Mastering Food Safety: Essential Control Measures for Safe and High-Quality Food Operations

Food safety is critical for protecting consumers and maintaining trust in your business. This blog explains key control measures, such as HACCP, temperature management, and hygiene practices, to ensure safe and suitable food production. Learn how to implement effective systems, prevent contamination, and comply with food safety standards like ISO 22000.

CONTROL OF OPERATION

Objective: To produce food which is safe and suitable for human consumption by:

Formulating design requirements with respect to raw materials, composition, processing. distribution, and consumer use to be met in the manufacture and handling of specific food items.
Designing, implementing, monitoring and reviewing effective control systems.

Rationale: To reduce the risk of unsafe food by taking preventive measures to assure the safety and suitability of food at an appropriate stage in the operation by controlling food hazards

CONTROL OF FOOD HAZARDS

Food business operators should control food hazards through the use of systems such as HACCP. They should:

Identify any steps in their operations which are critical to the safety of food.
Implement effective control procedures at those steps.
Monitor control procedures to ensure their continuing effectiveness.
review control procedures periodically, and whenever the operations change.

These systems should be applied throughout the food chain to control food hygiene throughout the shelf-life of the product through proper product and process design.

Control procedures may be simple, such as checking stock rotation calibrating equipment, or correctly loading refrigerated display units. In some cases, a system based on expert advice, and involving documentation, may be appropriate. A model of such a food safety system is described in Hazard Analysis and Critical Control (HACCP) System and Guidelines for its Application (Annex).

KEY ASPECTS OF HYGIENE CONTROL SYSTEMS

1. TIME AND TEMPERATURE CONTROL

Inadequate food temperature control is one of the most common causes of foodborne illness or food spoilage. Such controls include time and temperature of cooking, cooling, processing and storage. Systems should be in place to ensure that temperature is controlled effectively where it is critical to the safety and suitability of food.

Temperature control systems should take into account:

The nature of the food, e.g. its water activity, pH, and likely initial level and types of micro-organisms.
The intended shelf-life of the product.
The method of packaging and processing.
How the product is intended to be used, eg. further cooking/processing or ready-to-eat.

Such systems should also specify tolerable limits for time and temperature variations. Temperature recording devices should be checked at regular intervals and tested for accuracy.

2. SPECIFIC PROCESS STEPS

Other steps which contribute to food hygiene may include, for example:

3. MICROBIOLOGICAL AND OTHER SPECIFICATIONS

Management systems offer an effective way of ensuring the safety and suitability of food. Where microbiological, chemical or physical specifications are used in any food control system, such specifications should be based on sound scientific principles and state, where appropriate, monitoring procedures, analytical methods and action limits.

4. MICROBIOLOGICAL CROSS-CONTAMINATION

Pathogens can be transferred from one food to another, either by direct contact or by food handlers, contact surfaces or the air. Raw, unprocessed food should be effectively separated, either physically or by time, from ready-to-eat foods, with effective intermediate cleaning and where appropriate disinfection. Access to processing areas may need to be restricted or controlled. Where risks are particularly high, access to processing areas should be only via a changing facility. Personnel may need to be required to put on clean protective clothing including footwear and wash their hands before entering.

Surfaces, utensils, equipment, fixtures and fittings should be thoroughly cleaned and where necessary disinfected after raw food, particularly meat and poultry, has been handled or processed.

5. PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL CONTAMINATION

Systems should be in place to prevent contamination of foods by foreign bodies such as glass or metal shards from machinery, dust, harmful fumes and unwanted. chemicals, in manufacturing and processing, suitable detection or screening devices should be used where necessary,

6. INCOMING MATERIAL REQUIREMENTS

No raw material or should be accepted by an establishment if it is known to contain parasites, undesirable micro-organisms, pesticides, veterinary drugs or toxic, decomposed or extraneous substances which would not be reduced to an acceptable level by normal sorting and/or processing. Where appropriate, specifications for raw materials should be identified and applied. Raw materials or ingredients should, where appropriate, be inspected and sorted before processing. Where necessary, laboratory tests should be made to establish fitness for use. Only sound, suitable raw materials or ingredients should be used.

Stocks of raw materials and ingredients should be subject to effective stock rotation.

7. PACKAGING

Packaging design and materials should provide adequate protection for products to minimize contamination, prevent damage, and accommodate proper labelling. Packaging materials or gases where used must be non- toxic and not pose a threat to the safety and suitability of food under the specified conditions of storage and use. Where appropriate, reusable packaging should be suitably durable, easy to clean and, where necessary, disinfect.

WATER

1. IN CONTACT WITH FOOD

Only potable water, should be used in food handling and processing, with the following exceptions:

For steam production, fire control and other similar purposes not connected with food.
In certain food processes, eg, chilling, and in food handling areas, provided this does not constitute a hazard to the safety and suitability of food (eg the use of clean sea water).

Water recirculated for reuse should be treated and maintained in such a condition that no risk to the safety and suitability of food results from its use. The treatment process should be effectively monitored. Recirculated water which has received no further treatment and water recovered from processing of food by evaporation or drying may be used, provided its use does not constitute a risk to the safety and suitability of food.

2. AS AN INGREDIENT

Potable water should be used wherever necessary to avoid food contamination.

3. ICE AND STEAM

Ice should be made from water that complies with water supply. Ice and steam should be produced, handled and stored to protect them from contamination. used in direct contact with food or food contact surfaces should not constitute a threat to the safety and suitability of food.

MANAGEMENT AND SUPERVISION

The type of control and supervision needed will depend on the size of the business, the nature of its activities and the types of food involved. Managers and supervisors should have enough knowledge of food hygiene principles and practices to be able to judge potential risks, take appropriate preventive and corrective action, and ensure that effective monitoring and supervision takes place.

DOCUMENTATION AND RECORDS

Where necessary, appropriate records of processing, production and distribution should be kept and retained for a period that exceeds the shelf-life of the product. Documentation can enhance the credibility and effectiveness of the food safety control system.

RECALL PROCEDURES

Managers should ensure effective procedures are in place to deal with any food safety hazard and to enable the complete, rapid recall of any implicated lot of the finished food from the market. Where a product has been withdrawn because of an immediate health hazard, other products which are produced under similar conditions, and which may present a similar hazard to public health, should be evaluated for safety and may need to be withdrawn. The need for public warnings should be considered.

Recalled products should be held under supervision until they are destroyed, used for purposes other than human consumption, determined to be safe for human consumption, or reprocessed in a manner to ensure their safety.

Conclusion:

Ensuring food safety and suitability requires a comprehensive approach that includes hazard control, hygiene management, proper packaging, water quality maintenance, and effective supervision. By implementing robust food safety systems like HACCP, businesses can minimize risks and comply with regulatory requirements. Proper documentation, recall procedures, and continuous monitoring further enhance the integrity of food operations, safeguarding public health and maintaining consumer trust.

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FAQ

What is the role of HACCP in ISO 22000?

HACCP is a critical part of ISO 22000, helping identify, assess, and control food safety hazards at each stage of the food production process.

Can small food businesses benefit from ISO 22000?

Yes, small businesses can benefit by improving food safety, building customer trust, and gaining a competitive edge in the market.

How often should ISO 22000 procedures be reviewed?

ISO 22000 procedures should be reviewed regularly and whenever there are changes in operations or new food safety risks are identified.

Mastering Food Safety: Essential Control Measures for Safe and High-Quality Food Operations

CONTROL OF OPERATION

CONTROL OF FOOD HAZARDS

KEY ASPECTS OF HYGIENE CONTROL SYSTEMS

1. TIME AND TEMPERATURE CONTROL

Types Of Certification

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