QUALITY CONTROL: FROZEN FOOD
As diagnosed allergies increase amongst the population, food manufacturers have to be extra
careful when it comes to processing foods near each other, being careful to not cross-contaminate
When food goes into
production, a number of quality and safety checks are conducted throughout the production and packaging process. Continuous checks such as temperature control are monitored throughout the whole process. Foreign body controls including
x-rays can happen at various points from raw materials to finished goods. Metal detection takes place as a final check once the food is fully packed.
WHAT ABOUT ALLERGENS? Frozen food factories also take great care to prevent
Quick freezing is a major
solution for the production of frozen food - it allows for the safe cooling of products to
disable harmful bacteria growth
contamination by allergens and will only produce food containing nuts, shellfish or other allergens on certain lines, in a certain order or on certain days. For example, ready meal manufacturers who are often producing several different products have to ensure that their lines are fully cleaned down when an allergen ingredient has been processed. We at the BFFF know of
several member companies who will only cook seafood on a Friday so that the whole line and factory can be completely cleaned down before meat production resumes the following Monday.
QUICK FREEZING While frozen products are subject to rigorous checks before and during processing, it is the quick freezing of the finished food that maintains the integrity of the product. Most frozen foods today are 'quick frozen'. During this process, water in the food forms very small ice crystals, which minimise cell structure damage. Quick-freezing foods and then storing them at temperatures -18°C or lower slows the natural degradation process practically to zero. One of the most common
methods of industrial quick freezing through a spiral freezer. This is a process that takes oven hot food with a core temperature of around 180°C – 220°C and chills it to -18°C in under an hour. This rapid
24 | FMCG News |
FMCGNews.co.uk
freezing technique ensures that food reaches a safe temperature as quickly as possible and that there is no window for bacteria to multiply. The rapid freezing also means that when the food is reheated in the home, it retains the same qualities it had before it was frozen. It is essential that food is
frozen before any bacteria can multiply. If the consumer leaves their frozen food in the boot of the car for a long time or if they defrost the food and leave it for a day or two, bacteria can start to grow. As manufacturers have so little control over what end users do, it is imperative that quality control and HACCP food safety measures are followed stringently to ensure that the product is at the highest standard possible before leaving the factory. The frozen food industry has
experienced more technological innovation than any other area bar mobile telecoms over the last few years ensuring that the quality of products is better than ever. It is important to recognise that frozen food manufacturers are governed by the same legislation as any other food processor and are subject to unannounced checks and audits by their customers
and local authority.
Brian is director general of the British Frozen Food Federation (BFFF), the trade association for the frozen food sector. For more information, visit
www.bfff.co.uk.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52