Why is food safety and HACCP so important?

All environments where food is grown, prepared, cooked and packed need to adhere to HACCP principles. HACCP is a system that ensures food safety at every stage of contact.

Why is food safety so important?

• Food safety affects everyone in society
• Food safety is a matter for international concern
• All food companies have a moral and legal responsibility to ensure food safety
• Everyone within the organisation must be committed to food safety – HACCP is a system that must work through every stage
• HACCP is an internationally recognised food safety management system

For more information on HACCP cleaning products visit our Food Safe Cleaning Products page.  Blendwell Chemicals manufactures this range of cleaning products. These cleaners are HACCP compliant and available to resellers from our factory in Midrand. Blendwell Chemicals is the best local cleaning chemical wholesaler.

Do you have proper HACCP cleaning schedules?

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In a food environment it is vital to follow HACCP procedures to ensure food safety. Part of these procedures will include having cleaning schedules and stringently sticking to them.

A cleaning schedule will allow for both maintenance and deep cleaning. Each time cleaning is done the person who does the cleaning of that particular area must sign. This will allow for each cleaner to be accountable for their cleaning. Spot checks and thorough inspections should be done regularly. If the inspection results in cleaning not being adequate a new cleaning regime (NCR) must then be introduced. The inspections will involve different tests for each area. These tests are not just visual checks but rather measurable, relevant tests. This will ensure that no bacteria are given a chance to grown and the area is kept clean.

All cleaning schedules should include information on what cleaning equipment is required for that area, frequency of cleaning, protective cleaning and gear required, warnings and full details of what needs to be cleaned.

Blendwell Chemicals can provide you with the right cleaning products for the job as well as the technical information you may need. Blendwell Chemicals manufactures a range of HACCP compliant cleaning products in Midrand, South Africa. We are your best local cleaning products manufacturer.

Are there HACCP compliant cleaning products for high level disinfection?

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Blendwell Chemicals manufactures a range of cleaning products specifically for use in the food industry. These food safe cleaners are in our H-range of products.

Sporequot H is a QAC (Quarterary Ammonium Compound) disinfectant. It is designed for both normal and high level disinfection and sterilization. It can be used through foaming machines if required. This disinfectant provides excellent microbicidal efficacy.

This cleaning product can be used in all water conditions and is totally free rinsing. It is capable of killing all bacteria, bacterial spores, fungi and yeasts. It is important to use this disinfectant only after the area has been cleaned and any soiling removed.

For more information on our HACCP cleaning chemicals please visit www.blendwell.co.za. Blendwell Chemicals is a manufacturer and wholesaler of a huge range of cleaning products.

Are there any cleaners that also disinfect and are HACCP compliant?

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The answer to that is – YES. Absolutely! Blendwell Chemicals manufactures a range of cleaning products that have specifically been designed for use in the food industry. The H-range cleaning products are all HACCP compliant.

Alko H is a concentrated, ready to use surface disinfectant. This cleaning product contains alcohol and is ideal for areas where rinsing surfaces after cleaning is problematic. It is suitable for all food related industries and can be applied to all food contact surfaces.

This cleaning product does not contain any perfume but it does smell because of the alcohol it contains. You should not dilute this cleaning chemical. Use it through a spray bottle and spray surface that it needing disinfecting or cleaning. It can be left to dry (evaporate) and will not contaminate food that is later prepared on that dry surface.

Blendwell Chemicals is able to supply wholesale bulk cleaning products for use in the food industry. This HACCP compliant range is called the H-range. You will find Blenwell Chemicals in Midrand South Africa.

The 7 principles of HACCP - Part two

For your establishment to follow the rules of HACCP, you can use the seven principles to get you started. Ensuring food safety is vital if you handle any type of food. My previous blog discussed the first three principles here are the rest.

• Principle 4: Establish critical control point monitoring requirements -Monitoring activities are necessary to ensure that the process is under control at each critical control point. Its frequency must be listed in the HACCP plan.
• Principle 5: Establish corrective actions - These are actions to be taken when monitoring indicates a deviation from an established critical limit.
• Principle 6: Establish procedures for ensuring the HACCP system is working as intended - Validation ensures that the plants do what they were designed to do. Verification ensures the HACCP plan is adequate, that is, working as intended. Verification procedures may include such activities as review of HACCP plans, CCP records, critical limits and microbial sampling and analysis.
• Principle 7: Establish record keeping procedures - The HACCP regulation requires that all plants maintain certain documents, including its hazard analysis and written HACCP plan, and records documenting the monitoring of critical control points, critical limits, verification activities, and the handling of processing deviations.

Getting your HACCP procedures right is vital when you handle any type of food product. For more information on HACCP cleaning products that are manufactured by Blendwell Chemicals please visit www.blendwell.co.za/Food_Industry_Cleaning_Products. Are you using the HACCP system yet? Let us know.

The 7 principles of HACCP - part one

To successfully run a HACCP system in your establishment you will need to follow the seven principles of HACCP. Here are the first three:

• Principle 1: Conduct a hazard analysis – Determine the food safety hazards and identify the preventive measures that can apply to control these hazards. A food safety hazard is any biological, chemical, or physical property that may cause a food to be unsafe for human consumption.
• Principle 2: Identify critical control points - A critical control point (CCP) is a point, step or procedure in a food manufacturing process at which control can be applied and as a result, a food safety hazard can be prevented, eliminated, or reduced to an acceptable level.
• Principle 3: Establish critical limits for each critical control point - Establish critical limits for each critical point. A critical limit is the maximum or minimum value to which a physical, biological, or chemical hazard must be controlled at a critical control point .

There are a further four principles to adhere to, if you want to get HACCP right. Watch out for our next blog. In the meantime, if you would like to know about the HACCP compliant cleaning chemicals that we manufacture, please visit www.blendwell.co.za/Food_Industry_Cleaning_Products.

HACCP and cleaning chemicals

Environments where food is picked, prepared or processed need to conform to HACCP practices. HACCP is the hazard analysis critical control point system that checks every stage of food handling to ensure food safety. Any placed where food and food products are handled need to follow HACCP procedures. HACCP analyses the entire process required to make the food and is designed to ensure that the highest hygiene standards are maintained through all processes.

What is the role of cleaning chemicals in a HACCP system?

Cleaning chemicals are, most obviously necessary for cleaning. This cleaning should occur on all surfaces and utensils that come into direct contact with the food products. There are also times when the food itself will also require cleaning.

Cleaning chemicals are also used to maintain hygiene in all parts of the environment that may affect the food. For example, the truck that transports the food in clean containers must also be clean. Even if the containers are sealed, there is still the chance that when opening the containers, dirt and germs are transferred to the food.

Cleaning chemicals will also help the people who come into contact with the food, maintain the highest levels of hygiene. Without this, the food will be at risk.

Call Blendwell Chemicals today for all your HACCP cleaning chemicals or you can visit their website at www.blendwell.co.za/Food_Industry_cleaning_Products.  Blendwell Chemicals manufactures all their cleaning products in their factory in Midrand, South Africa. We are your best cleaning chemicals wholesaler.

Cleaning in a fishery

Cleaning in a fishery is a serious job. Due to the sensitive nature of fish products, microbial must be controlled in all areas at all times. It is vital that HACCP procedures are in place and followed religiously. This means that cleaning chemicals must be food safe.

Of course, all contact surfaces will need to be cleaned and disinfected and any utensils that come into contact with the fish. Eco-Lyte is a fantastic environmentally friendly cleaning product for this job. Eco-Lyte products do not need to be rinsed away after use and will not contaminate the fish either. Eco-Lyte works well to disinfect the fish as a whole as well as disinfecting the filleted product. These green cleaning products can help to increase shelf life and can be used in the ice for packaging and transport. This will translate to cost saving as well as a higher quality product.  Eco-lyte is also a brilliant choice for CIP (cleaning in place) areas.

You can contact Blendwell Cleaning Solutions for your free sample today. The Blendwell Cleaning Solutions factory is in Midrand, South Africa and we are your local cleaning chemical supplier. Please visit www.blendwell.co.za for more information.

How to clean food areas the eco-friendly way!

Whenever cleaning needs to occur in an area where food is prepared, great care must always be taken. Food safe cleaning products are vital for areas where food handled prepared and stored. Due to the sensitivity of the product , the cleaning products need to be extremely effective yet very gentle on the environment.

Eco-Lyte eco-friendly cleaning products are the ideal choice for food areas especially where HACCP controls are in place. For hotels, schools, restaurants and offices these cleaning products work better than most traditional cleaning chemicals and are completely green. Below are the results from a study that was done in different food areas in a restaurant. The TMA count is the total microbial activity count.

TMA count	Before	After
Meat prep board (Chemical)	3 200	1 140
Meat prep board (Eco-Lyte)	14 400	No growth
Kitchen surface (Chemical)	1 580	No growth
Kitchen surface (Eco-Lyte)	960	No growth
Waste bins (Eco-Lyte)	5 120 000	520
Sink area (Eco-Lyte)	1 360	No growth

These results clearly show just how effective Eco-Lyte is. For more information on these environmentally friendly cleaning products please visit www.blendwell.co.za. Blendwell Cleaning Solutions supplies these cleaning products from the factory in Midrand, South Africa. We are your local cleaning products manufacturer!

How to clean green with Eco-Lyte

Eco-Lyte is made up of what is in our own bodies and can be used to help heal wounds and in skin care applications but its uses do not end there. This fantastic cleaning product is completely food safe and leaves no residual chemical on food or surfaces and does not affect taste. In water treatment it offers 40% better residual for decreased dosing. Eco-Lyte NTL can be used in so many different environments and these include food processing, agriculture (produce and livestock), hospitality, kitchens, water treatment (wash, potable and effluent), pre-harvest spray, post-harvest wash, domestic and industrial contract cleaning, healthcare, hospitals, vet clinics, bottling plants, beverage processing plants and CIP. This green cleaning product is completely non-toxic and safe to use and also requires no special handling or storage requirements.

For more information on this eco-friendly cleaning product please visit www.blendwell.co.za. Blendwell Cleaning Solutions has a factory in Halfway House, South Africa and we are your local cleaning chemical manufacturer!

HACCP Cleaning - General Cleaning - Alko H

Cleaning in a food factory or food preparation area can sometimes have its own set of problems. HACCP compliant cleaning chemicals need to be able to have certain unique features to be able to overcome those problems.

Blendwell Cleaning Solutions manufactures a range of HACCP compliant cleaning chemicals. The h-range has been created to be used for cleaning areas where food safety is a priority. Sometimes you will need to disinfect a surface and not be able to rinse this area following cleaning. A suitable cleaning product would be Blendwell Cleaning Solutions Alko H. This disinfectant is a concentrated, ready-to-use surface disinfectant that contains alcohol. It is suitable for all food related industries such as meat and fish factories, dairies, sweet factories, mineral water, soft drink manufacturers, bottle washers, etc. Because this cleaning product is alcohol based it can be applied to all food contact surfaces and these areas do not need to be rinsed.

Please visit www.blendwell.co.za/Food_Industry_Cleaning_Products for more information on our HACCP compliant cleaning chemicals. Our factory is in Midrand, South Africa and we are your local cleaning chemical manufacturer!

HACCP Cleaning - General Cleaning - Multi H

Cleaning in the food industry requires specialised cleaning products. All your cleaning chemicals must be food safe and it is important that they are effective in ensuring that your environment remains hygienic.

Blendwell Cleaning Solutions manufactures a range of HACCP compliant cleaning products called h-range. These cleaning chemicals have been created specifically to clean all areas where the highest hygiene standard must be met in the food industry.

Multi H is a general purpose cleaning product that is solvent-based. It is designed to comply with SABS 1344 requirements. It has excellent cleaning ability and is very easy to use. It is pH neutral, free rinsing and biodegradable. It is a good environmental choice while still being effective on oil and grease.

For more information on HACCP compliant cleaning products please visit our website at www.blendwell.co.za/Food_Industry_Cleaning_Products. Blendwell Cleaning Solutions manufactures all the cleaning chemicals you need from their factory in Midrand, South Africa. We are your local cleaning products supplier!

How to clean - cosmetic and pharmaceutical

It is not only the food industry that has very strict controls on the manufacturing process to ensure that the highest hygiene standards are met. Another industry that benefits from the use of HACCP compliant cleaning chemicals is the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries.

When manufacturing these products it is very necessary to use on the purest raw materials that have been approved for use on humans.

Our HACCP compliant cleaning chemicals are well-suited for use in this industry as our cleaning products are designed to cope with abundant fats, waxes and oils that may be left over in the manufacturing process.  These cleaning products can clean the floors, mixing tanks, filler heads and pipe lines.

HACCP compliant cleaning chemicals can also be used to disinfect all surfaces within the factory as well as the hands of all the staff that may come into contact with the products or machinery.  These cleaning products offer the user low residual toxicity and no tainting of surfaces as there are no dyes or perfumes.

For more information on HACCP compliant cleaning chemicals please visit www.blendwell.co.za/Food_Industry_Cleaning_Products. Blendwell Cleaning Solutions manufacture a huge range of cleaning chemicals including cleaning products that are food safe. Blendwell Cleaning Solutions have a factory in Midrand, South Africa. We are your local cleaning chemicals supplier!

How to clean - fish, poultry and abattoirs

Cleaning in fish, poultry and meat abattoirs takes serious planning and cannot be done without a proper system in place. It is vital to have a hygiene management programme firmly in place in this environment.

There is a huge amount of organic waste that is generated in these industries during the slaughter and processing of carcasses. The environment where animals are reared usually contributes to a high microbial burden on the carcasses. If these environments are not kept clean people can get seriously ill from things like E. Coli and salmonella.

The h-range of HACCP compliant cleaning chemicals is perfectly suited for cleaning this environment. There are many products in the range to clean and disinfect to ensure hygiene. Blendwell Cleaning Solutions manufacture this range of cleaning products at their factory in Halfway House, South Africa. For more information, please visit www.blendwell.co.za/Food_Industry_Cleaning_Products.     

Where are food safe cleaning products used?

There are many applications for HACCP compliant cleaning chemicals. There are many different sectors within the food industry.

Wine, fruit and vegetable farms need cleaning at various stages of production. Particularly once the fruits or vegetables have been picked and need to be washed before packaging or processing. The equipment they come into contact with needs to be thoroughly cleaned regularly.

Food and beverage processing plants will definitely require food safe chemicals. This would include all sorts of factories including but certainly not limited to water bottling plants, cooldrink and juice manufacturers and any factory that produces food in any stage.

The cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries often follow HACCP principles and are more likely to use HACCP compliant cleaning chemicals.

The hospitality industry needs to also use food safe cleaning products. This would include restaurant and hotel kitchens.

Factories that process fish and poultry as well as abbatoirs will use HACCP compliant cleaning products. Dairies will be another environment that will require these cleaning products.

Please visit www.blendwell.co.za/Food_Industry_Cleaning_Products for more information on HACCP compliant cleaning chemicals. Blendwell Cleaning Solutions has a factory in Halfway House, South Africa. We are your local cleaning products manufacturer!  

How to keep clean when handling food

The 10 commandments of handling food

When handling food it is important for all individual who are in the food factory to follow the 10 commandments of personal hygiene.

Firstly, hair must be covered with a mop cap that does not allow any hair to be exposed to minimise risk of loose hairs falling into the food that is being prepared in the food factory. Staff must not touch their face or ears when working with food. Individuals must also keep their noses out of the food.

All staff should ensure that they have a fresh mouth and that they do not handle any food when sick.

Proper protective clothing must be worn. This clothing must always be worn and should be well-maintained and cleaned thoroughly. It should be regularly inspected.

Staff working in a food factory must always work with care. There should be no jewellery worn in the kitchen as germs and bacteria can hide in all jewellery. Nobody should be allowed to eat or smoke in food preparation areas. There should be designated areas for these activities.

Finally staff should be trained to clean hands on a very regular basis and should be properly trained in hand cleaning procedures.

For more information on HACCP compliant cleaning chemicals manufactured by Blendwell Chemicals please visit www.blendwell.co.za/Food_Industry_Cleaning_Products. Blendwell Chemicals has a factory in Halfway House, South Africa. We are your local cleaning chemicals supplier!

What is a hazard?

A hazard can be described as anything with the potential to cause harm.

Hazards can be broken down into different categories. Physical hazards would be things that can be found in food that can cause harm when eating such as cuts in the mouth, broken teeth, internal injury and burning. These can be caused by broken glass, nails, bolts, string and even jewellery.

Hazards can also be chemical. This would include problems with food that when eaten can cause food poisoning and chronic illnesses. This can be caused by food not being cleaned and prepared properly and being exposed to pesticides, cleaning chemicals, weed killers, additives and poisonous foods.

Some people are allergic to particular ingredients and foods and can go into anaphylactic shock or have a negative immune response. The foods that are most likely to cause an allergic response in people who are allergic are peanuts, milk, eggs, shellfish, gluten, soy and sesame seeds. Foods must be properly labelled as some individuals can have an allergic reaction even if the food they eat does not contain a specific allergen but simply come into close contact with it.

Another very serious type of hazard would be the microbiological hazard and this can give rise to the spread of food-borne illnesses such as E Coli.

For more information on cleaning products used in the food industry that are HACCP compliant please visit www.blendwell.co.za/Food_Industry_Cleaning_Products. Blendwell Chemicals manufactures a large range of cleaning chemicals at their factory in Midrand, South Africa. We are your local cleaning chemical manufacturer!

What is a PRP?

A PRP is also known as a prerequisite program. This umbrella term describes all general activities that affect food safety. These would be activities that are not part of a specific HACCP plan. It is designed to create a favourable environment to ensure food safety.

When a PRP is well designed and followed properly it allows for the HACCP team to concentrate on hazards that apply directly to the product and not have to spend time focussing on hazards that arise from the surrounding environment. The PRP can directly affect how successful a HACCP program is and should be taken very seriously.

A PRP would need to include the premises where the food is made, where the food is purchased and how it is stored and transported to and from the factory. The equipment used in the facility and the personal hygiene of staff members would also be part of the PRP. PRPs also include sanitation, pest control and product recall and its traceability.

For more information on HACCP approved cleaning chemicals please visit www.blendwell.co.za/Food_Industry_Cleaning_Products. Blendwell Chemicals manufactures a huge range of cleaning products in Midrand, South Africa and is your local cleaning chemical supplier!

What is GMP? Part 2

It is necessary for GMP (Good Manufacturing Practises) to be followed in conjunction with HACCP in the food industry. For GMP to be complied with all cleaning chemicals should be stored in a separate lockable storage area which is away for the production and food storage area.

The effectiveness of disinfectants shall be verified at planned intervals.

Dilution rates need to be understood as overuse can lead to residues which can compromise food safety and be costly due to wastage of product. Underuse or under dilution can lead to your cleaning not being adequate.

Staff also need to be familiar with first aid requirements for all cleaning chemicals in case of accidental use or spillage.

Please visit www.blendwell.co.za/Food_Industry_Cleaning_Products for more information on food safe cleaning chemicals. Blendwell Chemicals has a factory in Midrand, South and is your local cleaning chemicals manufacturer!

What is GMP? Part 1

GMP is a method of manufacturing a product that will ensure a good quality product. GMP guidelines are not instructions on how to manufacture products but rather a series of general principles that must be observed during manufacturing.

Above all, staff training is vital. All staff will need to receive proper training and be monitored.

GMP would include training staff to be aware of the correct cleaning chemicals to use in specific areas. Staff would also need to be trained in how exactly to use the cleaning chemicals and what  equipment will be needed.  This would include the use safety gear when required. There should be a list of all the cleaning chemicals used.

 For more information on cleaning chemicals used in the food industry please visit www.blendwell.co.za/Food_Industry_Cleaning _Products. Blendwell Chamicals manufactures a full range of food safe cleaning products at their factory in Midrand, South Africa. We are your local cleaning chemical supplier!