control microbial growth and to be cleaned and disinfected effectively. Control of Operation Raw materials, composition, processing, distribution and consumer use should be designed to eliminate/control food safety hazards Establishment: maintenance and sanitation Effective systems to ensure adequate and appropriate maintenance and sanitation and pest control and waste management should be established. Transportation Measures should be taken to protect foods from contaminations/damages and prevent microbial growth Training Employee should be trained periodically to a level appropriate to the operations they are to perform. HAACP Prerequisite Programs (Anon, 1998) An effective HACCP plan cannot be implemented without prerequisite programs. Prerequisite programs provide the basic environmental and process conditions for safe food production. Good Manufacturing Processes (GMP), Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs) and Standard Sanitation Operation Procedures (SSOPs) are the most common prerequisite programs (Sheridan, 2000). The GMP and SSOP are known as the cornerstones of food safety and quality and are two of the prerequisite programs required for a successful implementation of a HACCP plan (Anon 2001). These programs should be implemented separately from the HACCP plan (Sheridan, 2000). Good Manufacturing Practice GMPs are designed to assure that the foods are produced under hygienic conditions, and that microbiological, chemical and physical hazards were prevented (Gardner, 1999; Sheridan, 2000). Since the microorganisms are the primary sources of food borne diseases higher priority is given to microbial hazards (Gardner, 2000). The GMP program includes (Gardner, 1999; Sheridan, 2000): • • • • • • •

Establishing and monitoring specifications for time-temperature controls during processing and storage Establishing specifications for equipment, cleaning schedules and other maintenance work Establishing and monitoring specifications for packaging Training and evaluation of workers Establishing criteria and monitoring control for food ingredients, materials and equipment Establishing and monitoring controls for storage and distribution of foods Controlling the environment Paper 2– PAGE 2/5

• •

Establishing procedures for pest control Establishing procedures for recall

GMPs are primarily concerned with hygiene, do not address specific hazards, may not always be monitor critical limits, and corrective actions may not be possible to establish. The immersion of knives and steel in water at 82°C for 30 seconds between carcasses is one example of GMP (Gardner, 2000). STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES (SOPs) SOPs are established in order to protect food products from microbial, chemical, and physical hazards; to control microbial growth that can result from temperature abuse; and to ensure procedures are in place for maintaining equipment. SOP procedures almost guarantee that (Anon. 1998): • • • • • • • • • •

Product is received from approved suppliers/sources The water used in the production of foods is potable Food-contact surfaces and utensils are cleaned, sanitized, and maintained in good condition Cross contamination is prevented Toilets are located and designed to prevent faecal contamination Hand washing facilities are provided to eliminate contaminations Pest control system works effectively Toxic compounds are properly stored, labelled, and safely used Condensate, lubricants, pesticides, cleaning compounds, sanitizing agents, and additional toxic materials do not contact food, food packaging material, and food-contact surfaces, and food packaging materials Foods and food-contact surfaces are not contaminated by physical hazards such as broken glass from light fixtures, jewellery, etc.

SOPs to Control Contamination of Food (Anon. 1998) Procedures for proper personnel health and hygienic practices should be provided: • Restricting or excluding employee showing certain symptoms such as, vomiting or diarrhoea • Practicing proper hand washing • Restricting eating, smoking, and drinking during working • Covering hair • Wearing clean clothing • Restricting the wearing of jewellery. SOPs to Control Microbial Growth (Anon. 1998) Perishable foods should be received and stored at a refrigerated temperature of 5°C or below to control microbial growth.

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SOPs to Maintain Equipment (Anon. 1998) These procedures ensure that: • • • •

Calibration of temperature measuring devices (e.g., thermometer or temperature recording device) is done regularly. Cooking and hot holding equipment such as grills, ovens, steam tables, conveyor cookers, etc. are routinely controlled, calibrated if necessary and are operating to ensure correct product temperature Cooling equipment such as refrigerators, rapid chill units, freezers, salad bars, etc. are routinely controlled, calibrated if necessary and are operating to ensure correct product temperature Washing equipment is operating in accordance with manufacturer's specifications.

Standard Sanitation Operation Procedures (SSOPs) SOPs concerned with providing a clean sanitary environment for the preparation, handling and storage of foods were referred to as SSOPs (Gardner, 2000). CONCLUSION Minimisation of biological particularly bacteriological, chemical and physical contamination of foods, the use of appropriate processing techniques to inactivate microorganisms, time–temperature control during and after processing, providing good hygienic standards remain essential for safe food production. To compete in the global marketplace, food-processing companies must develop quality and safety systems that meet or exceed appropriate standards. All food manufacturers, food producers and food distributors have three common responsibilities (Gardner, 1999): Responsibility to consumers that the product is safe and high quality Responsibility to government that they operate to perform in accordance with laws and regulations Responsibility to owners that they operate economically REFERENCES Anon. 1998. A HACCP Principles Guide for Operators of Food Establishments at the Retail Level Managing Food Safety. http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/hret-4.html Anon. 2001. http://www.confex.com/ift/haccpdemo/textdemo/index.htm Eilers, J.R. 1990. New foods provide new food safety challenges. Food Processing, USA 51 (6) 104-108. FA0 1998. “Food Quality and Safety Systems” FAO, Rome. Forsythe, S.J and Hayes, P.R. 1998. HACCP and product quality. In “Food Hygiene, Microbiology and HACCP” pp. 276-324.Aspen Publishers, Gaithersburg.

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Gardner, S. 1999. The control of food safety: the role and responsibilities of industry, agriculture, and food supply sectors (Ed. van der K. Hijden, M. Younes, L. Fishbein and S. Miller) pp. 739-745. Marcel Dekker, Inc. New York. Sheridan, J.J. 2000. Monitoring CCPs in HACCP systems. In “HACCP in the Meat Industry” (Ed. M. Brown) pp. 203-230. Woodhead Publishing Limited, Cambridge. Van Schothorst, M. 1999. Microbiological and hygienic aspects of food safety. “International Food Safety Handbook” (Ed. van der K. Hijden, M. Younes, L. Fishbein and S. Miller) pp. 27-46. Marcel Dekker, Inc. New York. Van Schothorst, M. and Jongeneel, S.1994. Line monitoring, HACCP and food safety. Food Control 2:107-110.

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