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This information can be used to develop food safety and quality programs that meet the requirements of modern Regulatory, Customer and Industry Standards:
When considering the development, documentation, and implementation of Process Control Management within food safety and quality management systems, the following information should be considered to ensure effective outcomes:
Process Control Management is a term used to define the parameters of compliance within any food business operation. Controlling processes is a prerequisite for the production of safe and quality food products in conjunction with the application of the HACCP plan within any food business operation.
It is important to consider the staff who are involved with the monitoring of receival critical limits. They must be competent in all food safety-related activities involved and must be of sound ability to make objective judgments. Hazards present may include Chemicals, Foreign Objects, and Pathogenic microorganisms.
All incoming materials need to be transported and received appropriately. A documented program must be in place for monitoring and controlling transportation and receipt of incoming goods. The following points should be considered in the Receival Policy and the records used to document incoming goods:
In constructing a Supplier Non-Compliance Form, you may wish to use the following headings:
It is important to consider the staff who are involved with the monitoring of storage critical limits. They must be competent in all food safety-related activities involved and must be of sound ability to make objective judgments. Hazards present may include Chemicals, Foreign Objects, and Pathogenic microorganisms.
Perishable foods not being utilized immediately must be stored in an appropriate freezer, under refrigeration, or in a dry storage area. Stock must be rotated using a first in first out policy to ensure that older stock is used before new stock. All dates of stock that are being rotated should be checked whilst rotating to ensure their capability to remain safe.
Storage related Critical Limits may include:
It is generally considered good practice for the temperatures of refrigerated equipment to be monitored and recorded at least daily. All monitoring must be officiated by appropriate staff, and such staff should be accountable for the completion and accuracy of the recorded results.
Refrigeration technicians should be available on call at all times to provide any maintenance required to guarantee to correct operation of equipment. Technicians must have easy access to the specific technical details of all refrigerated equipment. Any alterations to technical configurations required for temporary or permanent repairs must be recorded immediately and considered for addition to the specific technical details.
The calibration of all refrigerated equipment must be considered as an element of scheduled preventative maintenance and should be completed and recorded accordingly.
If any refrigeration equipment is found to be out of acceptable operational temperatures, the appropriate management should be informed, and action must be taken immediately to ensure the safety and suitability of the foodstuffs involved.
The types of preparation and Process Control Management required are generally dependent on the following:
Preparation related Critical Limits may include:
It is advantageous in any food business to have areas designated specifically for food preparation. In such areas, it is of prime importance to regard the risk of cross-contamination as the most important factor.
The preparation of raw and cooked foods can be managed by:
Types of food preparation and practices may include:
Some food products may need to be washed and sanitized before further preparation or service. Where this is the case, separate facilities for washing foods, for example, a designated sink, must be made available for this purpose only. As with facilities for washing food equipment, sinks for washing foods need to be provided with a running hot and cold-water supply and must be connected to the waste drainage system. Types of food that may require washing before preparation and cooking include products that will be peeled, cut, and cooked after washing. Types of foods that may need to be washed and then sanitized could be fresh fruit and vegetables that will be consumed without further processing such as cooking. There is a variety of chlorine and perioxiacetic acid-based food sanitizers on the market, and the use of these products reduces the microbial loading on the products to a safe level. The application of these chemicals is particularly useful for hard-to-wash products with intricate surfaces such as curly parsley and oranges. The concentration of the chemical sanitizer used, the temperature of the washing water, and the contact time required must be observed according to the manufacturer’s instructions to obtain a sufficient and appropriate microbial log reduction. The produce sanitation is process is regularly used in high-risk food service facilities such as hospitals and the pre-packed salad industry for retail sale.
Thawing must be conducted under controlled conditions to ensure food safety or quality risks do not impact the foods involved.
The two most acceptable methods for thawing food items are as follows:
It is important to limit the timeframe in which potentially hazardous food items are exposed to ambient or operating area temperatures unless such areas are specifically temperature controlled. 30 minutes exposure at ambient temperature is generally accepted as a suitable timeframe during food preparation for food items to be out of temperature-controlled storage before further processing. Good Manufacturing Practices constitute that foods must not be subjected to excess time within the temperature danger zone when processing or before cooking.
Depending on the scope and purpose of your food business operation, you may have adopted a color-coded cutting board system to reduce the risk of cross-contamination. The standard colors for these systems vary from region to region. For example, some color coding systems specify the following color and uses; Green = Fruits and Vegetables, Red = Raw Meats, Yellow = Raw Poultry, Brown = Cooked meats and poultry, Blue = Raw Seafood, White = Dairy and Baked Goods.
There are many different variations for use of the colored board systems as nominated above. All are generally acceptable as long as all boards are cleaned and sanitized appropriately between each use. It is important to also consider the contamination issues presented by raw and cooked foods through different varieties and species of animal products. Boards must still be changed and cleaned and sanitized between uses for differing types of items.
Requirements for cutting Board Safety and Hygiene include:
Cutting boards can generally be stored in either of two ways:
When considering the requirements for Process Control Management within any food business, it is important to ensure that utility services to, or within the food business, such as water and air, are suitable for their intended scope of use.
Air sources, whether food contact or not, should be verified as safe; not containing chemicals, physical hazards, or micro-organisms that may potentially contaminate foods. It is important to consider that air sources such as ventilation supplies may potentially contribute to food contamination, particularly with molds, yeasts, and air-borne bacteria. The source of air, including intakes, filtering systems, air compressors, or natural flows should be tested on an ongoing scheduled basis to ensure appropriate standards are maintained. This is commonly inclusive of testing methods such as settle plates, which when incubated, will confirm any micro-organisms within air systems. Preventative Maintenance schedules should include regular inspections of air filters and compressors to ensure the condition of the equipment is not contributing to product contamination.
It is important to consider the staff who are involved with the monitoring of cooking critical limits. They must be competent in all food safety-related activities involved and must be of sound ability to make objective judgments. Hazards present may include Chemicals, Foreign Objects, and Pathogenic microorganisms.
It is generally recognized that food is cooked to increase palatability, to tenderize, to change the character of the food, for cultural reasons, or just to make it hot. Another important reason to cook some foods is to destroy organisms that cause disease. Proper cooking is often the “critical control point” in preventing food-borne disease outbreaks.
Cooking related Critical Limits may include:
It is important to consider the staff who are involved with the monitoring of cooling critical limits. They must be competent in all food safety-related activities involved and must be of sound ability to make objective judgments. Hazards present may include Chemicals, Foreign Objects, and Pathogenic microorganisms.
Cooling processes are implemented not only to control potential microbiological pathogen growth but also to ensure the quality of finished products.
Cooling related Critical Limits may include:
The application of a dual time and temperature limit is based upon the growth profiling of pathogenic micro-organisms. For example, pathogenic micro-organisms may grow easier at temperatures between 60 degrees Celsius or 140 degrees Fahrenheit to 21 degrees Celsius or 70 degrees Fahrenheit than between 21 degrees Celsius or 70 degrees Fahrenheit to 5 degrees Celsius or 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
It is recommended that nominated time and temperature limits for cooling of potentially hazardous foods are structured and defined to meet regulatory specifications, and according to the composition of the products involved.
For all refrigerated equipment, the cooling abilities of the equipment must be suitable for the intended purpose. Hot foods should never be placed into refrigeration units that can’t handle the heat displaced by the foods placed into them. Methods of cooling may also vary depending on the product that is being cooled. Methods being used must minimize microbial growth and not present an increased risk of contamination. Maintenance procedures including pre-operation checks of equipment can highlight potential problems before they occur. The total cooling time of any item should not exceed 6 hours from above 60 degrees Celsius or 140 degrees Fahrenheit to less than 5 degrees Celsius or 40 degrees Fahrenheit, or as specified within any relevant legislative policy or industry guidelines.
It is important to consider the staff who are involved with the monitoring of reheating critical limits. They must be competent in all food safety-related activities involved and must be of sound ability to make objective judgments. Hazards present may include Chemicals, Foreign Objects, and Pathogenic microorganisms.
Foodstuffs should be reheated to temperatures that will kill pathogenic micro-organisms applicable to the food item, and the intended consumer group of such foods. It is also important to consider that items should be held at specified temperatures for a minimum specified timeframe to ensure an appropriate pathogen kill step.
Reheating temperature monitoring should be carried out at the end of the reheating process. Temperature checks usually involve a representative sampling of the batch of items being reheated. Only a trained staff member should be employed to complete sampling and recording of results due to the importance of a reheating task. An appropriate calibrated and sanitized temperature measuring device must be used to obtain core temperatures. The core temperature of each sample should be recorded. If the reheated item does not have a defined core, for example, a liquid product, a temperature taken from where the product has been stirred through should give an objective temperature reading.
Considerations for reheating temperature monitoring include:
Items intended for reheating must be heated rapidly through the Temperature Danger Zone of between 5 degrees Celsius or 40 degrees Fahrenheit and 60 degrees Celsius or 140 degrees Fahrenheit. It is recommended that food for reheating be taken straight from refrigerated storage for reheating. Higher-risk items may need to be subjected to higher temperatures for food safety requirements.
It is important to consider the staff who are involved with the monitoring of cook-chill critical limits. They must be competent in all food safety-related activities involved and must be of sound ability to make objective judgments. Hazards present may include Chemicals, Foreign Objects, and Pathogenic microorganisms.
The concept of Cook-Chill catering has been used predominantly since the early 1970s, but it was not until the middle of the 1980s that this concept began to gather momentum within various areas of modern food industries. No matter what size a food business is, there are obvious advantages and benefits from using cook-chill methods, especially regarding the requirement to maintain time and temperature controls in all areas of food production and delivery. With Cook-Chill systems, there are no miracles; badly prepared and cooked food will be just as bad when regenerated some days later.
Foods correctly prepared and handled in a cook-chill system will be impossible to distinguish from freshly cooked food. In many cases, the organoleptic benefits from some cook-chill applications produce outcomes that are “better” than freshly prepared food.
In food service operations, the problem with most cook serve production kitchens is that there is a time lag between cooking an item and availability to the customer. During this time lag, the food is kept hot for extended periods, which destroys the taste, color, and nutritional value of the food. When applied appropriately, a Cook-Chill system will deliver a higher standard of foods than those held at hot temperatures for any timeframe.
The fundamentals of a best practice-based cook-chill system include:
It is important to consider the staff who are involved with the monitoring of assembly and service critical limits. They must be competent in all food safety-related activities involved and must be of sound ability to make objective judgments. Hazards present may include Chemicals, Foreign Objects, and Pathogenic microorganisms.
Assembly and service-related Critical Limits may include:
It is important to consider the staff who are involved with the monitoring of hot and cold holding critical limits. They must be competent in all food safety-related activities involved and must be of sound ability to make objective judgments. Hazards present may include Chemicals, Foreign Objects, and Pathogenic microorganisms.
Hot and cold temperature holding related Critical Limits may include:
Holding temperatures:
For all foods held under temperature control, Corrective actions must be pursued if temperatures are not correct.
Monitoring of foods involved with hot and cold temperature holding should be carried out several times during the duration of the anticipated holding timeframe. Temperature checks usually involve a representative sampling of the batch of items being held at temperature. Only a trained and authorized staff member should be able to complete sampling and recording of results due to the importance of this task. An appropriate calibrated and sanitized temperature measuring device must be used to obtain temperatures. The core temperature of each sample should be recorded. If the product doesn’t have a defined core, such as a liquid item, the temperature should be taken at a point where the product has been stirred through should give an objective reading.
It’s a very common question within foodservice sectors; “Can I have these leftovers in a Doggy Bag?” The term was originally used for food leftovers to be taken home to become food for the family pet. It is now more common for the contents of a Doggy Bag to be intended for human consumption at a later time. Most patrons of food establishments are oblivious of the consequences that improper food handling may incur. Surely enough, foodstuffs purchased to become the property of the customer, but it should remain an obligation of those involved in the preparation and service of foods to inform others of the potential risks. Doggy Bags may raise the potential for food safety-related implications through improper handling, storage, and contamination, and as a result of this many food businesses actively select not to provide doggy bags to their patrons. If, however, the business is prepared to provide doggy bags, the following risks should be given consideration:
The potential risks to a customer requesting a Doggy Bag may be reduced by:
If your food business supplies foodstuffs manufactured to a customer’s specifications, it is important to consider any specific Process Control Management Development requirements in relation to their items.
Document: A document provides guidance and/or direction for performing work, making decisions, or rendering judgments that affect the safety or quality of the products or services that customers receive.
Documented policies, procedures, work instructions, and schedules form the basis of any food safety and quality management system. The following documentation formats may be considered to ensure ongoing compliance with specified requirements for Process Control Management:
If your food business supplies foodstuffs manufactured to a customer’s specifications, it is important to consider any specific Process Control Management Documentation requirements in relation to their items.
You may wish to visit the Process Control Management Templates section of haccp.com for examples of Process Control Management documentation, record, and resource formats commonly applied within food safety and quality systems.
Implementation: Implementation is the application of documented food safety and quality system elements into the actual business operation.
The implementation of Process Control Management within any food business requires genuine commitment from senior management, staff, and visitors to ensure the nominated goals of implementation are achievable on an ongoing basis. It is a step that requires significant planning and consideration of general and specific food business circumstances to ensure the outcomes of Process Control Management do not negatively impact the safety and quality of the food items dispatched from the business.
Implementation of Process Control Management must include a clear definition of responsibilities and authorities for all levels of participation by senior management, staff, and visitors to the site.
When implementing Process Control Management within a food safety and quality system, you may wish to consider the following requirements before completion:
If your food business supplies foodstuffs manufactured to a customer’s specifications, it is important to consider any specific Process Control Management Implementation requirements in relation to their items.
Monitoring: Monitoring is the act of reviewing and confirming measurable parameters of a defined process or product status.
Monitoring requirements within food industry sectors are generally identified against limits of acceptability defined within HACCP plans, implementation procedures, and work instructions. Monitoring usually includes some element of record-keeping, which may be maintained manually or through digital systems. It is important to consider that advancements in technology have spawned many systems and processes which are self-monitored and or self-adjusted when variances are identified. Regardless of the system used; The goal of any monitoring activity is to provide sufficient evidence that any limit of acceptability has been met.
Traditional Process Control Management monitoring requirements include manual recording and the application of corrective actions when the results of monitoring are found to be outside acceptable limits. Corrective Actions should also generally be strongly linked to the monitoring process where applied to ensure full traceability of the applied actions.
Common monitoring activities and record formats may apply to Process Control Management:
Temperature logging for any Process Control Management protocol should include:
The Temperatures of Refrigerators, Freezers, and other temperature-regulated devices should generally be checked at least daily. Procedures should include requirements to:
If your food business supplies foodstuffs manufactured to a customer’s specifications, it is important to consider any specific Process Control Management Monitoring requirements in relation to their items.
You may wish to visit the Process Control Management Templates section of haccp.com for examples of Process Control Management documentation, record, and resource formats commonly applied within food safety and quality systems.
Corrective Action: Corrective action is mandatory action to be taken when a deviation to the Quality System occurs, particularly to a Critical Control Point.
Preventative Action: At any step in the process where a hazard has been identified, preventive action must be put into place to prevent re-occurrence.
Corrective Action and Preventative Action are implemented to ensure that any identified non-conformance issues are documented, investigated, and rectified within appropriate time frames. Corrective action is any action applied to regain control over a product, process, policy, or procedure that has been identified as being non-conforming outside nominated limits of acceptability. Preventative action is any action applied to prevent any identified non-conformance from reoccurring.
The outcomes of corrective and preventative actions should result in regained process control after effective application. Specified corrective actions are commonly linked to the HACCP Plans and the food business certification process.
Below are Corrective Action and Preventative Action examples which may be associated with Process Control Management related non-conformance:
The following factors will have a distinct bearing on the corrective actions to be initiated following the food safety temperature breach:
Where the monitoring of CCP’s is sufficient to guarantee objective decisions, Corrective Actions may include:
The decision for corrective actions for all involved foodstuffs should be based upon their hazard classification level and an analysis of the retrospective operation of the refrigerated equipment. The decision for corrective action should be made only by authorized personnel. All information regarding the temperature and corrective actions must be recorded in the format of the nominated record.
If your food business supplies foodstuffs manufactured to a customer’s specifications, it is important to consider any specific Process Control Management Corrective Action requirements in relation to their items.
You may wish to visit the Corrective Action and Preventative Action section of haccp.com for examples of best practice applications for this food safety and quality system element.
Verification: The act of reviewing, inspecting, testing, checking, auditing, or otherwise establishing and documenting whether items, processes, services, or documents conform to specified requirements.
Verification is the detailed review of all food safety and quality system elements to confirm that they are effectively developed, documented, implemented, monitored, and reviewed. All food safety and quality system elements, including documented policies, procedures, training, HACCP plans, and their operational applications must be verified on an ongoing scheduled basis. The verification process commonly includes a defined schedule for which verification activities are required, how often they are conducted, who is responsible, and detailed documented procedures for each nominated verification activity.
The general goal of an established verification process is to ensure any systemic non-conformance issues are identified and rectified within an appropriate time frame. When non-conformance issues are identified through the verification process, Corrective Actions and Preventative Actions should be implemented to ensure they do not impact the effectiveness of the food safety and quality system.
The following examples of verification activities may apply to Process Control Management:
If your food business supplies foodstuffs manufactured to a customer’s specifications, it is important to consider any specific Process Control Management Verification requirements in relation to their items.
You may wish to visit the Verification Activities section of haccp.com for examples of best practice applications for this food safety and quality system element.
Validation: The process of gathering evidence to provide a scientific basis for the documented act of demonstrating that a procedure, process, and activity will consistently lead to the expected results. It often includes the qualification of systems and equipment.
Validation is the provision of evidence to support the limits of control or acceptability for food safety or quality parameters nominated within systemic elements. Limits of control or acceptability are commonly included within documented food safety and quality systems elements such as procedures, HACCP plans, and specifications.
Common sources of validation include regulatory and legislative standards, finished product specifications and customer requirements, industry codes of practice and guidelines, verified and validated research, historical product, and process control outcomes, and analytical testing.
The general goal of an established validation process is to ensure any systemic non-conformance issues are identified and rectified within an appropriate time frame. When non-conformance issues are identified through the verification process, Corrective Actions and Preventative Actions should be implemented to ensure they do not impact the effectiveness of the food safety and quality system.
Validation activities are commonly defined within the verification schedules and procedures of established food safety and quality management systems.
The following examples may apply to the validation of the limits of control or acceptability for Process Control Management:
You may wish to visit the Validation Activities section of haccp.com for examples of best practice applications for this food safety and quality system element.
Skills and Knowledge: Skills and knowledge are attributes of human interactions commonly linked to competency within any specified job-related task.
Training and competency requirements for Process Control Management must be ongoing, including regularly scheduled reviews to ensure the effectiveness of training and competency outcomes.
Team members who have defined responsibilities regarding Process Control Management should have knowledge including:
Team members who have defined responsibilities regarding Process Control Management should have skills including:
Team members who have defined responsibilities regarding Process Control Management should have access to resources including:
If your food business supplies foodstuffs manufactured to a customer’s specifications, it is important to consider any specific Process Control Management Training, Competency, and Resources requirements in relation to their items.
You may wish to visit the Training, Competency, and Resources section of haccp.com for examples of best practice applications for this food safety and quality system element.
haccp.com was created to support food businesses and food industry professionals in achieving and maintaining the stringent requirements of food industry compliance.