HACCP IN CHEESE INDUSTRY

HACCP, or the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point System has been recognized as an effective and rational means of assuring food safety from primary production through to final consumption, using a “farm to table “ methodology. The application of this preventive oriented approach would give the food producer better control over operations, good manufacturing practices and greater efficiencies, including reduced waste.

In cheese manufacturing, the problems associated with the presence of Listeria monocytogenes,  Salmonella enteritidis,  Staphylococcus aureus,  Escherichia coli and others have been documented. The traditional quality testing and inspection used in the cheese factory is applied to the product once a problem presents itself.

The steps used to apply the HACCP system as follows: 

• The support of senior management of the company for food safety and HACCP application was sought and obtained. 

• A team was formed which included : production manager, production engineer, consultant of food hygiene and sanitation, consultant of food microbiology and a technician from the laboratory. 

•  Products were described in terms of ingredients, processing, packaging, storage and distribution. 

• Each step in the process was outlined in sequence in the flow diagram from raw materials through processing, packaging and storage. 

• In order to identify the hazards the following actions were undertaken 

•  Observing operations. Each product preparation process was observed for Receipt of raw materials, storage, heat treatment, cooling and packaging Fermentation, concentration, homogenization, additives, temperature, packaging and storage.

 The prerequisite program was provided to deal with some hazards before the production; therefore, to simplify the HACCP plan. The product description was used to alert the consumer to the potential hazards in the final products. By answering the questions in the decision trees, the critical control points were determined. Finally, the HACCP control chart was developed to include components of several HACCP principles which are critical limits, monitoring, corrective action and responsibility. Seven CCPS were found in the production in this cheese plant. They are: Qualified supply of rennet and packaging material, Proper pasteurization, Proper setting during adding CaCl2, NaCl and rennet, Proper setting during coagulation, Proper time and temperature during manufacture.