Food
hygiene constitutes a basic necessity of Good Manufacturing/Agricultural
Practices and the development of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP), as well being as a component of all GFSI-benchmarked food safety
standards.
Government, industry and consumers all play a role in safe sanitation and food
hygiene practices.
Studies
have shown that an appreciable percentage of foodborne illness cases can be attributed to
poor sanitation and food hygiene, including poor personal hygiene and
contamination of equipment and/or environments. Examples of food recalls related to sanitation issues include the contamination
and subsequent recall of deli meats in Canada in 2008, when cells of Listeria
monocytogenes were transferred to the product after surviving in equipment
niches, where they were protected from sanitation procedures. The company was
very public about the changes made to the sanitation program since then,
including regular testing to monitor the success of the strategy in reducing
environmental contamination.
Within
it, the following general prerogatives of the guidelines are laid out:
· Identify the essential principles of
food hygiene applicable throughout the food chain (including primary production
through to the final consumer), to achieve the goal of ensuring that food is
safe and suitable for human consumption
· Indicate how to implement those
principles
· Provide guidance for specific codes
which may be needed for – sectors of the food chain; processes; or commodities;
to amplify the hygiene requirements specific to those areas
When
designing a food hygiene and sanitation program, a total supply chain approach
is crucial. The major areas to cover are:
· Equipment
· Environment
· Air
· Water
A
key thing to note about these areas is that they function not as a static
entity, but as a constantly evolving system. This is why good food hygiene
programs need to be responsive to the dynamics of the plant environment and
emerging risks – the same proactive approach used when developing HACCP.
According
to the Codex Alimentarius Commission, food hygiene should cover all of
these elements throughout the supply chain (all GFSI-benchmarked standards have
similar requirements for housekeeping and food hygiene, with details laid out
in their respective guidance documents):
· Primary Production (environmental
hygiene, hygienic production, handling storage & transport, cleaning,
maintenance and personnel hygiene)
· Establishment – design and
facilities (location, premises and rooms, equipment, facilities)
· Control of operation (food hazards,
hygiene control systems, incoming materials, packaging, water, management &
supervision, documentation & records, recall procedures)
· Establishment – maintenance and
sanitation (maintenance & cleaning, cleaning programmes, pest control
systems, waste management, monitoring effectiveness)
· Establishment – personal hygiene
(health status, illness and injuries, personal cleanliness, personal behaviour,
visitors)
· Transportation (general,
requirements, use & maintenance)
· Product information and consumer
awareness (lot identification, product information, food labelling, consumer
education)
· Training (awareness &
responsibilities, training programmes, instruction & supervision, refresher
training
Cleaning
and food hygiene procedures for the building, plant and equipment should be
validated using visual, analytical or microbiological methods – and records
should be maintained. For instance, swab samples can be taken from various
places on equipment, floors, walls or drains, to test for the presence of
contamination. Then, after applying a sanitation step, samples can be taken
again and compared with the original results to ensure that the step is
effective at reducing harmful microbes to safe levels. For certain high-risk
materials (e.g. allergens, ruminant protein or ready-to-eat products),
validation of procedures is mandated, with individual governments designating
acceptable methods for cleaning of high-risk materials.
A
comprehensive food hygiene and sanitation program leaves nothing to chance.
Responsibility should be designated for each parameter:
· Frequency of cleaning
· Method (chemicals used,
concentrations, materials – including colour-coded/segregated tools to prevent
cross contamination of high-risk materials)
· Verification records to ensure that
procedures are being carried out consistently and effectively.
· Acceptable limits for CCPs must also
be scientifically-established and maintained with regular monitoring
· Training and communication
throughout the organization, with clear leadership from management on food
hygiene and sanitation
As
with other areas of food safety, sanitation and food hygiene should be
proactive. End-product testing is important, but a positive result in the
end-product doesn’t tell you where the contamination originated. The overall
food hygiene system, when applied at each point in the supply chain, is about managing
risks before they result in a case of food contamination. Using common sense
and food science based approaches, a
well-designed food hygiene program can provide for proactive responses and
risk-mitigation from farm to fork.
Overcoming
Equipment Sanitation Challenges in the Food/Beverage Industry
In the food and beverage industry, a
surface is considered “clean” if it is free of food residue, bad odors and
grease. Additionally the surface should be sanitized and free of
microorganisms.
An effective cleaning and sanitation
program is essential in food and beverage production facilities. If the program
is not followed, there is a risk that the food and/or beverages could become
contaminated by microorganisms.
A cleaning and sanitation program
should include the following, according to the Oregon State
University Extension Service:
· Daily routine cleaning and
sanitizing procedures that are performed throughout as well as at the end of
food processing/preparation.
· Procedures should be monitored to
ensure they are preformed properly.
· A verification should be performed
to monitor the effectiveness of the cleaning/sanitation program.
· Staff safety must always be
considered when developing an effective program. Some things to take into
consideration include the safe use of chemicals and hot water.
In an article on Foodproductiondaily.com, food technology expert Andrew
Knowles from JBTFoodTech explains that it’s becoming more and more
important to focus on machine hygiene.
Because of possible Listeria and E.
coli contamination, the standards are becoming more stringent. If facilities
managers don’t make cleaning and sanitation top priorities, product quality can
be affected, resulting in product recalls.
Knowles notes that freezer systems
can present some of the harder obstacles to keeping food processing equipment
clean. The food technology expert mentions heat exchanger coils, for example,
as one equipment component that is especially prone to contamination because
small particles can get stuck in the crevices of the coils.
Because of the many equipment parts
involved in food processing, all functions and operations must be included in a
cleaning/sanitation program. Cleaning and sanitation must be ongoing processes,
not just handled sporadically.
People are important considerations
in food sanitation, stresses a publication about food safety from the University
of Florida Extension.
Most importantly, it’s the people who set and follow the rules. A
cleaning/sanitation program is only effective if the people understand its
importance and are willing to use it.
That’s why
the UF Extension’s sanitation guidelines focus heavily on educating
workers, explaining that sanitation practices should include ongoing training
which gives personnel an understanding of the processes, explains where
problems may exist and encourages a desire in personnel to protect the
consumer.
With the right tools, cleaning and
sanitation is made easier. Fortunately, Goodway offers a complete
line of cleaning products
for food and beverage processing facilities.
Our products contain a variety of
solutions to keep your facility and machinery clean and free of residues, dirt,
debris and microorganisms. You can satisfy all your SSOP (Sanitation
Standard Operating Procedures) needs with our solutions including
our industrial vacuum
systems, dry vapor steam
cleaners, chiller and heat
exchanger tube cleaning machinery and chemicals.
When it comes to the food industry,
sanitation is very important. Before we are serve that delicious meal whether
at a 5-star restaurant or at home, the food encounters a myriad of pathways
from farms to warehouses or directly to the market, supermarket, into the hands
of sellers, our shopper’s bag then eventually on a plate before us. Read the
article to learn more about the importance of sanitation in food industry. At
some point in life, I would assume as early as you could speak and walk or be
able to repeat an action that was shown to you, cleanliness was instilled at
home, at school, on television or in public places such as hospitals and
clinics. We were taught, for example: to wash our hands after using the
bathroom, before eating and even washing our fruits and vegetables before
consumption. These are key points of food sanitation.
What is
sanitation?
By definition, what is sanitation
exactly? Well, according to the World Health Organization (W.H.O), “Sanitation
refers to the maintenance of hygienic conditions, through services such as
garbage collection and waste disposal. Inadequate sanitation is a major cause
of disease world-wide and improving sanitation is known to have significant
beneficial impact on health both in households and across communities."
Sanitation is a key component of food service safety, and it’s a responsibility
that is accepted by any food service provider for his customers.
Over the past decade, there has been a
major improvement in sanitation across the world but most importantly in
Nigeria. Some may question, why is sanitation so important and necessary?
Sanitation is of utmost importance and necessity because it reduces
contamination and promotes the well-being of equipment, workers, and customers.
In places like Ajegunle, Oshodi and
Miletwo, Lagos, thanks to the workers of Lagos Waste Management Authority
(LAWMA) public health standards are improving. LAWMA has made it easier for
those in the food industry to dispose of their waste and practice clean hygiene
thus reducing the chances of individuals becoming sick (resulting in, for
example, pneumonia and diarrhoea-related diseases like cholera and dysentery)
and getting food poisoning. READ ALSO: Ecologist wants to ban butchers from
exposing meat Do sanitation and hygiene go hand in hand? Though sanitation is
very important it must be accompanied by good hygienic practices and behaviour,
which according to W.H.O are “conditions and practices that help to maintain
health and prevent the spread of diseases.” A few examples of hygienic
practices in the food and beverage industry should be taken into consideration:
At some point in life, you would assume as early as you could speak and walk or
be able to repeat an action that was shown to you, cleanliness was instilled at
home, at school, on television or in public places such as hospitals and
clinics. We were taught, for example: to wash our hands after using the
bathroom, before eating and even washing our fruits and vegetables before
consumption. These are key points of food
sanitation.
• Pre-operational hygien
•
Operational hygiene
• Pest management
• Storage and distribution In addition
to hygienic practices, there are five key food safety principles and practices
that must be followed according to WHO: • Use clean water and raw materials.
• Separate raw and cooked foods to
prevent cross-contamination.
• Prevent contaminating food with
pathogens that may spread from people, pets, and pests.
•
Cook food at the appropriate length of time and temperature to kill pathogens.
•
Store food at the right temperature. Seeing that the food industry provides
goods and services for consumption, it is necessary for them to have their
consumers’ interest at heart, beginning with hygiene and sanitation. So if you
or someone you know are interested in this field, share this article with them
so that it will help them on the road to their success or to make them better
aware of the importance of sanitation in the food industry.
6.1.2 CLEANING PROCEDURES AND METHODS
Cleaning
can be carried out by the separate or the combined use of physical methods,
such as heat, scrubbing, turbulent flow, vacuum cleaning or other methods that
avoid the use of water, and chemical methods using detergents, alkalis or
acids.
Cleaning
procedures will involve, where appropriate:
- removing
gross debris from surfaces; - applying
a detergent solution to loosen soil and bacterial film and hold them in
solution or suspension; - rinsing
with water which complies with section 4, to remove loosened soil and residues
of detergent; - dry
cleaning or other appropriate methods for removing and collecting residues
and debris; and - where
necessary, disinfection with subsequent rinsing unless the manufacturers’
instructions indicate on a scientific basis that rinsing is not required.
6.2 CLEANING PROGRAMMES
Cleaning
and disinfection programmes should ensure that all parts of the establishment
are appropriately clean, and should include the cleaning of cleaning equipment.
Cleaning
and disinfection programmes should be continually and effectively monitored for
their suitability and effectiveness and where necessary, documented.
Where
written cleaning programmes are used, they should specify:
- areas,
items of equipment and utensils to be cleaned; - responsibility
for particular tasks; - method
and frequency of cleaning; and - monitoring
arrangements.
Where
appropriate, programmes should be drawn up in consultation with relevant
specialist expert advisors.
6.3 PEST CONTROL SYSTEMS
6.3.1 GENERAL
Pests
pose a major threat to the safety and suitability of food. Pest infestations
can occur where there are breeding sites and a supply of food. Good hygiene
practices should be employed to avoid creating an environment conducive to
pests. Good sanitation, inspection of incoming materials and good monitoring
can minimize the likelihood of infestation and thereby limit the need for
pesticides. [Insert reference to FAO document dealing with Integrated Pest
Management].
6.3.2 PREVENTING ACCESS
Buildings
should be kept in good repair and condition to prevent pest access and to
eliminate potential breeding sites. Holes, drains and other places where pests
are likely to gain access should be kept sealed. Wire mesh screens, for example
on open windows, doors and ventilators, will reduce the problem of pest entry.
Animals should, wherever possible, be excluded from the grounds of factories
and food processing plants.
6.3.3 HARBOURAGE AND INFESTATION
The
availability of food and water encourages pest harbourage and infestation.
Potential food sources should be stored in pest-proof containers and/or stacked
above the ground and away from walls. Areas both inside and outside food
premises should be kept clean. Where appropriate, refuse should be stored in
covered, pest-proof containers.
6.3.4 MONITORING AND DETECTION
Establishments
and surrounding areas should be regularly examined for evidence of infestation.
6.3.5 ERADICATION
Pest
infestations should be dealt with immediately and without adversely affecting
food safety or suitability. Treatment with chemical, physical or biological
agents should be carried out without posing a threat to the safety or
suitability of food.
6.4 WASTE MANAGEMENT
Suitable
provision must be made for the removal and storage of waste. Waste must not be
allowed to accumulate in food handling, food storage, and other working areas
and the adjoining environment except so far as is unavoidable for the proper
functioning of the business.
Waste
stores must be kept appropriately clean.
6.5 MONITORING EFFECTIVENESS
Sanitation
systems should be monitored for effectiveness, periodically verified by means
such as audit pre-operational inspections or, where appropriate,
microbiological sampling of environment and food contact surfaces and regularly
reviewed and adapted to reflect changed circumstances.
PERSONAL
HYGIENE
HEALTH STATUS
People
known, or suspected, to be suffering from, or to be a carrier of a disease or
illness likely to be transmitted through food, should not be allowed to enter any
food handling area if there is a likelihood of their contaminating food. Any
person so affected should immediately report illness or symptoms of illness to
the management.
Medical
examination of a food handler should be carried out if clinically or epidemiologically
indicated.
7.2 ILLNESS AND INJURIES
Conditions
which should be reported to management so that any need for medical examination
and/or possible exclusion from food handling can be considered, include:
- jaundice
- diarrhoea
- vomiting
- fever
- sore
throat with fever - visibly
infected skin lesions (boils, cuts, etc.) - discharges
from the ear, eye or nose
7.3 PERSONAL CLEANLINESS
Food
handlers should maintain a high degree of personal cleanliness and, where
appropriate, wear suitable protective clothing, head covering, and footwear.
Cuts and wounds, where personnel are permitted to continue working, should be
covered by suitable waterproof dressings.
Personnel
should always wash their hands when personal cleanliness may affect food
safety, for example:
- at
the start of food handling activities; - immediately
after using the toilet; and - after
handling raw food or any contaminated material, where this could result in
contamination of other food items; they should avoid handling ready-to-eat
food, where appropriate.
7.4 PERSONAL BEHAVIOUR
People
engaged in food handling activities should refrain from behaviour which could
result in contamination of food, for example:
- smoking;
- spitting;
- chewing
or eating; - sneezing
or coughing over unprotected food.
Personal
effects such as jewellery, watches, pins or other items should not be worn or
brought into food handling areas if they pose a threat to the safety and
suitability of food.
7.5 VISITORS
Visitors
to food manufacturing, processing or handling areas should, where appropriate,
wear protective clothing and adhere to the other personal hygiene provisions in
this section.
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