21.8 Managing productionoperations:intermediateand
finishedproducts
Wherea companymanufacturesmorethan one product or morethan one version
of a product,and thereis more thanone productionline,productionlayout
shouldbe suchthat confusionand possiblecross-contamination are avoided.
Whetherin single-lineor multiple-line production,particular careshouldbe
taken,in termsof production layoutand practices,to avoid cross-contamination
of one product by another.Thisis especiallyimportant whenhandling, unavoid-
ablyin the samebuilding, ingredients or manufacturedproductscontainingone
or moremajorfoodallergens,and thosethat do not. On a production line,the
nameand appropriate reference to the productbeing processed/packaged should
be clearly displayed.
Beforeproduction begins,checksshouldbe carried out to ensurethat the
production areais clean,and free fromany products, product residues, waste
material, raw materials,packagingmaterialsor documents not relevantto the
production to be undertaken;and that the correct materialsand documents have
beenissuedand the correct machine settingshavebeenmade.All plantand
equipment shouldbe checkedas cleanand ready for use.
Processing should be strictly in accordancewiththe MMIsubject to any
variations approved, and by detailedproceduresset out for operatorsin the Plant
Operating Instructions.Process conditionsshouldbe monitoredand process
control carried out by suitable means including, as appropriate, sensory,
instrumentaland laboratorytesting,and on-linechecking of correctpackaging
and date-marking.Where continuous recordersor recorder/controllersare in use,
the chartsshould subsequently be checked by foodcontrol.
Thereshould be regularand recordedchecks,by appropriate personnel, on
the accuracy of all instruments used for monitoring processes (e.g.
thermometers,temperaturegauges,pressuregauges, flowmeters,checkweighers,
colourmeasurementdevices,metaldetectors,X-raymachines).The frequency
of checks should be establishedto ensurethat instrumentsare alwayscorrectly
calibrated, withan accuracyrelatedto national standards.
Effectivecleaningof production premises and equipmentmustbe carried out.
All persons workingin or visiting the production areamustcomplywiththe
requirementsof personalhygiene,and adequate facilities must be provided.
General `goodhousekeeping'shouldbe practised,includingprompt removal
of wastematerial,precautions to minimise spillageor breakage,promptremoval
and clean-upof any spillage or brokenpackagingoccurring,and the removalof
any articles that mightenterthe product as foreignmatter. Whereappropriate,
foreignmatter detectors shouldbe used.
21.8.1 Intermediateproducts
Afterits preparation,an intermediateproductshouldbe quarantineduntilchecked
and approvedby the foodcontrolmanagerfor compliancewith its specification.If
requiredto be storedbeforefurtherprocessing,it should be stored as designatedin
Goodmanufacturing practice(GMP)in the foodindustry 335