sanitary standards, ensuring that food prod-
ucts in the marketplace are safe.
The development of an effective testing
program requires a commitment to the many
aspects of a food processor’s operation. It
must be decided whether, what kind of, and
how much in-plant testing is appropriate.
Other decisions are, which mode of testing,
and how much should be outsourced to a
contract laboratory. Additional require-
ments include the implementation of a labo-
ratory quality assurance program that
defines best practices and operations, per-
sonnel, and instrumentation. Furthermore,
it must be decided whether to accredit the
laboratory and what kind of proficiency test-
ing program is most appropriate. It is essen-
tial to explore new methods and technologies
to increase the accuracy and meaning of
results that are obtained.
All processors, regardless of industry seg-
mentation, should view regulatory guidelines
as a basis for establishing testing programs,
and strive to exceed prescribed testing
requirements to protect their products and
consumers. Many meat processors that man-
ufacture ready-to-eat products are embrac-
ing a proactive stance and are taking more
microbial samples that are required for regu-
latory compliance.
Since the terrorist bombing of the World
Trade Center in New York on September 11,
2001, it is even more imperative for food test-
ing laboratories to ensure that access to haz-
ardous biological and chemical agents is
controlled so that they cannot be used in crim-
inal or terrorist acts in food and water. Several
leading testing organizations, including the
American Council of Independent Laborato-
ries, are urging plant food testing laboratories
to aggressively implement biosecurity pro-
grams as part of their quality assurance initia-
tives and verify the stringency of their efforts
through independent assessments conducted
by reputable auditing organizations.
It is important to recognize that QA is an
investment. A company with a QA program
can offset the cost through an improved
image, reduced likelihood of product liabil-
ity suits, consumer satisfaction with a uni-
form and wholesome product, and improved
sales. In practical terms, it makes good sense
to have a QA program.The role of total quality management.....................................................
An effective sanitation program is a seg-
ment of total quality management (TQM),
which must be applied to all aspects of the
operation within an organization. Total
quality management applies the “right first
time” approach. The most critical aspect of
TQM is food safety. Thus, sanitation is an
important segment of TQM. Additional
discussion of TQM will be provided in
Chapter 22.
The successful implementation of TQM
requires that management and production
workers be motivated to improve product
acceptability. All involved must be skilled
and must understand the TQM concept.
Computer software is available for training,
implementation, and monitoring of TQM
programs.QUALITY ASSURANCE FOR
EFFECTIVE SANITATION
Quality is the degree of acceptability.
Component characteristics of quality are
both measurable and controllable.
An effective sanitation QA program can
achieve the following goals:●Identify raw material suppliers that
provide a consistent and wholesome
product.Quality Assurance for Sanitation 117