Hi Anton,
Let me see if I can help you out here. Last time I did a HACCP Program for a Cocoa Processing Plant was some time back.
Is metal fines associated with magnet chemical / physical hazard?
This is definitely a physical hazard and I think we had discussed this before in an much earlier thread. Don't be confused with
metal detector vs magnet.
Magnet functions as a device in "picking up" those ferrous contaminants while metal detectors merely detects. The effectiveness of your Magnet Monitoring would largely depend on the Magnet's Gauss strength and the
CCP is the last Magnet on your process flow.
Let me look at the other issues relative to your process flow before I revert.
Charles
If you look at the HACCP plan, you can find that I have 2 CCP for 2 consecutive heat treatment steps (pasteurization and roasting). I need a comment from people that have work in cocoa processing industry. Can roasting step alone guarantee that we can achieve good microbiological properties (TPC < 5000 cfu, Yeast & mould < 50 cfu). If so what are your critical limit?
Anton,
Sure you can. As a matter of fact, IMO if I were to prepare this plan, I would only consider the roasting process as the ONLY
CCP for the monitoring of temperature / time with the purpose of microbial destruction in mind. Although, steam pasteurizing serves the same function, roasting is the final destruction step. The CL is your temp and time while the outcome of your process i.e. micro result range is a validation of your process objective.
we can have finer sieve for cocoa liqour since its in liquid form
I can understand the intended objective.
As for magnet, I just feel that we need to have CCP after each grinding / refining step to control the hazard.
Is this practical or necessary when you already have such a fine mesh on your sieve. What is your definition of a choking hazard or physical contaminant that would cause harm to public health?