Quality Control Principles and Processes

1. Customer needs and expectations

2. Establishing consistent standards/benchmarks

To ensure food safety, consistent quality, and customer satisfaction, as well as to reduce waste and losses, a company should develop and follow standard operating procedures (SOPs). These can be regarding quality/sourcing of ingredients, processes, recipes, storage, sanitation or monitoring procedures, etc. A company can develop its own protocols or standards, e.g. following customer feedback, or follow industry standards, like ISO 220000 or HACCP, to name a few.

Example 1: A catering company prepares meals in advance and stores them in the cold room for later use. At the venue the meals are reheated and served at a buffet over a period of time. During cooling periods the food should be brought down to below 5°C as quickly as possible. During serving times the food should be kept at temperatures above 57°C. In order to prevent foodborne illness the internal temperature of the hot- and cold-held food is checked periodically with a handheld thermometer and entered into a temperature-time log for monitoring purposes.

3. Identifying key processes and activities

The first step in setting up standard operation procedures (SOPs) is to break the whole production process down into the individual steps and then to describe each of the key processes and activities separately. These typically follow the product flow. This can either be limited to the processes within the facility (if the risk of contamination is limited to the processes inside the facility) or include the whole chain from raw product producer to end consumer. The latter is described as "farm to fork". The product flow itself is usually seperated into dirty to clean areas and raw to cooked product. When planning a new facility this flow should be translated into the layout of the facility to prevent cross-contamination.

At each step of the process the specific activities involved and desired outcomes are then described in detail. The description usually involves the raw materials and ingredients used, the equipment and utensils needed, the methods of preparation, any recipes or formulas used, the packaging and storage conditions, data collection points and record keeping, staff involved, responsibilities, etc.)

4. Root Cause Analysis

Root cause analysis is primarily a reactive method, focussing on the detection of harmful defects in finished food products. As such it has a definite disadvantage compared to proactive methods, like HACCP, which will be discussed in the next chapter. If a contamination in the product is only detected post-processing, the company may face a costly recall, a negative sales impact on the product and/or entire brand, or even legal and ethical liabilities. However, a root cause analysis is an excellent tool to investigate and iradicate identified or potential food safety and quality issues.

Step 1: Identify potential issues e.g. by analyzing customer complaints, conducting internal audits, or reviewing safety and quality records.

Step 2: Determine the root cause of the issue by conducting further research to identify the underlying causes. The method used is called the '5 whys?', which means that the issue is challenged by asking 'why?' five times, and thereby constantly digging deeper through the chain of causalities (triggers, actions, decisons made, etc.) that eventually lead to the issue.

Step 3: Take corrective action to prevent similar issues from happening again. This may involve making changes to processes and procedures, training staff, changing equipment or materials, or other corrective measures.

Step 4: Monitor the effectiveness of the corrective action and document all changes made.

Example: A customer complaint was received about a product that had an off-taste. Through the first 'why?', it was determined that the the off-taste was caused by a certain ingredient that had gone off. The second 'why?' determined that the ingredient had gone off becuase it had been stored in an area with high temperatures. The third 'why?' showed that staff members used the inadequate storage instead of the designated storage area. The fourth 'why?' lead to the insight that the designated storage area was inconveniently located. The last 'why?' lead to the understanding that the floor layout did not suit the workflow. As a result the access ways to the storage area were re-designed to ensure easier access. Staff members were informed and received a refresher training on storage conditions.

4.1. Article: Root Cause Analysis: Putting It To Work For You

Investing the time and effort to clearly define the problem that needs to be solved is a critical step in getting to the true root cause.

By:
Deb Kane, M.S., Vice President, Food Safety, Quality, EHSS, and Regulatory, 
J&J Snack Foods Corp.; John Butts, Ph.D.,Principal, FoodSafetyByDesign LLC; 
Natalie Dyenson, M.P.H., Chief Food Safety and Regulatory Officer, International Fresh Produce Association; 
Tim Jackson, Ph.D., Senior Science Advisor for Food Safety, U.S. Food and Drug Administration; 
Tim King, M.S., M.A., Founder and Senior Consultant, Quality Matters LLC; 
and Brendan A. Niemira, Ph.D., Research Leader, Food Safety and Intervention Technologies Unit, Eastern Regional Research Center, U.S.
Department of Agriculture

4.2. Article: ECOLI OUTBREAK – WHAT HAS HAPPENED SO FAR?

Ongoing E.coli outbreak – what has happened so far?

17 June 2024, PA Media

A number of food manufacturers have recalled certain sandwiches, wraps and salads sold in major supermarkets and retail chains over fears they are linked to an outbreak of E.coli.

More than 200 cases of the infection have been confirmed across the UK so far.

The figure is expected to rise as whole genome sequencing is ongoing to find any further cases which may be linked to the outbreak.

-- What has happened?

Earlier this month, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) warned that E.coli cases reported across the UK were part of a single outbreak.

Due to the "wide geographic spread of cases", the agency said it believed this was linked to a nationally distributed food item or multiple food items.

On June 14, major food manufacturers issued product recall notices relating to a variety of sandwiches, wraps and salads.

 -- What companies are impacted?

Greencore Group was the first company to issue a product recall on June 14, closely followed by Samworth Brothers Manton Wood. Food maker THIS! has since recalled its vegan chicken and bacon wrap.

-- Where are the products sold?

The products being recalled by Greencore include sandwiches, wraps and salads sold at Sainsbury's, Asda, Aldi, Morrisons, Co-op, and retail pharmacy chain Boots. Samworth Brothers Manton Wood is recalling various Tesco and One Stop sandwiches and wraps.The recall by THIS! only relates to its vegan chicken and bacon wrap, which is sold only at WH Smith.

-- What should I do if I have bought one of these products?

Officials have advised any customers with these products not to eat them. Retailers have also stressed that these products should not be consumed and customers should return them to the store they were purchased from for a full refund.

-- What is E.coli?

E. coli are a diverse group of bacteria found in the intestines of humans and animals. They are normally harmless, although some strains can make people very ill.

-- What strain is this outbreak related to?

All the cases recorded in the outbreak involve Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O145 (Stec). According to UKHSA, there are typically about 1,500 Stec infections over a full year.

-- How many people have been infected during this outbreak so far?

As of June 11, the total number of confirmed cases is 211. The outbreak is UK-wide. Of the total, some 147 patients are located in England, 27 in Wales, 35 in Scotland and two in Northern Ireland -- although it is believed they were infected while in England. UKHSA said confirmed cases associated with this outbreak are expected to rise as further samples undergo whole genome sequencing.

-- What are the symptoms?

People infected with Stec can suffer diarrhoea, stomach cramps and fever. About 50% of cases can develop bloody diarrhoea.

-- How long do these last?

Symptoms can last up to two weeks in uncomplicated cases. However, virologists have warned the illness can be much worse in young children, elderly people and those with underlying conditions in their immune system.

-- How is infection spread?

Stec is usually transmitted by eating contaminated food, but can also be spread by close contact with an infected person, or direct contact with an infected animal or its environment.

-- How do you prevent E.coli infection?

You can prevent E.coli by ensuring you wash pre-prepared bag salad, fruits and vegetables and cook them thoroughly. The UKHSA also advises people to regularly wash their hands with soap and water, as alcohol gel does not kill all bugs that cause diarrhoeal illness. Hand-washing is particularly important after using the toilet and before preparing food.

-- What should I do if I have symptoms?

If you do have symptoms, like diarrhoea and vomiting, do not prepare food for others and do not visit people in hospitals or care homes to avoid passing on the infection. People should also not attend work, school or nursery until 48 hours after symptoms have stopped. UKHSA advises people to call NHS 111 or contact their GP surgery if they are concerned about a baby under 12 months, if a child stops breast or bottle feeding while they're ill, or if child under give years of age shows signs of dehydration, such as fewer wet nappies.

You should also seek medical help if signs of dehydration persist after using oral rehydration sachets, if you or your child can not stop being sick or keep fluid down, if you or your child has bloody diarrhoea, or if diarrhoea last for more than seven days and vomiting more than two days.

-- Are there any risk of complications from a Stec infection?

Some cases, involving children in particular, can result in haemolytic uraemic syndrome, a serious life-threatening condition resulting in kidney failure. A small proportion of adults may develop a similar condition called thrombotic thrombocytopaenic purpura (TTP).

5. Best practices example

Some best practices for food processors are:

• Establish set of quality standards based on customer requirements, industry regulations, and any other applicable criteria. Quality standards should include specifications for the raw materials, production processes, packaging, and finished product.

• Establish a quality control systems to ensure that quality standards are met. These systems should include processes for testing raw materials, monitoring production processes, and inspecting the finished product. Quality control systems should also include measures to prevent contamination, such as proper storage and handling of raw materials and finished products.

• Train all employees involved in the production process on proper quality control techniques. This will ensure that everyone is following the same quality standards and that everyone is aware of any potential issues or concerns.

• Document quality control measures to ensure that they are followed and monitored. This documentation should include the quality standards, quality control system, training, and any other measures taken to ensure product quality.

• Monitor the production processes to ensure that they are producing consistent results. This could include testing samples from each batch or using automated systems to track production results.

• Inspect finished products to ensure that they meet the established quality standards. This could include visual inspection, physical testing, or chemical analysis.

6. First in, First out FIFO

Food businesses must ensure that all food and ingredients received and stored is checked for best before and expiry dates. It is essential that food is not only handled and stored properly but also used before the expiry date. To ensure this food processors often use a storage practice called FIFO, which stands for First In, First Out.

This method includes:

• ensuring items that are received first (the oldest items) are used first

• moving items nearing their expiration date to the front of the shelves

• clearly labelling and dating containers if food items are not stored in their original packaging

• checking best before and expiry dates frequently

• discarding any food items that show signs of spoilage