Important to Know More on GMP and HACCP

Why is it important for us to know about Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) in food safety? As both of these concepts are applied in the food industry, we are ensured that the food product are safe and very clean to be consumed. As a part of the food technologists community, we should know more on GMP and HACCP. 

What is GMP?

Good Manufacturing Practice is a system to ensure that products meet food safety, quality and legal requirements.

Guidelines on GMP

Provide a guide for the food industry on key hygiene practice, food safety and proper procedure for production of food.

What is GMP Requirements?

• Company profile
• Organization chart
• Layout factory
• Worker flow and material flow
• Process flow
• Sanitation facilities
• Food Safety Policy

What Should Be Included in GMP Manual?

• Elements in GMP
• Control and monitoring program for food safety, hygiene on each element
• Documents for clearing procedures, procedures for control and maintenance.

The Element of GMP

Building

The building shoud be designed and constructed according to its intended use and easy to    clean. Moreover, the building should be located at a suitable place. The ceiling should be easy to clean also. Floor should be smooth, impervous and easy to clean. Pipes and ducts should not contaminate the food and other utensil. The window, lighting and ventilation, water supply and an equate drainage must be take as primary consideration also.

Hygiene and Sanitation

Facilities should be provided in each factory such as adequate hand washing and drying facilities, toilets and changing rooms.

Equipment

Equipment must be a good design, food contact surface should be from non-toxic material. Moreover, the equipment should be placed away from wall to provide accessibility for cleaning.

What is HACCP?

Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point can be part of GMP and is a systematic program to assure food safety.

HACCP's 7 Principles

1. Analyze hazards
2. Identify critical control points
3. Establish preventive measures with critical limits for each control
4. Establish procedures to monitor the critical control points
5. Establish corrective actions
6. Establish procedures to verify that the system is working properly
7. Establish effective recordkeeping

How to make HACCP work?

• Must make the commitment
• Must let everyone get involved
• Must be able to document all production steps
• Must be able to monitor...simple/validate

HACCP System for Food Safety

We need food to live!!

We have right to expect food that we eat to be safe and suitable for consumption!!

Food safety has been of concern to humankind since the dawn of history and this concern is growing as foodborne diseases has remain 1 of the most widespread public health problems in this contemporary world that we line in.

To avoid adverse human health and economic consequences of foodborne illness and food spoilage; effective hygiene control measures need to be implemented. Everyone including farmers and growers, manufactures and processors, food handler, and governments consumers has a responsibility to assure that food is safe and suitable for consumption.

Ensuring food safe for consumption is EVERYBODY'S responsibility !!

The HACCP system is a scientific, rational and systematic approach to identification, assessment and control of hazard during production, processing, manufacturing, preparation and used of food to ensure that food is safe when consumed.

Benefit of HACCP System:

• The HACCP System allows for the identification of conceivable, reasonably expected hazard, even where failure have not previously been experienced. It is therefore useful for new opertions.
• The HACCP system is sufficiently flexible to accommodate changes introduced, such as progress of equipment design, improvements in processing procedures and technological developments related to the products.
• The HACCP system will get help target/direct resources to the most critical part of the food opertion.

Terminology Explained !!

Terminology Explained

A

Antibiotic

Chemical synthetically produced or naturally produced by microorganism which are able to kill/stop the growth of another microorganism e.g. penicillin

Antimicrobial

A process or chemical designed to reduce or stop microorganism from growing e.g. antibiotics, antiseptic, disinfectants

Audit

the systematic examination including inspection and verification to determine whether activities and related results comply with planned arrangements and whether these arrangements are implemented effectively and are suitable to achieved objectives, e.g. an EHO examines a HACCP system to ensure that it is being implemented effectively and achieving compliance with the law


B

Bacteria

Single-celled living organisms which cannot be seen with the naked eye e.g. Salmonella

Bactericide

A chemical or process designed to destroy bacteria e.g. chlorine based disinfecant

'Best-Before' Date

The date up until a food can reasonably be expected to retain its best quality if kept under the correct storage conditions. 'Best-Before' dates are more about quality than safety e.g. canned and dried foods such as soft drink, crisps and biscuits have 'best-before' dates

Biological Hazard

Living organisms (e.g. pathogenic bacteria) which may cause harm if they or their products are consumed in food e.g. Salmonella in a read-to-eat chicken meal

C

Carrier

A person who harbours disease causing organisms inside their bodies and excretes them without suffering from symptoms of that disease e.g. person recovering from Salmonella food poisoning

Chemical Hazard

Chemicals (e.g. poison) which may cause harm if consumed e.g. bleach in milk

Codex Alimentarius Commision

The Codex Alimentarius Commision was created by the food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) to develop food standards and guidelines

Contamination

The presence of undesirable chemicals (e.g. detergents), foreign bodies (e.g. glass) or living organism (e.g. salmonella) in a food e.g. a cooked chicken product is contaminated with salmonella

Control Measure

any action which can be taken or used to prevent a hazard or reduce it to an acceptable safe level e.g. keeping the temperature of refrigerated cooked ham at ≤ 5^oC

Corrective Action

The action taken when the monitoring of a critical point indicates a potential loss of controls, or when a critical limits is not met

Critical Control Point (CCP)

A step in which control can be applied and is essential to prevent a food safety hazard or reduce it to an acceptable level, e.g. through of a raw chicken product such that the core temperature reaches 75^oC e.g. 70^oC for 2 minutes

Critical Limits

A maximum/ minimum limit at a CCP which can be monitored and which indicates that the food is acceptable or unacceptable e.g. core temperature at the centre of a cooked beef burger following cooking must reach 75^oC

Cross-Contamination

The transfer of microorganisms from 1 source such as raw foods, people, equipment or environment to another source such as a cooked food e.g. raw meal held on the top shelf of a refrigerator drips onto a cake held on the bottom shelf and bacteria will spread from the meat to the cake

Danger Zone

The temperature range in which most pathogenic microorganisms grow and multiply in foods e.g. between 5^oC and 63^oC

F

Food Hygiene

All measures necessary to ensure the safety of food for sale or supply to the customer, e.g. prevention of cross-contamination between raw and ready-to-eat foods

Foodborne Illness

Illness resulting from infection or intoxication after eating or drinking a contaminated food e.g. eating beef burger contaminated with E-coli 0157:H7 and becoming ill

Foodborne Outbreak

Two or more people developing the same illness after eating or drinking the same food e.g. number of people visit a restaurant, eat the same meal contaminated with salmonella and become ill

Food Poisoning

A foodborne illness resulting from the consumption of a biologically or chemically contaminated food e.g. eating a cooked chicken breast contaminated with salmonella and become ill

Food Spoilage

Food that has decayed or decomposed due to the growth of microorganisms e.g. sour milk

G

Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) 

The minimum quality and safety requirements aimed at ensuring that foods are prepared in a consistent manner according to agreed specifications e.g. raw and cooked food products are stored in separate refrogerators

H
HACCP Plan/System

A food or process specific document written according to the principle of HACCP to ensure the control of hazard which are significant for the safety of that foods e.g. HACCP pln to control the safety of food on catering bussiness

I
Infection

An illness that result from, eating food contaminated with pathogenic organisms e.g. salmonellosis

Inspection

An internal or external examination of a food, food process, quality or food safety system such as HACCP in order to establish compliance with specific business, regulatory or legislative requirements e.g. an inspection of a restaurant by an EHO to ensure that hygiene regulations are been complied with

P

Perishable Food

A term applied to food with a short shelf-life which includes high-risk foods e.g. freshly prepared coleslow

Personal Hygiene

Individual cleanliness and practices of cleanliness or personal cares e.g. washing hand with soap and hot water after using the toilet


S

Shelf-life

The period of time during which a food will remain edible to consume

Be Smart - Keep Foods Apart - Don't Cross-Contaminate!

Cross-contamination, a leading cause of foodborne illness, is the transfer of harmful bacteria to food from improperly handled cutting boards, utensils or other foods. 

When handling raw meat, poultry and seafood, keep them separate and their juices away from cooked or ready-to-eat foods and fresh fruits and vegetables. These simple steps can prevent cross-contamination and reduce the risk of foodborne illness.

WHEN SHOPPING:

Separate raw meat, poultry and seafood from other foods in the grocery cart. Place these foods in plastic bags to prevent juices from dripping onto other foods.

WHEN STORING:

Place raw meat, poultry and seafood in containers or sealed bags to prevent their juices from dripping. Raw juices often contain harmful bacteria. Stores eggs in their original container and keep them refrigerated.

WHEN PREPARING: 

Wash hands and surfaces often. Harmful bacteria can spread throughout the food preparation area and contaminate cutting boards, utensils, counter tops and the preparer's hands. 

Wash hands with soap and hot water before and after handling food, using bathroom, handling pets, collecting trash, smoking, changing diapers, etc. 

Use soap and hot water to clean kitchen surfaces. Use a sanitizer to clean spills and kitchen counter tops. 

Wash, rinse and sanitize cutting boards, counter tops and knives used after each food item is prepared and before next item is prepared. Sanitize utensils and surfaces with a solution of one teaspoon of bleach in one quart of water. 

Do not use sponge in the kitchen area for cleaning and wiping. Use paper towels to wipe kitchen surfaces. If cloths or sponges are used, wash them often in your washing machine and store them in a sanitizing solution, when not in use. 

Always use a clean cutting board. If possible, keep separate cutting boards for different products and replace them when excessively worn or they develop hard-to-clean grooves. 

If using marinade, do not use the sauce used to marinate raw products for cooked foods. Marinade boiled beyond 165°F may be used. 

Cook all foods to proper temperature. Use a food thermometer to make sure foods are cooked to a safe internal temperature. If you have leftovers, be sure to refrigerate foods within two hours. Keep foods in the refrigerator at 41°F or below. 

WHEN SERVING:

Always use a clean plate or serving utensils. Never place cooked food on the same plate that previously held raw food. Change utensils when you change products.

DID YOU KNOW?

According to a 1998 consumer food survey from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA): 

21 percent of main meal cooks do not wash their cutting boards after cutting raw meat; 

25 percent of main meal cooks do not wash their hands after handling raw eggs; and 

61 percent of people who use a cloth or sponge to wipe kitchen counters change them less than seven times per week. 

TRAINING OF FOOD SERVICE EMPLOYEES 

Explain proper cleaning and sanitizing procedures. WASH -- RINSE -- SANITIZE -- AIR DRY 

Use color-coded cutting boards dedicated to particular food items. RED FOR BEEF, YELLOW FOR 

POULTRY, WHITE FOR PORK, GREEN FOR PRODUCE, ETC. 

Explain why raw food should be stored below ready-to-eat foods. All foods should be covered and properly labeled with use-by dates as required by Houston Food Ordinance. SEPARATE - DON'T CROSS-CONTAMINATE. 

Train all employees on the mixture level of sanitizer to water ration and discuss how often the solution needs to be changed. Failing to change the solution can promote bacterial growth. DON'T FORGET TO READ THE LABEL. 

Proper handwashing is very critical. Proper handwashing procedure, proper place to wash hands and proper sequence for handwashing should be part of every employee orientation and training. WHEN IN DOUBT, WASH IT OUT.

Food Safety Hazards

Food safety hazards are found throughout the food supply chain and can be described as:

‘biological, physical or chemical agents in food that are reasonably likely to cause illness or injury in the absence of their control.’

There are three main types of food safety hazards:

1. Biological Hazards Caused by bacteria, viruses or parasites that are present in air, food, water, soil, animals and humans.

Food infections and food intoxications can cause severe vomiting, diarrhoea, nausea, abdominal pain and fever to one or lots of people, they can even result in death in some serious cases.

Biological hazards receive the most attention in HACCP systems due to presenting the greatest risk of harm and the highest frequency of occurrence.

Microorganisms of concern include:

Salmonella species, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Shigella, Clostridium perfringens, Clostridium botulinum, Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter, Hepatitis A and Rotovirus.

2. Physical Hazards Foreign bodies in food are usually due to accidental contamination and / or poor handling practices. Physical hazards are most recognized by consumers as they usually find this food safety hazard.

Examples of physical hazards include:

Metal, glass, wood, insects, stones, soil, dirt, jewellery, hair, fingernails, plasters, personal items, bone, nuts / bolts, wire, plastic, paper and cardboard.

3. Chemical Hazards Can include:

CLEANING CHEMICAL RESIDUES: Chemicals used for cleaning and sanitizing food contact surfaces

FACTORY CONTAMINANTS: Pest control chemicals, lubricants, coatings, paints, refrigerants and water treatment chemicals

AGRICULTURAL RESIDUES: Pesticides, fertilizers, fungicides, antibiotics and growth hormones

FOOD ALLERGENS: Eggs, fish, milk, peanuts, sesame seeds, soy, sulphites, tree nuts and wheat

NATURALLY OCCURRING HARMFUL CHEMICALS: Mycotoxins, scombrotoxin (histamine), mushroom toxins and shellfish toxins

INDUSTRIAL HEAVY METALS: Lead, zinc, cadmium, arsenic and mercury.

Food safety hazards are best controlled through the use of HACCP systems. All significant food safety hazards at each stage of production must be identified in a HACCP plan. Once you know where food safety hazards occur, it is possible to implement control measures to prevent, reduce or eliminate food safety hazards to an acceptable level.