Food safety and hygiene is very important area in any food industries . Food factories has to keep
basic good house keeping and hygiene standards as any lack in this area would result in very poor
performance of the business . This is also important as the Consumers are very sensitive to foreign
body complaints or anything which might effects individual healths . Some governments has imposed
very strict quality parameter for ingredients and their storage practices .Food safety in bakery
industry has certain features which are different from other food factories .
As consumers have become educated on food safety standards and health safety . Governments
have responded with more laws on food safety .It would be highly recommended that bakery
manufacturers invest good amount of funds to the food safety equipments and measures .
To handle these issue International standards are being followed . Companies have opted for
HACCP certification .
Important Food safety consideration for any bakery manufacturers
Laws and regulations / Vendors selection for raw materials /Food safety plans / Traceability / Recall
plan / Documentation /Audits and inspection
More about HACCP
Food safety in bakeries can be achieved through
GMPS : GOOD MANUFACTURING PRINCIPLES
GHP : GOOD HYGIENE PRACTICES
Key areas and equipments for food safety and hygienes for bakery plants are
- Pest control
environment or where food material are available .Most prevalent pest are flies , cockroaches ,
rodents ,birds, spiders and reptiles . The pest control management system one should adopt is to
prevent , control and eliminate such pest because if they are allowed to grow they could easily infect
the raw material and finished goods .Various chemicals and technologies have come to capture and
kill these pest . Few mentioned are insecticutors , air curtains and pvc curtains.
- Employees hygiene
Employee hygiene also contributes to food safety .Employees have to wear protective clothes
where ever they come in direct contact of food .It covers heads , clothes and shoes , gloves .Visitors
to any food factory has to be asked to follow the food safety procedures . Includes washing hands by
potassium permagnate .Wearing protective covers to the shoes etc .Food handlers should not be
allowed to wear accessories like rings , any ornaments or accessories .
- Medical check up and medical records of food handlers .
examined by doctors for any contagious disease .Medical records are kept and in case any food
handlers is found to be infected by disease then that worker is shifted to other department
- Cleanliness of factory
floor sweepings of larger areas can be achieved through automated floor sweeping machines like
scrubbers and washer various industrial floor cleaning equipments are available now days . Manual
push and pull type and driver mounted floor washers are available . Chemicals are also available to
kill bacteria and worms and remove bad odour .
- Storage of raw materials and finished goods
dry and cool place certain material has to be kept in cold room as required . Humidity can damage
certain bakery products . Raw material should be always kept on plastic pallets and never on floors .
A gaps has to kept from the wall and between the pallets .Silos for bulk storage is highly
recommended .
- Drainage system
water to the collection pit . Effluent and sewerage treatment plant to be installed as per regulatory
requirement .
- Metal Detection
Magnets- Magnets to be installed at all the places where ever required to detect any metal
particles in the raw material
Sieves- Materials to passed through sieves wherever
possible to check for any foreign particles and contamination
Metal detectors- Metal detectors can be placed in the
process
to check for any metal and non metal contamination.
Filters -- Liquid ingredients to passed through these
filters
to prevent any contamination .
- Glass policies
All glasses under production areas need to be safe break type and windows to be safe break;ie in
case of any glass breakage the glass shouldn,t break and fall into the products . Tube lights and
other lighting fixtures to be safe break even clocks placed need to be safe break.
- Jewellery policies
Most of the bakeries employs women workers who as per traditions wear jewellery during work .
These jewellery are of various types and could be hazard for any food processing unit . A clear cut
jewellery policy should be defined for women folks to adhere . Jewelleries like bangles , hair clips ,
chains , rings etc can be dangerous if worn while working .
- Plastic policies
funnels , scoops , spoon and lab items ( beaker ,jars and testubes etc ). A clear cut plastic policy
could be drawn to avoid any contamination of food products from these plastic items .
- Visitors policies
Bakery units have frequent visitors for various functions in its production hall from service
personnel , out sourced maintenance personnel , consultants , educational tours etc . To prevent
any contaminations from these visitors food manufacturing companies draws a visitor policies
giving instructions to visitors as to what are basic requirement during visit to production hall . eg
wearing coats , caps and gloves as they enter these premises with instruction not to touch or feel
the products etc.
- Water
certain minerals and contaminations if any . Filters to be provided at various places in process .Water
storage tanks to be cleaned in regular intervals .
- Solid Waste Management
should always be covered and should not be open in any case . Bins with cover should be used
where ever possible . Plastic crates can be used to store defectives and unpacked products
- Cleaning of utensils and equipments
Bands and crates to be cleaned in regular intervals to maintain the hygiene of the equipments . Hot
water is most suitable for such cleaning process.
- Lubrication
Lubrication or greasing of machines drive ,chains and sprockets could be done by food
lubricants .Various food lubricants are available in markets . Even certain guides requires
lubrication these guides can be lubricated by food lubricants
- Material of construction
316 grades which is food grade and does not got rust on it surface .Other material get to affected by
rust .All utensils and other holding should also be food grade s.s or plastic.
- Building design and maintenance
floor .Design of building has to be such that it is rodent , pest and bird proof .Daily inspection for
baits, sanitation and cleanliness are followed . Windows has to be covered by mesh so as to prevent
flies . Doors has to be such that it gets closed automatically . Lighting outside the plant should be
such that It does not attract insects inside the factory ie It should be at some distance.
- Food safety management systems (fsms) and food safety Audits
respect to food safety .Major fsms are HACCP , BRC , ISO22000, SQF , these certification helps food
manufacturing units to achieve food safety standards . Regular food safety audits which are
mandatory in these certified units help manufacturers for compliance . Corrective and preventive
measures are taken in case of any lapses/deviation/non-compliances from manufacturer side .It is
there fore highly recommended to have fsms certification done for bakeries.
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