Good practices in food manufacturing are an ethical duty and at the same time a legal obligation in any entity that wishes to benefit from the sale of these products.
Next, we will explain what are the appropriate practices in terms of food manufacturing, but before entering fully into the subject, it is good to comment on what BPM (Business Process Management) or Business Process Management by its term is. in Spanish and also the SSOP (Cleaning and Sanitizing Operating Procedures).
Explaining what BPM is
BPM or Business Process Management in the case of food is the organizational system on which good manufacturing practices are based and basically deals with the set of measures and recommendations that companies dedicated to the food business must follow. in order to prevent them from deteriorating due to the fact that they are not processed or stored in an environment that complies with health standards. It is important to know that behind every good practice in food manufacturing there is also a good SSOP (Cleaning and Sanitizing Operating Procedures), which are the cleaning procedures that are already officially established internationally and that legally every company in the food market must comply with the idea of guaranteeing the health of final consumers.
Within a good management of the SSOP, the equipment used for this purpose must always be specified, the place where said work is carried out, the frequency with which it is carried out, the necessary legal records and those responsible for carrying out such operations. in the food processing plant. It should be noted that all the measures and procedures that make up the BPM and the SSOP are internationally cataloged in an ISO standard.
Good practices in food manufacturing
Correctly implementing good practices in food manufacturing is the best way to guarantee the good future of the company with more automated procedures, better sanitary conditions for the employees themselves and greater loyalty from consumers in the short and long term. . The level of health and the final quality of the product will be decisive for the success of any company dedicated to the food sector, some of which are:
· Hygiene as a vital factor
To guarantee constant compliance with good practices in food manufacturing, it will be necessary for all personnel involved in it to maintain exceptional hygiene at all times. For this, the employees who directly handle the food to be processed must:
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- Wash daily.
- Always keep your nails clean and trimmed.
- Keep your uniform clean, as well as your underwear.
- An adequate protective uniform to avoid food contamination.
- Meshes or special caps that cover the hair in its entirety.
- Stay as clean shaven as possible and wear masks.
Other important additional measures are keeping gloves clean, not wearing jewelry or other clothing accessories inside the food processing plant, and washing hands before and after each shift.
· Strict disease control
Every company dedicated to food production must maintain strict disease control, always aware of the condition of each employee in order to prohibit entry to the area if any possible case is detected. Any illness that may be transmitted to food must be reported immediately to the supervisor in charge in order to prevent its spread.
Cases of diarrhoea, vomiting, fever and even skin lesions must be taken very seriously into consideration by the personnel in charge.
· Staff should always be trained
Another of the good practices in food manufacturing is the constant training of employees in relation to the correct way to handle products without distinction between upper and lower management, since the welfare of the final consumer will depend on the good work they do. all staff as a whole. These trainings must be constant and in accordance with new trends or updates of the ISO regulations corresponding to food handling.
· Audits help in the maintenance or improvement of processes
The audits must be seen as something routine and necessary when it comes to guaranteeing the conditions of both hygiene and occupational safety for the employees, the food and the end consumers themselves. To do this, there must be a properly trained audit staff with the appropriate tools and uniform to carry out said procedures, in order not to contaminate the products during the inspection.
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The audits can become important points of improvement in order to avoid any legal situation and more importantly, guarantee the safety of the employees and the well-being of the final consumer.
· The facilities are a fundamental point
The company that is really dedicated to good practices in food manufacturing must have facilities that allow the correct development of daily operations in the production chain. For this, the facilities must have the following specifications or requirements:
- The floors, ceilings and walls that make up the facilities must be smooth and free of cracks or holes that may facilitate access by pests.
- The cleaning of ceilings, walls, and floors must be easily accessible when carrying out cleaning tasks, since these will be recurrent.
- Any cabinet or sign installed on the walls must be sealed to prevent insects from entering them.
- The windows must have the official specifications against rodents, that is, with dimensions of a maximum of 5 mm.
- In the facilities there can be no broken glass or other loose elements that can cause damage and contamination.
- The drains through which certain liquids flow as a result of the processing must always have grids and covers in good condition.
- Drain cleaning must be constant in order to avoid the formation of grease or other residues that cause a bad smell.
Among other recommendations to follow is adequate lighting with lamps in perfect condition and well attached to the surface where they are placed, in addition to having barriers or screens in order to avoid contamination of food found in the area.
