Systems & Compliance

BRC Compliance
Supported by Detectable Products

Food and beverage manufacturers must have an effective control system to prevent product contamination by foreign matter. This involves risk assessment to identify potential sources of contamination and appropriate control measures which may include the use of detection systems such as metal detection or x-ray equipment.

Key features of the guideline include:

1. Identifying the requirements for foreign body detecting equipment
2. Guidance for selecting the design and positioning of equipment
3. Guidance on the effective operation of equipment
4. Testing of equipment

Food safety products like Detecta-pens, supplied to industry by Detectable Products.com.au, are food grade and made from shatter proof metal detectable plastic. The benefit of using detectable pens has been to reduce the risk of even small particles entering the food chain, should the product find its way into the ingredients or some form of blending machine.

The other key operational problem with writing implements in bakery environments is the buttery / oily surfaces the production areas create. This problem can be overcome by using a high quality retractable Detecta-pen. Where the standard Detecta-pen still writes inconsistently on the oily surface, Wells has solved this problem by offering either pressurised Detecta-pens or also a Detectable felt tipped pen option.

As companies seek to raise the bar in their food safety plans, we are seeing a greater number using the latest X-ray detection machines, manufactured by a range of leading suppliers. In response to this, Detecta-pens are now manufactured using a new X-detect compound plastic. This plastic is now both metal detectable and of a sufficient density to be highly x-ray detectable.

For further information, please contact DetectableProducts.com.au on +61 3 9699 8999 or email sales@detectableproducts.com.au

HACCP

The Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system is aimed at identifying and preventing hazards primarily in the food processing industry. The HACCP process follows has seven key steps in the process.

Originally developed by NASA (North American Space Academy) to ensure the safe food and good health of their astronauts when in outer space, HACCP is now the most widely recognised and accepted food safety / management system.

1. Identify hazards: This looks at determining what are the potential hazards and the severity and risk of each hazard. This has to be done from the start of production to the end.
2. Critical Control Point: This looks at determining how to manage the identified hazards or critical control points.
3. Critical limit: This means setting limits based upon the Critical Control Point. Some may already be defined by regulatory standards or guidelines.
4. Monitor: This looks at establishing a system that enables the firm to monitor the control limits established before.
5. Corrective action: A plan is needed to establish to take corrective action once monitoring has shown that a Critical Control Point has been broken.
6. Verification: This section looks at creating procedures to ensure that the HACCP process is working correctly and Verification should involve internal and external audits.
7. Documentation: Establishing documentation about all procedures and principals about the related areas above is needed. Records are needed to verify that the system is working.

Cleaning and safe food handling are classic Critical Control Points. Detectable Products.com.au and their hygiene and food safety product range enables all businesses involved in manufacturing, processing or retailing food products to better manage their HACCP plans.

This process has the intention of avoiding hazards in the food industry such as biological hazards, physical hazards and chemical hazards. HACCP is a continuous process of hazard control and prevention that requires a food business to take responsibility for the safety of food it produces.

Colour Coding

The primary purpose of colour coding is to help prevent cross contamination. Cross contamination can occur in a number of ways:

• Physical
  Can take many forms of foreign bodies, such as pebbles, splinters or personal items.
• Chemical
  Build-up of chemical disinfectants, detergents and residues.
• Microbial
  Arises from soil, surface water, animals, mould, dirty cleaning equipment and people.
• Allergens
  Cross contamination of potentially fatal allergens such as dairy product in soy or nuts in food stuffs.

Most of our products are available in 6 colours. By using colour coding in production areas, it is possible to separate cleaning zones, for example:

• Abattoir / meat processing may use RED for floor and drain cleaning while WHITE tools will be used in all food contact surfaces / areas.
• Dairy / milk processors may use a specific colour on pasteurised product areas versus raw milk areas.
• Quick Serve Restaurants such as KFC and McDonalds or Subway may colour code so that the tools used in cleaning the restaurant area do not find their way into the kitchen.
• Hospitals and health care institutions also have widely accepted colour coding, which is as follows:
  - RED = Bathrooms and toilets
  - GREEN = Kitchen Areas
  - BLUE = General Cleaning
  - YELLOW = Infectious Areas
  - WHITE = Operating Theatres

Other food processors often colour code their packaging lines (where finished product is present) from processing or pre-processing.

5S System

Detectable Products.com.au, through its team of experienced and trained staff ,has successfully assisted many companies with "5S" implementations in the area of hygiene and standardisation of cleaning / food product handling processes.

These Services Include:

• Training presentations developed and tailored to the needs of your particular organisation, and colour coding / hygiene issues.
• Customised signage
• Unique and clever storage systems
• Follow-up service and ongoing after sales support

The 5S's - an English "translation"

1. Sort: Clearing the work area
2. Set in Order: Designating locations
3. Shine: Cleanliness & workplace appearance
4. Standardise: Everyone doing things the same way
5. Sustain: Ingraining the 5S's into the culture

The 5S's lead to improved processes and ultimately:

• Reduced set-up times
• Reduced cycle times
• Increased floor space
• Lower safety incident/accident rate
• Less wasted labour
• Better equipment reliability

1. Sort: Clearing the work area
   Any work area should only have the items needed to perform the work in the area. All other items should be cleared (sorted out) from the work area.
   
   
2. Set in Order: Designating locations
   Everything in the work area should have a place and everything should be in its place.
   
   
3. Shine: Cleanliness & workplace appearance
   Not only should the work area be clear, it should also be clean. Cleanliness involves housekeeping efforts, improving the appearance of the work area, and even more importantly, preventive housekeeping - keeping the work area from getting dirty, rather than just cleaning it up after it becomes dirty.
   
   
4. Standardise: Everyone doing things the same way
   Everyone in the work area and in the organisation must be involved in the 5S effort, creating best practices and then getting everyone to "copy" those best practices the same way, everywhere, and every time. Work area layouts and storage techniques should be standardised wherever possible.
   
   
5. Sustain: Ingraining the 5S's into the culture
   It's tough to maintain the 5S management system, or any improvement effort for that matter. The 5S's involve a culture change. And to achieve a culture change, it has to be ingrained into the organisation - by everyone at all levels in the organisation.