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J. L. BAIL, NSF- Cook & Thurber, NSF International, 789 N. Dixboro Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48105 The USDA's decision to eliminate the FSIS prior approval program for food processing equipment and for proprietary substances and nonfood compounds, did not eliminate the need for the guidance that these programs and documents provided to processors and inspectors alike. The change to HACCP-based risk management resulted in the private sector development of replacement standards or guidelines that specify the material, design, construction and performance of equipment and of nonfood compounds such as lubricants, sanitizers, and other chemical products. In June 2000, USDA issued a proposed rule adopting the standards of the NSF/3-A Joint Committee on Food Processing Equipment as the USDA's standard of choice for evaluating equipment used to process meat and poultry. Ability to clean and sanitize the equipment are key. Equipment and chemicals are only two of several important considerations in the design of food processing plant. Plant design must consider the flow of food inside the processing facility and evaluate all of the traditional hazards: chemical, microbiological, physical and allergenic. Plant design must address the traditional floors, walls and ceilings, as well as HVAC systems, potable water supply, landscaping, and other key considerations that can result in producing unsafe environment. Food security is also of concern and this must also be considered in the design of a plant.
Session 6, Foodborne pathogens in the food processing environment and their control
2005 IFT Annual Meeting, July 15-20 - New Orleans, Louisiana |