Food safety

Consumers are increasingly concerned about food safety. As a consequence governments are tightening regulations for the production and processing of food soas to prevent food-borne illnesses. Also large retailer chains make demands on food safety to their suppliers, obliging producers of food to follow strict regulations in order to avoid contamination of food with health threatening substances. They increasingly want to work with suppliers that are certified according to e.g. HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points). HACCP is a system that has been adopted by the Codex Alimentarius Commission (an international food standard-setting organization) as the international standard for safe food. A supplier who wants to work according to HACCP has to make a stocktaking of hazards for food safety within his enterprise and has to indicate which preventive measures he is taking to avoid or to minimize these hazards. A correct registration of cultural practices, including fertilization and application of pesticides per potato field and per consignment of potatoes is part of HACCP.

An initiative of leading European food-retailers (EUREP - Euro- Retailer Produce Working group) is the EUREPGAP protocol. It sets out a framework for Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) on farms and it defines the minimum standards for the production of fresh food and vegetables, including potatoes, for these retail groups in Europe. A number of measures to ensure food safety are included in the protocol, and the use of HACCP is encouraged. The EUREPGAP protocol is the basis for certification of growers who want to produce fresh food and vegetables for EUREPmembers.

Unwanted contamination of food products may be of physical, chemical or microbial origin. Microbial contamination is generally considered as the most dangerous one. Chemical contamination is often related to the use of pesticides. The main contaminations will be listed for the raw material, the potatoes, as well as for the processed product. 

4.1 Raw material
Physical contamination
Examples of physical contamination are the presence of glass or wood splinters or small metal parts in the potato. Preventive measures include storage in a clean store, no broken wooden planks in storehouses, use of crack free lamps etc.

Chemical contamination
Any residues of pesticides that are not approved to be used on potatoes, or residues of approved pesticides that are too high, are considered as chemical contaminants. Safety periods after application of a pesticide should be adhered to. Excessive nitrate concentrations in the potatoes as a result of too high fertilizer application can be a reason for rejection of a consignment of potatoes by a processor. Other contaminants that are sometimes present in potatoes are mineral oil, fuel etc. Preventive measures: correct application of pesticides, appropriate partition between store house and machinery compartment, no use of mercury thermometers, protection of tubers from light etc.

Microbial contamination
Microbial contamination of a dangerous nature will not normally be present in the raw material. However risks can be avoided by not using human faeces as manure and by not allowing animals such as rats, mice, cats and birds to be present in potato stores (wire netting in front of air inlets and outlets).


4.2 Processed product
Physical contamination
Physical contamination (by foreign material such as glass, wood, stones etc) coming in with the potatoes has to be removed in the process by grading, washing, and trimming. Although trimming is primarily focussing on quality inspection, it is also an important preventive step for removing any foreign material. Metal detection is seen industry-wide as a critical control point for metal. The general standard is to detect any metal that is larger than 2 mm in length. Other important control points are protection and registration of glass (e.g. lamps in the processing area) and a procedure to control materials (e.g. lubricants) during maintenance. 

Chemical contamination
Strict procedures need to be met to avoid left-over cleaning residues after the cleaning of the processing area.

Microbial contamination
First, pest control by avoiding rats, mice, birds etc (close door policy) in the processing area and it’s direct surrounding is needed to avoid microbial contamination. Secondly, the fryingtemperature in the fryer is often seen as crucial for killing any left over microbial contamination. In general these (pre-) frying temperatures are around 180°C. For dehydrated products (flakes, granules) it is essential to dry to at least 88% dry matter content. Over 12% moisture content can cause growth of fungi in the finished product.

General
Hygiene rules for all personnel and visitors needs to be in place to avoid microbial contamination (handwash at entrance), physical contamination (hairnets, no outside pockets on clothes to avoid foreign material falling into the productflow). Coding (date, time, production line etc) of bags and cartons is essential for good tracking and tracing of the finished product.