COveR StORY BAKERY REVIEwElectrical safety in bakery involves proper
instillation of transformers, cable trays and
panels in the factory.
Employers in the bakery industry have
a responsibility to provide and maintain
a safe working environment in which
employees are not exposed to hazards.
This responsibility includes providing
relevant information, instruction, training
and supervision so that their workers are
not exposed to hazards. It also includes
addressing any health risks such as
occupational asthma that could arise at
the workplace. Additionally, employers are
required to consult with safety and health
representatives (if any) and employees on
safety and health matters.
Food Safety
Besides personal safety, an important
issue that concerns the consumers in the
bakery industry or rather in the entire food
& beverage industry, is the issue of food
safety. Here food defense, allergen control
and sanitation programs, and criteria for
shelf-stability, come in.
Bakers need to be proactive and extra
cautious when it comes to handling allergens
in their plants. Impeccable sanitation
practices to remove allergen residues
from equipment and the food production
environment should be always on their
priority.
But food safety in the Indian bakery
industry still remains a major concern. Here
it deserves a mention that a recent study
by the Centre for Science and Environment
(CSE) had pointed to the presence of possible
cancer-causing chemicals in pre-packaged
bread. The specific chemical in question,
potassium bromate, had been used as an
oxidising agent for bread and a few other
bakery items such as pao, bun and pizza
base.
However, according to the FSSAI’s 2011
regulations, the maximum permissible level of
potassium bromate and potassium iodate in
bread is 50 ppm, while for flour and maida
it is up to 20 ppm. The CSE report has found
additive levels in the various samples to
be from 1.18 ppm to 22.54 ppm. The Food
Safety and Standards Authority of India
(FSSAI) stated that the potassium bromate
and potassium iodate levels found in random
samples of domestic bread by the Centre for
Science and Environment (CSE) were not
‘carcinogenic’.”
“A major concern of food businesses is
around enforcement. Food testing is another
area of concern. A major investment is being
made for upgrading the labs and capacity
building of the staff. We have also created a
single platform for sampling and food testing,
which will ensure testing is done in a consistent
and reliable manner throughout the country.
The platform we have created would ensure
a coordinated approach by all regulatory
agencies so that food businesses would get a
hassle-free environment”, said Pawan Agarwal,
Chief Executive Officer of FSSAI.Hygiene is Crucial
Another issue is that of hygiene – personal
as well as environmental – which should be
adopted stringently by the bakeries. Here
it deserves a mention that the National
Environment Agency (NEA) from Singapore
has issued guidelines, which are important
for food handlers at bakeries and cake
shops to adopt for good hygiene practices,
so as to ensure bread and confectionary
products served to consumers are safe for
consumption. Some of them are:Purchase and Receipt of
Ingredients- Purchase ingredients from reliable
suppliers approved by the Agri-Food and
Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA).- Check that the ingredients are not
expired. - Ensure that the packaging is intact and
that the ingredients have been transported
at appropriate temperatures (e.g. chilled
products at 4 degree centigrade and below). - Keep invoices of purchase for traceability
purpose.
Storage of Ingredients
- Adopt a First-Expired First-Out (FEFO)
approach. Do not use ingredients beyond
their expiry date. - Store ingredients at appropriate
temperatures. Monitor temperatures of the
chiller and freezer daily. - As far as possible, store raw ingredients
in a separate chiller from ready-to-eat
ingredients. Always store ready-to-eat
ingredients in covered containers above raw
ingredients.
Preparation
- Do not work when unwell.
- Wash hands (including area under the
fingernails) thoroughly with soap and water
Karuna Jayakrishna Prakash Chawla