Hygiene Practices in Food Manufacturing

Hygiene Practices in Food Manufacturing

Keeping the food supply safe from production to consumption

 

Proper food production has far-reaching implications for the world’s population, which relies on producers to provide food that is safe to consume.

A lot is at stake. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports an estimated 600 million individuals worldwide (nearly one in every 10 people) suffer illness from contaminated food each year, and 420,000 die.

The most common culprits of foodborne illness are bacteria like salmonella, campylobacter, E. coli, or listeria. These can be present in food items like unpasteurized dairy products, undercooked meat and poultry, and contaminated fruits and vegetables. But illness can also be caused by viruses, parasites, prions (e.g. mad cow disease), or even by chemicals or environmental toxins that may contact food through water or soil.

It is, therefore, critical to take proper steps to ensure the safety of the food throughout its lifecycle, from production to consumption.

 

Facility and Equipment Hygiene

Maintaining safe food begins with maintaining a clean production environment. Proper facility and equipment hygiene is a critical part of the process.

Facilities should be designed in such a way to maximize food safety by keeping bacteria out. Stop Foodborne Illness, a nonprofit, public health organization dedicated to the prevention of illness and death from foodborne pathogens, identifies some of the considerations that should be taken, including:

• Floors designed for proper draining.
• Site grading that directs water away from buildings.
• HVAC systems that efficiently control humidity, temperature, airflow, and air quality.
• Surfaces that are hard, non-porous and resistant to harboring bacteria.
• Use of condensation-resistant materials in piping/ceilings.
• Tightly sealed connection points and joints throughout the facility with no crevices.
• Constructing all building openings to prevent insects/rodents from entering.
• Placing all equipment/materials away from walls and elevated from floors to ensure proper cleaning.
• Installing plenty of lighting throughout the building to facilitate maintenance of a clean, sanitary environment.

Facilities and all equipment should be subject to a regular cleaning schedule to maintain a sanitary environment. NSF, formerly known as the National Sanitation Foundation, fully outlines a seven-step approach for cleaning and sanitizing. The basic steps include:

1. Remove debris – Use a lint-free cloth or wipe.
2. Rinse all residues – Use warm, potable water (less than 120° F).
3. Apply detergent and a good scrubbing – Use a chemical cleaner, following dilution rates and contact times as outlined by the manufacturer.
4. Give a thorough rinse – Use potable water to remove detergent and any residue.
5. Take a closer look – Spot clean, if necessary, any areas still with visible signs of detergent or residue, paying special attention to hard-to-reach places.
6. Sanitize or disinfect – Apply an effective sanitizing or disinfecting chemical suitable for the food-handling environment.
7. Dry – Air drying is ideal to limit the possibility of re-contamination. When air drying is not possible, a leave-on sanitizer or disinfectant should be used.

Equipment should undergo regular maintenance according to manufacturer guidelines to ensure proper working order. It should also be cleaned and stored properly when not in use.

 

Personal Hygiene

It is critical for individuals in the food manufacturing industry to understand the responsibility they bear for maintaining cleanliness. Proper handwashing is of the utmost importance. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) provides handwashing guidelines, which include scrubbing with soap for at least 20 seconds.

The FSIS says hands should be washed before, during, and after food preparation, especially after handling raw meat, poultry, seafood, or eggs, or their juices. When using gloves, you should wash your hands before putting them on and after taking them off.

Another aspect of personal hygiene in food safety is wearing the proper personal protective equipment (PPE). Different varieties of PPE in this setting can offer protection for either the food product or the worker. Those that specifically protect the food product include gloves, hair nets, beard nets, and facemasks.

Additionally, workers should stay home when sick. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports sick workers in the food industry cause hundreds of foodborne illness outbreaks each year. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Food Code recommends workers with symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea stay home from work and report their symptoms to their managers.

 

Food Handling

When it comes to preparation, specific steps should be taken to protect food safety. This includes measures to avoid cross-contamination and ensure food items are cooked and stored at the proper temperatures.

The FDA recommends a four-step process for safe food handling: clean, separate, cook, and chill. Let’s take a closer look at each of these steps.

 

Clean

We’ve already discussed washing your hands, but this also includes cleaning the following:

• Counter tops and kitchen surfaces – Clean with paper towels or cloth towels that have been washed in hot water.
• Cutting boards, dishes, utensils – Wash with hot soapy water after use on each food item.
• Produce – Rinse under running water and scrub firm produce with a clean produce brush.
• Canned goods – Clean lids before opening.

 

Separate

Safe food handling requires making sure raw meats do not contact other food items. The basic principles to follow include:

• Keep raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs separate from each other in shopping carts, grocery bags, and refrigerators.
• Use one cutting board for fresh produce and another for raw meat, poultry, and seafood.
• Do not place cooked food on an un-washed plate that previously held raw meat, poultry, seafood, or eggs.

 

Cook

Items should be cooked to the proper temperature based on food type. A food thermometer should be used to ensure meat, poultry, seafood, and egg products reach the appropriate temperatures for safety.

The FSIS identifies the following as minimum internal temperatures for cooked items to destroy harmful bacteria:

The FDA recommends the following additional considerations should also be taken when cooking:

• Eggs should be cooked until the yolk and white are firm.
• When cooking in a microwave, food should be covered, stirred, and rotated (either by turntable or by hand) to ensure even cooking.
• Bring sauces, soups, and gravy to a boil when reheating.

 

Chill

It is important to store cooked or purchased perishable items at the proper temperature to maintain food safety before consumption. Again from the FDA, here are a few key items to remember:

• Refrigerated items should be maintained at 40° F or below, and frozen items should be maintained at 0° F or below.
• Meat, poultry, eggs, seafood, and any other perishables should be refrigerated or frozen within two hours of cooking or purchase (one hour if the outside temperature is greater than 90° F).
• Food should be thawed in the refrigerator, in cold water, or in the microwave – never by leaving it out at room temperature. (Cook food immediately if it was thawed in cold water or in the microwave).
• Any marinating should be done in the refrigerator.

The FSIS identifies the “danger zone” for rapid bacteria growth at 40-140° F. Foods should be kept hotter or colder than that. For storing frozen foods, a temperature of 0° F is best.

 

A Thorough Approach

Maintaining food safety requires a well-rounded approach. Like all forms of safety, it involves identifying hazards and taking steps to mitigate them. In this regard, the Hazard Critical Control Point Analysis (HACCP) framework provides specific guidance for the food industry.

The FDA defines HACCP as “a management system in which food safety is addressed through the analysis and control of biological, chemical, and physical hazards from raw material production, procurement and handling, to manufacturing, distribution and consumption of the finished product.”

HACCP is based on the following seven principles:

1. Conduct a hazard analysis – Consider all parts of the process that could cause harm to the consumer.
2. Determine the critical control points (CCPs) – Identify steps where intervention can eliminate or reduce a hazard.
3. Establish critical limits – Identify measurable limits at which a product becomes unsafe (e.g. temperature, pH level, etc.).
4. Establish monitoring procedures – Monitor to determine when a critical limit is breached and corrective actions are needed.
5. Establish corrective actions – Take steps to fix the problem.
6. Establish verification procedures – Determine if the HACCP is operating according to plan.
7. Establish record-keeping and documentation procedures – For example, time and temperature logs, checklists, training record, etc.

The goal of HACCP is to prevent problems before they happen rather than deal with them afterward. It involves examining what could go wrong at step of food production and identifying the proper preventative controls. Each facility should develop an HACCP program specific to its unique circumstances.

Like each of the items in this guide, the HACCP requires training for employees to correctly put it to use at your facility.

 

Keep Our Food Safe

Food safety impacts every person on the planet, so getting it right is critical. By emphasizing the need for personal and facility hygiene, by ensuring proper food handling practices, and by implementing and following an HCCP, your facility can take steps to protect its food products and keep consumers safe from foodborne illnesses.

Tags: Equipment Hygiene Facility Hygiene FDA Food Handling Food Manufacturing Food Safety Foodborne Illness FSIS Hazard Critical Control Point NSF Personal Hygiene WHO

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