Solutions to GMP-GHP Compliance in Snack Food Industry..!!

Introduction: 

Snack is a type of food not normally eaten as a main meal such as breakfast, lunch or dinner but to mitigate hunger between these meals. Snack may also be consumed between meals purely for the enjoyment of its taste. Traditionally snacks were prepared from leftovers or ingredients easily available at home and included sandwiches, nuts, fruits etc. More recently, because of the popularity of such foods packaged snack food is a big business. Snack foods are made so they are portable, quick and satisfying. They have become more appealing than prepared foods and contain tempting, flavourful ingredients. 

People used to eat wafers and popcorn mostly at cinemas. More recently considerable western influence has been seen with the influx of a variety of snacks including potato and corn chips variants and other salty snacks, cookies, candies, doughnuts etc. The Indian snacks have also grown and the industry is showing a very high rate of growth. The variety is almost mind - boggling with specialties from all regions, which have gained national acceptance. It is one of the major segments of the packaged food division, which comes under the broad category consumer foods. 

Snacks are typically prepared commercially in large quantities by continuous processes; they are usually seasoned with salt, spices and often with additional flavorings. Though there is no specific regulation pertaining to snacks, quality & food safety standards laid by FSSAI has to be followed by the industry players. 

Different Types of Snack Foods 

Potato chips or sticks are the most popular among the snack foods and dominate markets almost everywhere. There are many variations due to the innovative shapes and size (including stackable) of the final product along with a large number of flavours including cheese, onion, barbeque, pepper, tomato, garlic, paprika and a long list of other flavours. 

Corn chips, tortilla etc. are becoming significant portion of snack foods consumed. Corn is a versatile material that can be used alone or added to other ingredients including potato, rice, wheat etc. While potato chips are fragile and are easily broken, corn chips are sturdy. 

Extrusion technology gave a phenomenal boost to the snack food industry by increasing the possibility of new shapes and sizes and textures using various raw materials several folds. These snacks may be either ready to eat or ready to fry or bake and consume. 

Possibility of cooking while extruding and due to expanded products there is a possibility of having less oil or fat in the product that could be ready to eat. Also various flavours could be incorporated into the dough to be extruded so there is ease in processing. 

Bakery products like biscuits, cookies, cakes and pastries, wafer type products, cream filled biscuits, doughnuts etc. with their multitude of variations have been another large section of snack food industry. Chocolate and sugar based products also comprise a huge market with products including candy bars, various specialty chocolates, cereal based products coated with and those that are healthy granola bars and a large number in between. 

GMP-GHP implementation is a mandatory requirement to be complied with. Good hygiene practices need to be religiously adhered every time to comply with the regulation & to ensure the consumer safety. Following are some of the requirements which needs attention & shall be in place. FBO (Food Business Operator) shall take this on priority & initiate the process approach to set standard. We help industry to set the processes & assure the continual implementation of the compliance through the process of training of the team & through periodic verification. 

Cleaning & Sanitation: 

Cleaning is the process to remove floor dust, grease, dirt, stains and odors from all surfaces, fixtures (i.e. benches and sinks), utensils and equipment by using detergent and potable water. 

Detergent used for cleaning is soap in a liquid form that attracts and washes away grease, dirt and debris from the surface. Detergents do not kill bacteria. 

Sanitizing is the process of killing food poisoning micro-organism and is achieved by using heat and/or chemicals. Sanitizers are chemicals that are used after detergents and they kill and reduce the number of microorganisms and spores. 

A thorough understanding is necessary for use of various types of cleaning and sanitizing compounds, and their interactions with food matter, with each other and with equipment, with walls & surfaces. Adequate supply of potable water along with adequate cleaning equipments is necessary for effective cleaning. Vacuum pump, cleaning agents, sanitizing agents should be used appropriately to clean and sanitize the process area & equipments. Cleaning frequency & standard operating procedures shall be well defined for every equipment and area. 

Process Area: 

Structures within process area should be soundly built with durable materials and easy to maintain, clean and where necessary, able to be disinfected. Since flour dust spreads easily everywhere therefore regular cleaning is very important in process area. The surfaces of walls, partitions and floors should be made of impervious materials with no toxic effect.

Walls and partitions should have a smooth surface up to a height appropriate to the operation

Ceilings and overhead fixtures should be constructed and finished to minimize the accumulation of dirt, condensation, and the shedding of particles

Windows to be fitted with removable and cleanable insect-proof screens

Doors should have smooth, non-absorbent surfaces, and shall be easy to clean

Equipment: 

Process equipment of snack food industry like dough mixers, conveyors, rounders, dough dividers, racks, proofing equipments, oven, rollers, slicers, extruders and sifters shall be located, designed and fabricated from non-corrosive metals so that it permits necessary cleaning and facilitates good hygiene practices. Contact surfaces of equipment need to be kept clean and wherever necessary, shall be disinfected. 

Cleaning and sanitation program for all the equipments & area shall include:

Frequency of cleaning: Frequency of cleaning depends on part of equipments. If it is in direct contact of food material then it needs to be cleaned after use or after every session.

Bench surfaces & utensils needs frequent cleaning and sanitization

Cleaning tools to be used: Specialized tools are required for certain equipment cleaning. Dough mixers need to be flushed and then cleaned with an alkaline cleaner that contains an emulsifier to ensure that the fat will be removed.

Cleaning Agents: Detergents, alkaline cleaner (Sodium Carbonate, Sodium Hydroxide) and acid cleaner (Hydrochloric acid, Acetic acid) are used for cleaning. Recently stream cleaners are used for hygienic cleaning of equipments like dough mixer, conveyer belt, bench tops, tray holder belts with superheated dry steam at up to 190°C.

Training: Employees need to understand the risks involved if the process area is not cleaned regularly and properly. They must be given training (to enable them to carry out Good Hygiene Practices), time and resources.

Storage: 

Adequate facilities for the storage of raw materials like flour, salt, sugar, seasonings, spices, other ingredients, non-food chemicals (e.g. cleaning materials, lubricants, fuels) and finished goods to be provided and shall be identifiable. It shall have provisions to

• Permit adequate maintenance and cleaning;
• Avoid pest access and harbourage;
• Enable product to be effectively protected from contamination during storage; and where necessary, provide an environment which minimizes its deterioration (e.g. by temperature and humidity control).
• Have screened ventilations
• Have water storage tanks which shall be cleaned periodically.

Housekeeping: 

Housekeeping practices relate to a number of measures that deal with preventing the loss of raw materials, minimizing waste, conserving water, saving energy, and improving the company’s operational and organizational procedures. The implementation of these practices is relatively easy and fast. 

Recommended housekeeping practices

• Follow safe work procedures and the requirements of the law.
• Keep work areas, aisles clean.
• Keep exits and entrances clear.
• Keep floors clean, dry and in good condition.
• Vacuum or wet sweep dusty areas frequently.
• Stack and store items safely.
• Store all work materials in approved, clearly labeled containers in designated storage areas only.
• Use proper waste containers.
• Keep sprinklers, fire alarms and fire extinguishers clear.
• Clean up spills and leaks of any type quickly and properly.
• Clean and store tools, items and equipment properly.
• Fix or report broken or damaged tools, equipment, etc.
• Keep lighting sources clean and clear.
• Follow maintenance requirements.

Pest Control: 

Pest control is the process of minimizing or removing a wide range of undesirable insects and other pests from the premises

Birds, insects and rodents are potentially a major contamination problem in snack food industries

The production building, walls & ceilings should be appropriately designed to keep pest out & allow them to survive

Preventive pest control program and regular inspection for all areas of the site to be carried out to minimize pest infestation

Mixers, conveyor belts, packaging machines, walls etc. should be properly cleaned to prevent infestation outbreaks In many industries it is observed that it is the responsibility of the pest control agencies to control the activity of the pests and eradicate it in case of infestation. This is becoming a challenge for the food industries since they completely rely on the pest control agencies and nobody is appointed to monitor their activity & effectiveness thereof.

Personal hygiene: 

Personal hygiene refers to practices that aim at an individual’s cleanliness and grooming of his own self. It aims to prevent product contamination & maintain a high standard of personal hygiene and cleanliness People engaged in food handling activities should refrain from behavior which could result in contamination of the product, for example:

Spitting

• chewing tobacco
• smoking
• sneezing or coughing over unprotected food

Personal belongings such as jewellery, watches, pins or other items should not be worn or brought into processing areas if they pose a threat to the safety and suitability of the products Food handler shall wear clean protective clothing, head cap, mask, gloves & foot wear. They must wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water and dry it properly by towel or hand drier. 

Hands shall be washed after:

• Toilet use
• Handling raw material
• Handling garbage
• Touching your ears, nose, mouth or other parts of the body
• After every break

Food handlers must not work when they are suffering from contagious disease or illnesses which are likely to be transmitted through food. These include gastroenteritis, hepatitis A and hepatitis E or Cuts, other skin infections and wounds. Everyone working in a food premises should be encouraged and trained in safe food handling activities. 

However, it is quite often observed that all the above mentioned requirements for personal hygiene are challenging aspect across the industry due to frequently changing manpower, care free attitude of the food handlers and lack of understanding towards its consequences on food safety aspects. 

The food business operator must seek assistance of the Food Safety Expert to standardize the requirements & train food handlers in personal hygiene to overcome their casual approach towards good hygiene practices. 

Maintenance: 

Maintenance is the work that is carried out to preserve an asset or equipment (such as a roof, floor or a baking oven, mixer), in order to enable its continued use and function, above a minimum acceptable level of performance. After maintenance of the equipment is completed, the product contact surfaces of equipments shall be cleaned and sanitized & product which was processed during that duration may be required to be reprocessed or checked for quality to get safe finished good. 

Preventive maintenance is performed at regular intervals at defined frequency, expected equipment life spans and failure patterns while breakdown maintenance is intentionally withheld until an asset stops working. 

Maintenance activity should as a minimum cover the following aspects:

• Regular inspection, maintenance, replacement/ repair of damaged equipment.
• Procedure for reporting damage.
• Procedures for in-house or contract engineers detailing precautions to be taken.
• Thorough cleaning after maintenance.
• Inspection prior to production

Other Requirements of Snack Food Industry:

• All personnel engaged in snack food industry should be aware of their role and responsibility and trained from food safety professionals related to good hygienic practices (GHP) and good manufacturing practices (GMP).
• Waste material shall be removed at regular frequency to avoid contamination of the finished goods or potable water. Waste storage bins should be cleaned daily.
• Monitoring and verification of cleanliness and hygiene of transportation vehicles is necessary. Process controls like adequate temperature and humidity are necessary & shall be maintained to prevent the growth of pathogenic or spoilage microorganisms.
• Cleaning procedures shall be validated when cleaning is required during product change over from one allergen to another or to a non-allergen-containing ingredient.
• Traceability of the products manufactured right from receiving of raw materials to dispatch to point of sale should be well established to enable product recall during customer complaint.