The best way to achieve these objectives is
to keep the plant interior spaces simple and
uncluttered. This characteristic facilitates
sanitation, cleaning, and inspection. Plant
sanitation criteria and engineering specifica-
tions should be thoroughly integrated into
the layout by the design team, including the
plant's technical and engineering staff, and a
contracted design and engineering firm. A
representative from the production staff
should be consulted.
The following suggestions should be con-
sidered for a viable sanitation program:
- A full or part-time experienced sanitar-
ian should be incorporated. - Cleaning records should be maintained
and kept current. - Employees should be trained in and
practice Good Manufacturing Prac-
tices. - The sanitation program should be peri-
odically evaluated to verify program
effectiveness.
Other Considerations
Walsh and Walker (1990) suggested the
following design considerations to comple-
ment Chapter 14:
●Locate the plant management office and
the laboratory centrally for proper
supervision and quality control.
●Locate ingredients storage near the mix-
ing and use areas.
●Locate secondary equipment, such as
boilers and refrigeration machines, to
minimize pipe and utility runs.
●Arrange manufacturing equipment for
convenient cleaning-in-place (CIP).
●Use proven equipment or allow time for
testing any equipment or process that
does not have a known track record.
●Apply state-of-the-art controls and
automation to the greatest extent that iscost-effective. Be prepared to update the
system as capabilities climb and prices
fall.
●Check plant design for compliance with
federal, state, and local regulations.Receipt and storage of raw materials
Sampling for Acceptability
Because it is impractical to sample all of
the raw materials being received, a sampling
protocol should be devised to determine
whether products should be accepted or
rejected. A statistically valid sample is neces-
sary to determine acceptance or rejection
with reasonable confidence. More informa-
tion about statistical sampling and statistical
quality control is provided in Chapter 8.Transport Vehicle Inspection
Inspection of low-moisture raw materials
should begin with examination of the trans-
port vehicle before, during, and after unload-
ing. The overall condition of the vehicle
should be appraised, and it should be
checked for dead areas where product and
dust can collect and harbor insects, whether
the containers are full or empty. Areas adja-
cent to doors or hatches should be observed
for insects. This inspection is accomplished
by examination for crawling or flying insects
and their tracks. It is important to check for
nesting materials, odor, and fecal material.
Pellets and odors may indicate rodents, and
feathers or droppings may reveal contamina-
tion by birds.Product Evaluation
An effective food warehouse sanitation
program requires that the materials received,
including foods and their packaging materi-
als, must not be exposed to contamination