HACCP plan for Flavor Mix and Seasoning Plant
Hi all!
I am currently working on a HACCP plan for our Flavor Mix Plant, and I will appreciate your builds and inputs.
Here is the process flow:
Recieving RM -> Storing / Staging -> Weighing / Batching -> Dumping and Seiving -> Mixing -> Packing -> Warehousing -> Shipping
Here are my questions:
1) Identified potential microbial hazards are from raw materials since majority are supplied processed from agricultural / vegetative nature (suche as onion powder, garlic powder, etc...). Incoming inspection of all RMs are donce per delivery but microbial testing of each RM are not done on a per delivery basis, the only reference is the supplier COA for microbial load. Since this process does not have any kill step then am I right to consider the Recieving of RM as a CCP? If yes, then will it require me to test ALL incoming materials for its microbial load? or witll the COA from the supplier suffice?
2) We have different mesh size fro different RMs during dumping as part of the quality paremeter to ensure no lumpy materials are dumped in the mixer for a homogenious flavor mix output. However, if my identified potential physical hazards are sourced from contamination during weighing and dumping then these can be addressed and control with my PRPs (cGMP, Glass and Metal Control Policy, etc..) so this step is not a CCP. But if the identified physical hazards are sourced from the RM itself (such as stones, metallic pieces, or glass, etc..) then having a different mesh size will not be appropriate to capture these hazards since the size of the mesh will depends on the RM (finer material like salt will pass thru a smaller hole, then a bigger hole for denser/bulky materials like cheese powder)? If so, what can you guys recommend?
3) The plant is using a V-Blender Mixer, and since there are no moving metal pieces inside the mixer, how can the metal detector be justified? or is there no need to install a metal detector after mixing / prior to packaging?
4) Also with heavy metals from RM as identified potential hazard, if heavy metal testing is not being done per delivery, will the COA from the supplier be sufficient? if yes, then can Recieving of RM be my CCP as well for heavy metals?
Thank you in advance for your builds / inputs :happydance:
NB:
I need to get used to forums like this, its my 2nd time to make a post and i happened to re-type everything since i accidentaly pressed the back button here and all was gone!!! :oops2: haha
you can have 2 ccps one COA and other Metal detection.below are attached some haccp related docunebts for spices and seasoning mix.
Since you are mostly dependent for your hazards on your raw materials suppliers, All raw materials should be purchased from an approved supplier and to up-to-date specifications ,you will have to have supplier quality assurance programmes ,vendor certifications, and that your raw materials have been tested from accredited labs. You have to verify your COA from accredited labs at periodic intervals and also your finished products from accredited labs to rule out cross contaminations from your factory environment and personnel.
Recalls are common with spices contaminated with pathogens.
You have to make specifications of your products as per regulatory,statutory and customer requirements.
Proper environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity must be controlled, monitored, and documented to assure raw material safety and wholesomeness, since moisture plays important part in microbial load increase and spoilage. Filth is common to spices such as mammalian excreta, rodent hair, insect fragments and other foreign materials and should been within regulatory requirements.
Spice manufacturers should establish robust supplier prerequisite programs to evaluate and approve suppliers. These programs may include audits of supplier facilities; periodic requalification that takes into consideration whether the supplier conducts microbiological monitoring of their process environment or uses validated microbial reduction techniques; and periodic raw material/ingredient testing upon receipt. A risk assessment should be applied to each raw material.
Suppliers should provide necessary documentation on traceability of product (minimum requirement one back) and on their implementation and use of GAP, GMP and their own HACCP programs. A Certificate of Analysis (COAs) should be obtained from the supplier that includes results of microbial testing, sample size analyzed, and method and lab certification. These controls may be difficult to implement when materials are purchased from markets of collectors, and the burden of ensuring a pathogen-free spice falls on the domestic spice importer and/ or processor.
Common hazards found in spices are listed below
BIOLOGICAL HAZARDS-Common microorganisms found in spices are listed below:
Bacteria
Salmonella
C. perfringens
Bacillus cereus
E. coli
Staphylococcus aureus
– Listeria may need consideration dependent upon application / demand
Fungi, Yeast and Molds
Aspergillus
Penicillium ssp.
CHEMICAL HAZARDS-Some chemicals, such as pesticides used in growing spices, cannot be removed by a subsequent process thus their control needs to be prior to the intake of the facility. This would normally be through controls in GAP or through product testing / rejection upon arrival.
However, there are chemicals in processing facilities and manufacturing plants that should be rigorously controlled through prps. These include such items as sanitizers, lubricants, pest control chemicals used within a processing facility.
Chemical hazards (examples)
• Pesticide Residues, fertilizers, antibiotics, other field chemicals
• Heavy metals, Pb, AS, Cd, Hg etc.
• Cleaning chemicals
• Mycotoxins – aflatoxin, ochratoxin A, etc.
• Facility pest control chemicals
• Allergenic materials ( peanuts etc. )
• Food Additives, such as preservatives etc.
• Lab chemicals ( especially if the lab is integral to the production building)
Some chemical hazards occur in foods due to poor growing or handling conditions or natural conditions that cannot be controlled. Some toxins originating from microorganisms, molds or bacteria, are often considered ‘naturally occurring’. Types of chemical hazards found with spices and seasonings, in addition to those used in the processing facilities include:
Naturally occurring
Mycotoxins such as aflatoxin ,Ochratoxin and Vomitoxin.
Added Chemicals
Agricultural products, pesticides, fertilizers, antibiotics, other field chemicals
Toxic elements, lead, mercury, and other heavy metals
Food additives, such as preservatives, flavor enhancers, color additives.
As with pesticides and heavy metals, Mycotoxins will not be affected by the process so their control should take place prior to entering the facility
PHYSICAL HAZARDS -For the spice and seasoning industries, a major objective is to remove physical hazards.
Physical hazards (examples)
• Glass, Hard Plastics & Ceramics
• Metal
• Stones and dirt
• Wood
• String / fibres
• Paint
• Pests and their droppings
• Soft Plastics, wire, string, stems, sticks, nontoxic foreign seeds, excreta, manure and other animal contamination.
Controlling foreign objects in raw materials can be started by specifications, letters of guarantee and vendor inspection and certifications.
• The following hazards are specifically mentioned –
– Pesticides
– Allergenic materials
– Radiological hazards
– Unapproved and undeclared food colours and additives
– Drug residues / Products of decomposition /Parasites
Contaminants in facilities can be controlled with strict compliance to GMPs and having prerequisite programs that include insect and pest control, properly protected light fixtures, sanitation, etc. Adherence to regulatory guidelines regarding proper clothing for employees and the absence of jewelry will prevent many problems. Employee education is necessary to help control these foreign materials.
Vectors of cross contamination
Systems that can carry contamination from one area to another
• People
• Tools
• Air & water flow
• Equipment
• Recycled packaging
• Pest control contractor
• Waste disposal
• Process flow
• Storage bins / hoppers
• Product flow
• Laboratory sampling
• Cleaning activity
• Etc.
Many controls for microbiological hazards will be implemented through HACCP prerequisite programs.
Attached Files
Dear kenlim,
Any particular standard? It can make a lot of difference.
Quite often the first receiving stage can be classified as a Prerequisite which should reduce yr workload somewhat.
Rgds / Charles.C
Thanks SUSHIL and Charles.C .
Your response and the attacehd reference was helpful.
Our suppliers pass thru the Supplier Accreditation Program and Supplier Performance Review, and the recieving stage includes document review (COA and DR) and physico-chemical testing as per our company Raw Material Specification.
Please correct me if I am wrong, if I will consider my recieving stage to be a CCP for both microbial hazards and physical hazards from source supplier, my control measure would be the COA and the Letter of Guarantee Free from Physical Hazards.
Then my control measure would be that all identified microbial hazards (esp pathogens) must be tested by the supplier and must be indicated in their COA and the test result must be within acceptable limit as per our company Raw Material Specifications and local FDA.
DO you guys think that this is a good CCP and its control is sufficient? or can you recomend an alternative?
Thanks very much!
Dear KenLim,
Re Good? – The HACCP plan is satisfactory if it adequately / validatably / verifiably controls your significant health safety hazards.
If you would like more analytical thoughts, I suggest you post yr haccp plan / raw material-finished product specifications here for comments.
The available CCP choices, critical limits may depend on aspects like my previous post and yr location. For example, if you refer to iso22000, supplier control is primarily within prerequisite areas.
Other standards may be more/less prescriptive.
If there is no standard, the choice depends on yr own safety risk assessment, validation etc.
As you can see from the haccp plans attached in Sushil’s post, opinions for control parameters may differ.
Rgds / Charles.C
PS (added) - you may find this survey document of interest -
Micro. data, standards, dried spices herbs, UK 2004.pdf 175.27KB 520 downloads
Dear KenLim,
It would also be interesting to know what your customer is doing with your Flavor Mixes, are they being processed?
Regards,
Tony