Recognising Food Safety and Quality Issues

As the world increasingly recognises food safety and food quality failures, there's more emphasis on the environmental monitoring programs. In this blog, we discuss strategies and programs which are designed to help avoid cross-contamination of the finished product. Food processing and distribution facilities' environments are recognised as a source of chemical compounds, biological agents and physical hazards that could have a detrimental effect on food safety and quality. The Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) concept ensure food quality and food safety and has been used as a basis for good food safety and the quality systems. HACCP identifies a specific targeted critical control point (CCP) based on how reasonably each hazard is likely to occur. The specific parameters for effective control are validation and verification. Validation is when the target hazard at the CCP is established. Verification is when it's continuously monitored. An example of a CCP could be a heat treatment meeting a certain time and minimum temperature requirement e.g. the pasteurisation of milk. Quality management systems including HACCP require so-called "prerequisite programs". This is put in place to ensure that HACCP-based food safety programs and similar food quality programs work effectively. Examples of other prerequisite programs include hygiene monitoring, pest control, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and personal hygiene. The HACCP is not a universal framework. Each site of your business must have a risk assessment as each environment poses different hazards. You can use a HACCP-informed approach to create an environmental monitoring program for a site.

How we can help

Gem Scientific can offer a range of next-generation hygiene monitoring solutions providing rapid and accurate hygiene verification to support your HACCP program. Our team of hygiene specialists are on hand to offer you impartial advice on the hygiene products and systems that will work best for you

3M™ Clean-Trace™ LM1 Hygiene Monitoring and Management System

• Audit Ready System
• All Your HACCP Results In One Place
• Wireless Data Transfer

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Hygiena™ EnSURE Touch Luminometer

• Safe and responsive touchscreen
• Intuitive smart navigation
• Train remote teams with sharing capability

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For more information about anything mentioned in this blog, contact our hygiene specialists on 01924 444577 or hello@gemscientific.co.uk