What are the sources of chemical hazards in a food factory?

Contamination from chemicals can happen in a food factory when proper procedures are not followed. During the preparation of food be aware that fumes could contaminate the food.

Making sure that packaging does not contaminate food is an important step. Additives like colourants and preservatives can also taint food. Fruit and vegetables may have also been exposed to pesticides and care must be taken to be sure that this does no harm.

Cleaning chemicals can also create a problem of contaminating food if items are not properly rinsed or if care is not taken when diluting cleaning products. This is easily overcome when staff are properly trained and supervised. Cleaning chemicals that are eco-friendly may be a better option. Green cleaning products are safer for staff to use as well as being kinder on the environment.

Blendwell Chemicals is a cleaning chemical manufacturer based in Midrand, South Africa. Please visit www.blendwell.co.za/Food_Industry_Cleaning_Products for more information on HACCP compliant cleaning chemicals. We are your local cleaning chemical supplier!

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 are control measures?

Kitchens and food factories need to have control measures to ensure that hazards are not able to become a problem in these environments. Controlling and limiting contaminations is vital. There are several things that can be done as control measures.

To only use approved suppliers will ensure that there is a good quality of ingredients coming into the factory. These ingredients should only come from a HACCP compliant factory.

The staff should be effectively instructed, trained and supervised. All staff should be trained in HACCP so that everyone is clear on the necessity of carry out duties in a way that cannot compromise HACCP objectives. All staff should also be trained in ensuring that their own levels of personal hygiene are also very high.

It is vital that pest infestations are prevented and there is great care taken to ensure that waste is disposed of effectively and can cause no future problems.

To keep everything clean it helps if the premises is well-designed and that all equipment is properly planned and well maintained. All points of contact for food must be properly cleaned and disinfected. In a premises with a good layout, raw food and ready-to-eat foods will never come into contact with one another.

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

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!