434 Chilled foods Plant cleaning schedules should be developed and implemented Critical measures such as time, temperature and quantity must be recorded throughout the production process Sampling regimes must be set up to measure product quality and safety throughout the production process Contingency plans need to be in place to cover any possible major safety issues that may arise 15.2.3 Premises Premises should be constructed to minimise the risk of contamination Premises should be maintained to a hygienic standard commensurate with the degree of risk Where used, high care areas must be suitably constructed and all necessary control measures for their operation implemented Suitable waste disposal facilities need to be in place 15.2. 4 Quality Control Clearly defined product specifications and quality standards should be used to supplement HACCP analysis in identifying non-safety quality issues Product quality (in terms of sensory characteristics) should be defined to meet the specifications given above, and agreed with clients Product quality should be verified to ensure acceptability before release and on-going monitoring checks should be in place to prevent major defects arisin 15.2.5 Personnel Personnel should be trained in hygienic practices and other quality requirements of the job High standards of personal hygiene are essential Clothing appropriate to the task uired 15.2.6 Final product Inspection must take place to determine conformance with the product specification and freedom from any foreign body contamination A system for isolating non-conforming product is required The type and level of inspection should be determined from HACCP. Critical testing and inspection should be done by competent laboratories Where technically important, or for legal reasons, checks on packaging should be done Records of inspection must be kept
• Plant cleaning schedules should be developed and implemented. • Critical measures such as time, temperature and quantity must be recorded throughout the production process. • Sampling regimes must be set up to measure product quality and safety throughout the production process. • Contingency plans need to be in place to cover any possible major safety issues that may arise. 15.2.3 Premises • Premises should be constructed to minimise the risk of contamination. • Premises should be maintained to a hygienic standard commensurate with the degree of risk. • Where used, high care areas must be suitably constructed and all necessary control measures for their operation implemented. • Suitable waste disposal facilities need to be in place. 15.2.4 Quality Control • Clearly defined product specifications and quality standards should be used to supplement HACCP analysis in identifying non-safety quality issues. • Product quality (in terms of sensory characteristics) should be defined to meet the specifications given above, and agreed with clients. • Product quality should be verified to ensure acceptability before release and on-going monitoring checks should be in place to prevent major defects arising. 15.2.5 Personnel • Personnel should be trained in hygienic practices and other quality requirements of the job. • High standards of personal hygiene are essential. • Clothing appropriate to the task is required. • Appropriate sanitary facilities are required. • Medical screening is required. 15.2.6 Final product • Inspection must take place to determine conformance with the product specification and freedom from any foreign body contamination. • A system for isolating non-conforming product is required. • The type and level of inspection should be determined from HACCP. • Critical testing and inspection should be done by competent laboratories. • Where technically important, or for legal reasons, checks on packaging should be done. • Records of inspection must be kept. 434 Chilled foods
Total quality management 435 Shelf-life validation is required A system for monitoring complaint trends is require Product release should be by positive approval 15.2.7 Distribution Arrangements must be made to maintain product integrity in the distribution chain The level of batch traceability must be commensurate with the risk of recall A recall system should be developed and tested The above list is by no means comprehensive, but indicates the breadth of considerations to be addressed in chilled food operations. The task is complex and requires a high degree of skilled management. It should be developed and implemented as part of cohesive quality system 15.3 Developing a quality system oping a quality management system to meet the requirements of your ness is a complex task. Not only do the elements described above need to be considered, but also such factors as management responsibility, documentation and auditing. The standard model for quality systems for some years now has been the So 9000 series of standards, the international standards for quality systems. The general applicability of Iso 9000 to the food industry has been demonstrated by its uccessful application in many production facilities. However Iso 9000 has suffered from criticism over the years due to its unfriendly nature and the perception that it does not lead to quality improvement, only control and standardisation of processes. Consequently quality management, as exemplified by Iso 9000, has often been seen as being on a parallel track to business management and not as an all embracing tQm system Forthcoming changes to the Iso 9000 standard, due to be published in the year 2000 are believed to address this failing by focusing the system back towards quality improvements, process development and customer satisfaction The above comments notwithstanding, the fundamentals of Iso 9000 still provide the basis around which to start the development of the quality system, a QM system being built by encompassing all of the other business process requirements onto this model 15.3.1 Management responsibility The importance of senior management commitment to the quality system cannot be over-emphasised. If quality is established as a board room priority, all other rts of the organisation will follow and become intimately involved in the cess. Similarly, by defining key responsibilities for all levels of activity
• Shelf-life validation is required. • A system for monitoring complaint trends is required. • Product release should be by positive approval. 15.2.7 Distribution • Arrangements must be made to maintain product integrity in the distribution chain. • The level of batch traceability must be commensurate with the risk of recall. • A recall system should be developed and tested. The above list is by no means comprehensive, but indicates the breadth of considerations to be addressed in chilled food operations. The task is complex and requires a high degree of skilled management. It should be developed and implemented as part of cohesive quality system. 15.3 Developing a quality system Developing a quality management system to meet the requirements of your business is a complex task. Not only do the elements described above need to be considered, but also such factors as management responsibility, documentation and auditing. The standard model for quality systems for some years now has been the ISO 9000 series of standards, the international standards for quality systems. The general applicability of ISO 9000 to the food industry has been demonstrated by its successful application in many production facilities. However ISO 9000 has suffered from criticism over the years due to its unfriendly nature and the perception that it does not lead to quality improvement, only control and standardisation of processes. Consequently quality management, as exemplified by ISO 9000, has often been seen as being on a parallel track to business management, and not as an all embracing TQM system. Forthcoming changes to the ISO 9000 standard, due to be published in the year 2000 are believed to address this failing by focusing the system back towards quality improvements, process development and customer satisfaction. The above comments notwithstanding, the fundamentals of ISO 9000 still provide the basis around which to start the development of the quality system, a TQM system being built by encompassing all of the other business process requirements onto this model. 15.3.1 Management responsibility The importance of senior management commitment to the quality system cannot be over-emphasised. If quality is established as a board room priority, all other parts of the organisation will follow and become intimately involved in the process. Similarly, by defining key responsibilities for all levels of activity, Total quality management 435
436 Chilled foods those staff whose actions can influence the quality of the food or the process under which it is manufactured can be identified and made aware of their responsibilities. This is so that errors do not occur through it not being clear whe is responsible for various actions, for example, who monitors a chill room temperature, or who should carry out a particular quality control test. Senior management must review the continuing effectiveness of the quality system at periodic intervals. Key information sources would include data from internal audits, non-conforming product records, quality control records on conformance to specifications, and customer complaints trends The second key role of the management review process is to establish mechanism for improvements and new initiatives. The evaluation of key data such as quality markers, which can be used to measure client satisfaction, and performance measures, which can be used to measure the efficiency of the delivery process, should be encouraged. Based on the analysis of these data, together with the data mentioned above, senior management can identify business processes which would benefit from improvement or re-design. 15.3.2 Documentation of the system Effective documentation of the procedures and actions required to achieve required quality is an essential part of the quality system. Such documentation can be used for reference and for training purposes. It reduces the risk of misunderstandings arising from oral communication. All documents should also be controlled so that personnel do not work from obsolete documents. There must be a means of circulating new procedures and withdrawing superseded ones, and a controlled means of making changes to procedures. Staff discipline ith documentation also needs to be instilled so that only the current versions of docu 15.3.3. Customer requirements A clear understanding of customer requirements is essential for any business operation. Mechanisms to ensure that sufficient information is captured from clients prior to manufacturing, need to be set up. These will include fundamentals such as manufacturing details, supplier arrangements, product specifications, delivery times, quantities and packaging. However consideration must also be given to other matters such as legal requirements, environmental, employee and safety considerations 15.3.4 Raw material control and supplier quality assurance The quality of raw materials and the suitability of packaging materials has a considerable effect on the final quality of chilled foods. However, relationships with suppliers go well beyond these criteria and extend to the quality of service prices and financial stability of the supplier. These factors must be combined
those staff whose actions can influence the quality of the food or the process under which it is manufactured can be identified and made aware of their responsibilities. This is so that errors do not occur through it not being clear who is responsible for various actions, for example, who monitors a chill room temperature, or who should carry out a particular quality control test. Senior management must review the continuing effectiveness of the quality system at periodic intervals. Key information sources would include data from internal audits, non-conforming product records, quality control records on conformance to specifications, and customer complaints trends. The second key role of the management review process is to establish mechanism for improvements and new initiatives. The evaluation of key data such as quality markers, which can be used to measure client satisfaction, and performance measures, which can be used to measure the efficiency of the delivery process, should be encouraged. Based on the analysis of these data, together with the data mentioned above, senior management can identify business processes which would benefit from improvement or re-design. 15.3.2 Documentation of the system Effective documentation of the procedures and actions required to achieve the required quality is an essential part of the quality system. Such documentation can be used for reference and for training purposes. It reduces the risk of misunderstandings arising from oral communication. All documents should also be controlled so that personnel do not work from obsolete documents. There must be a means of circulating new procedures and withdrawing superseded ones, and a controlled means of making changes to procedures. Staff discipline with documentation also needs to be instilled so that only the current versions of documents are used. 15.3.3. Customer requirements A clear understanding of customer requirements is essential for any business operation. Mechanisms to ensure that sufficient information is captured from clients prior to manufacturing, need to be set up. These will include fundamentals such as manufacturing details, supplier arrangements, product specifications, delivery times, quantities and packaging. However consideration must also be given to other matters such as legal requirements, environmental, employee and safety considerations. 15.3.4 Raw material control and supplier quality assurance The quality of raw materials and the suitability of packaging materials has a considerable effect on the final quality of chilled foods. However, relationships with suppliers go well beyond these criteria and extend to the quality of service, prices and financial stability of the supplier. These factors must be combined 436 Chilled foods