< Previouswww.fdiforum.net HEALTH & SAFETY 20 P roper cleaning is fundamental in the safety and hygiene of any food production setting, that much everyone knows. But with the many facets to consider in cleanliness, from surfaces and utensils to basic personal hygiene, there are more openings for contamination than you might assume. Proper planning and procedure are needed at every stage when handling food in order to prevent the spread of harmful microorganisms, reduce the risk of foodborne illness, or simply to ensure the high quality and reputation of your product. The first step should always be to wash your hands, and to ensure that all staff and operatives do the same. It’s something we often do – or perhaps even skip – without thinking about why it’s important, but as a way of preventing the spread of bad bacteria or viruses, it’s invaluable when done correctly. When we remember all the surfaces and objects we touch throughout the day in different settings, including outside before we enter the workplace, it’s far easier to imagine all the germs that could be taking a ride into food preparation areas on our hands. They can even be ideal incubators for illness-causing bacterial strains such as listeria, e. Coli and salmonella; regularly washing hands with soap for at least 20 Safety first The crucial role of thorough cleaning and hygiene practices in food production settings ensures the prevention of contamination and the promotion of a safe and high-quality product. Food and Drink International explores how to establish effective cleaning procedures, prevent cross-contamination, and prioritise food storage for optimal safety and hygiene. Safety first www.fdiforum.net HEALTH & SAFETY 21 © stock.adobe.com/Parilov seconds is the best and only way of stopping them in their tracks. Once hands have been taken care of, the next priorities for cleaning are the surfaces, utensils and machines used for food preparation. Here’s where proceedings can become intricate, complicated or even stressful, as every blade, countertop and operator panel is a potential contamination risk. Haphazard sterilisation is likely to be just as dangerous as not cleaning at all, since it’s all too easy for some areas to be overlooked by a flustered staff member. Beginning with a schedule of what needs to be cleaned and when will keep human error from rendering efforts useless. A cleaning plan can never be too detailed, as every piece of information made available to a nominated cleaner means fewer areas for confusion or error. Take the time to set out a systematic checklist of all necessary cleaning tasks, including floors and the outside surfaces of any machinery. These can then be scaled on a case-by-case basis in terms of how often they need to be performed, from monthly or weekly to after each use of a surface. When all tasks have been allotted a timescale, each one can be assigned to an individual or team according to their 22 Áwww.fdiforum.net HEALTH & SAFETY 22 skills and availability. This flow of consideration will help create a schedule that covers all bases, while being realistic and as efficient as possible based on your business’s valuable resources. Communicate rotas to all relevant team members, keeping everyone up to speed on the tasks they’re responsible for. It’s also a good idea to arrange and provide for up-to-date training on proper cleaning techniques and procedures. Wherever possible, ensure staff are in the loop and feel comfortable expressing potential improvements, or changes that may be needed on a functional level. Remaining open to adjustments is a must in upholding hygiene, particularly when there may be changes to the layout of a factory floor, or additions or upgrades to machinery which require cleaning procedure to be reassessed. When you’re covered for cleansing each individual surface and piece of equipment with the right regularity, cross- contamination becomes the greatest adversary to food safety and hygiene. This © stock.adobe.com/amornis when ingredients themselves can be the worst offenders, especially when it comes to products of animal origin. Meat in particular is a high-risk factor because it may contain those dreaded traces of salmonella and other illness-causing bacteria. When meat is raw, that risk is even higher. Because meat requires a lot of handling during preparation, bacteria can easily spread from hands to blades and surfaces. This isn’t always restricted to direct contact either, as these products can release juices and fluids which also contain bacteria. Every surface that’s touched by raw meat or its juices must be carefully taken note of, then cleaned to eliminate the chance of contamination further along the production line. One of the worst scenarios to risk is cross-contamination between different food products. If not kept separate, raw meat and its juices can come into contact with any other product currently in production. Having specific equipment for raw animal products, including poultry, seafood and eggs, is the most effective way to prevent this risk, along with ensuring separate preparation areas are used for raw and cooked foods. Then it’s time to go back to that cleaning rota you drew up so carefully for the task of sanitising every surface these animal products have touched. Even before any processing of raw products of animal origin can take place, storage must be factored in to keep them away from other foods, and prevent any bacteria already present from multiplying or causing spoilage. Perishable items like these should be kept frozen, or refrigerated between -2 and 2 degrees Celsius, and kept at a stable temperature until they’re needed for processing and cooking. You may also use a first in, first out or FIFO technique and use the oldest products in storage first. Not only will this prevent food waste, but it will also ensure no products are left to become a greater contamination risk as they move through the production line. Astell Scientific Ltd. produce customisable autoclaves for every situation. Talk to us about your autoclaving needs today. astell.com This Astell Ecofill autoclave can re-use water and heat energy from its self-contained water supply up to 15 times before it needs changing. Not only does this make it more eco-friendly, but also means it is easier to fit into your lab - just plug into a standard electrical socket. No direct mains water? No drain? No problem. www.fdiforum.net HEALTH & SAFETY 23 FOLLOW US WHEN YOU SEE THE PERFORMANCE WHEN YOU SEE THE PRICE WW Versatile thanks to a wide performance range, intuitive and flexible user guidance, low-pulsation dosing, and energy-efficient during operation - all at an attractive initial cost. The new iSTEP XS offers XL performance at XS price ! iSTEP XS Now available CHEMICAL DOSING iSTEPXS.sera-web.com More info: sales.uk@sera-web.com Tel. 01283 753400www.fdiforum.net NPD 24 © stock.adobe.com/peshkovawww.fdiforum.net NPD 25 N PD is an ongoing strategy for most businesses, and yet the tendency to chase after trends leaves many lagging behind the competition. While the functional and healthy foods markets continue to grow, too many brands have tried to leap onto it at once, creating competition that drives one another out. Market identification is one of the earliest stages of NPD, for how can a product be created if a target audience has not been identified? Finding one that hasn’t already had billions invested into it by other businesses is difficult, however. Recent developments in AI may make this both easier and much more difficult. AI is proving to be a transformative but also disruptive tool in many markets, and it’s likely to become one in food and drink as well. AI can identify and track trends much more quickly than humans can and can even be trained to put forward concepts to target said audiences based on real market data. A Singapore startup, AI Palette, have already come up with one such tool – Concept Genie – which works by trawling through social media posts, recipes, online shopping habits and more in over 24 countries and 16 languages, to compile trends in food and drink interest and identify emerging opportunities. The AI can then look at what production tools and products the parent company already makes and extrapolate to a new “concept” to tap the identified market without stretching production facilities. Developments in NPD AI technology will have a transformative effect on the way we develop new products, but will it all be for good? 26 Áwww.fdiforum.net NPD 26 This is just one example of a new development in AI working within NPD and there are likely to be many more in the future. So, will this make the food industry a better place? Probably not. Any such tools are going to be used by every single brand at once and will simply lead to the same rush to fill the same markets. While early adopters will likely benefit more and sooner, such a necessary tool will soon be adopted by everyone, bringing the market back to parity. At that point it could end up much like Hollywood movies of AI wars, except with less guns and more concept ideas, with each brand fighting to bring out their concepts first. This may ultimately prove to be one of the flaws with AI used in NPD, alongside the fact that, by trawling online data, they might hyperfocus on the largest trends and miss other, potentially more profitable ones. The human mind can think better about ignoring one big trend to target a smaller, but less saturated, one. One good example of that today is the menopausal market. Menopause effects all women eventually, and there are over 15 million women living with it in the UK alone. Food is said to play an integral part in menopause, as tastes and nutrition changes, and yet there are very few food products which target this market – despite that it is one that every woman joins at some point. Research suggests that 78% of women would buy food and clinical products that © stock.adobe.com/ siriratsavett88NATURAL FOOD INGREDIENTS www.kanegrade.com Tel: +44 (0) 1438 742242 Email: info@kanegrade.com www.fdiforum.net NPD 27 © stock.adobe.com/Monet are signposted and advertised so as to relieve menopause symptoms, and that many feel lost and confused upon reaching it. Embracing a market like this can lead to great opportunities, with billions of women going through menopause across the world, and yet, to look at market data and trends online, the issue is one rarely talked about, as social taboos and “instagrammability” dominate online. While it’s true that AI might adapt to find such trends eventually, it’s also worth remembering that replacing the human element, which has worked for thousands of years, with AI alone, may not improve the NPD process. It is better to utilise both, and to see AI as an additional tool in a brand’s arsenal. www.fdiforum.net SUPPLY CHAIN 28 A cross the globalised, interconnected consumer goods industry we benefit from today, logistics is the support system for the efficient movement of products to a large and far-flung market. Logistical importance is particularly high in the food sector, where freshness, quality and safety are crucial to keeping customers as well as looking after their health. The intricate balance between speedy transportation, effective inventory management and careful distribution often involves keeping many plates spinning at once. Working out how to cope with such high demand effectively can feel overwhelming, but here we’ll outline some of the weightiest concerns and how you as a business operative can provide the best for every customer. Perishable items, such as fruits, vegetables, dairy and meat, are a point of high tension because of their limited shelf lives. When providing these kinds of products to the public, you’re right to feel a certain amount of worry in preparing for them to be transported swiftly with as few delays as possible. But this needn’t become stressful, as there are many solutions to maintaining food safety and preventing spoilage in transit. Temperature-controlled transportation is essential in food logistics, and cold chain management is one of the most reliable means of preserving food even during delays or multiple drop-offs. But for this method to be effective, specific temperature-controlled environments must be maintained throughout the entire supply chain, from production and Delivering freshness, quality, and customer satisfaction From temperature-controlled transportation to efficient inventory management, logistics operators can optimise their strategies to deliver fresh, high quality products whilst meeting increasing demand. Delivering freshness, quality, and customer satisfaction From temperature-controlled transportation to efficient inventory management, logistics operators can optimise their strategies to deliver fresh, high quality products whilst meeting increasing demand. www.fdiforum.net SUPPLY CHAIN 29 © stock.adobe.com/Chlorophylle transportation to warehousing and distribution. Arranging for cold storage facilities in your factories before products are loaded onto refrigerated trucks is the best way to keep foods at a stable temperature, as it’s this factor which is the foremost concern for products of animal origin in particular. Specialised monitoring systems can then be employed in every containment area, to ensure products always remain within the required temperature range. Efficiency of transportation is also essential for preserving freshness, as food or its packaging may also sustain damage if mishandled or kept in unfavourable conditions. However, this can be a crossover concern for overall product quality, safety and customer satisfaction. Logistics managers must plan transportation routes to minimise transit time and reduce exposure to external contaminants. Route optimisation and load consolidation are both key to minimising travel distances and reducing the number of required trips, maximising the capacity of your appropriately selected vehicles. Advanced route planning software and algorithms can help identify the most efficient routes based on factors such as distance, traffic conditions and delivery schedules, while combining multiple smaller shipments into one reduces transportation costs and fuel consumption. Decide on your most efficient load consolidation by coordinating deliveries and discussing available space with your suppliers and distributors. This way, your products can reach their destination at their freshest after minimal travel distance and holding times. Packaging your products correctly and giving thought to how they will be handled is another crucial concern in keeping your products safe and stable. Packaging materials should be selected based on the specific requirements of the products, providing adequate protection and maintaining product integrity. For perishable items, packaging may include insulation, moisture control or breathable materials to extend shelf life. But product handling is a concern that’s largely based in being able to rely on your distributors. Here open communication is once again fundamental, as you will feel better equipped to gauge your trust in the people carrying your goods with these regular interactions. Keeping lines open also makes it easier to update any delivery operatives on changes in schedule, handling instructions, or any other related aspects of your logistical strategy. On top of seeing your products delivered to customers on time, efficient 30 ÁNext >