What is Food Safety?
The need for nutrition is one of the essential natural needs for human rights and all living forms, and in order to meet this need, it is necessary to have access to safe food. In other words, the product that we can call human food primarily should be safe, clean and consumable.
We know that food-borne diseases threaten human health all over the world. These diseases seriously cause harm and even death, especially to the elderly, children and pregnant women.
When we look at the history of humanity, several primitive methods such as drinking or using boiled water in places with no access to clean water or trying to purify water in various ways. In other instances, a backwood method such as curdling milk into cheese and making it consumable for a long time without deterioration or drying meat can be considered primitive in modern-day food safety techniques. Unfortunately, all of these eventually lead to severe epidemics.
Today, with the conveniences provided by technological facilities, we can now extend the shelf life of food, that is, a timeline it can be consumed without deterioration. However, before we can do that, we must understand and manage the mechanisms that affect quality deterioration. Therefore, the past methods have been replaced by modern techniques and large-scale productions such as pasteurization, sterilization, freezing, ultrafiltration, and controlled environment after research and studies carried out together with the industrial revolutions.
In the past, food produced and consumed by only one family could now reach thousands of people in days. As such, a food safety hazard that may occur in the production processes has the potential to affect thousands of people. In order to avoid such a situation, we have experience food engineers and veterinarians in our organization. Together with these expert teams, we guarantee the establishment of world-accepted food safety and quality systems in our manufacturing facilities and the sustainability of these systems.
If we need to define Food Safety;
Food safety means protecting food from all hazards that may be harmful to human health and taking the necessary precautions. These hazards can be physical as well as chemical and microbiological.
Food Safety Hazard Classes
Physical Hazards
All kinds of foreign substances such as stone, soil, metal, glass, bone, wood etc. that are not desired to be found in foodstuffs are classified as physical hazards.
| Physical Hazard | Possible Source of Hazard |
|---|---|
| Hair, Feathers, etc. | Personnel, Ingredient, Packaging Material, Setting / Environment |
| Metal Part | Tools-Equipment, Personnel, Jewelry, Raw Material |
| Glass and Hard Plastic Part | Window, Lighting Equipment, Tools-Equipment, Glass Packaging |
| Stone and Piece of Wood | Wooden Pallet, Raw Material |
| Textiles | Production Conveyor Bands, Personnel Clothing, Ingredient Sack / Packaging |
Chemical Hazards
There are chemical hazards in foods that may arise from raw materials, production methods or techniques and working hygiene practices. Within chemical hazards, veterinary and pesticide residues and various chemicals transmitted from environmental sources can be included, which are misused (above the limit, prohibited) in order to increase productivity, especially in animal husbandry and crop production.
Natural toxic components in the structure of foods and allergens for consumers with sensitivity are essential elements to be considered within the scope of chemical hazards. In addition, it is of great importance that food additives are suitable for use in food production and are used according to with the technique and within legal limits.
| Chemical Hazard | Possible Source of Hazard |
|---|---|
| Pesticide Contaminants | Raw Material Disinfection |
| Cleaning Agents and Disinfectants | Insufficiency of Rinsing After Cleaning |
| Machine Oils and Other Chemicals | Compressed Air Compressors (Oil), Steam-Boiler Chemicals, Tank Reducers, Piston and Chain Oils |
| Packaging Chemicals | Other contact additives such as Paint, Solvent, Mineral Oils, Cooling Bath Additives |
| Veterinary Drug Residue | Medicines Used in Animals for Therapeutic Purposes |
| Heavy Metals | Water, Soil, Environment |
Microbiological Hazards
Unless sterilized, foodstuffs naturally contain a large number of microorganisms. Due to the negative changes that occur when this number exceeds a specific limit, foods become not fit and pose a risk to human health.
Bacteria, moulds, yeasts, viruses and parasitic factors are included in the scope of important microbiological hazards in terms of food safety.
According to World Health Organization (WHO) data, 600 million people worldwide are poisoned by these said foods every year due to the consumption of unsafe foods, and 420,000 people die. 30% of those who die are children under the age of 5.
Pathogenic microorganisms such as Salmonella, Listeria, Norovirus, which are already present or subsequently transmitted in foods due to reasons such as not correctly storing, cleaning or cooking food, can cause food poisoning in humans.
In summary,
These hazards, which threaten food safety, can occur at any food production and supply chain stage. Therefore, it is important to carry out effective control throughout the food supply chain.
Therefore, food safety can be ensured by fulfilling the responsibilities of everyone in the food chain.
So how do we manage these processes?
For example, we carefully select the wheat we use when producing an Ülker biscuit. The fact that wheat is the main ingredient of the biscuit makes this step an important point. As Ülker, we have been aware of this importance for many years and have continued carrying out studies and research. In the pursuit to set and develop the biscuit wheat variety produce in Turkey, we aimed to facilitate the supply of standard raw materials. This variation we call Ali Ağa, and it contributes to the country’s agriculture and economy by reducing imports and increasing the cultivation of biscuit wheat. After the wheat is procured as a result of a selection process, we turn the wheat into flour in our mills and sift it with very small diameter sieves. Later, the flour will be transferred to our factories, where our biscuits will be produced. While flours are waiting in the factory, they are stored in special silos after the controls are made in our laboratories. The flour, which will be weighed from our silos through our automation systems and passed through the dough preparation mixers, is filtered by very small diameter sieves for the second time. Other ingredients according to the type of biscuit, such as cocoa, wheat bran, sugar, oil, baking powder, etc. are also added after in-take control analyses are made in our laboratories. According to the availability, the halva-like dough is obtained by adding it without touching, just like flour. In the in-take acceptance analysis, chemical properties such as humidity and pH are checked, while microbiological controls, which are extremely important in terms of food safety, are also performed.
The halva-like dough coming out of the mixer is shaped into biscuits with our shaping machines and then sets off to meet the heat. Our biscuits baked in the oven as per specifications are packaged and passed through metal detectors and loaded into our shipment vehicles, which have been checked for cleaning, and shipped to the market shelves for our consumers.
Insightfully, within a day in our one factory, we make thousands of analyses from raw materials, production stages and final products.
If we want to summarize these processes as food safety steps:
- Ingredients are supplied from our approved suppliers that meet specific criteria. To remain approved, they must ensure the continuity of their performance and pass our periodic audits.
- Physical characteristics, Chemical and Microbiological controls are also performed during the acceptance of the ingredients and packaging materials supplied to our factories.
- After material supply and controls, all processes such as storage, weighing, processing-production, packaging and shipment proceed within the scope of the agreed standards and procedures.
- Although these standards and procedures are very comprehensive, to name a few other examples;
Personnel hygiene standards, cleaning plans, foreign matter control practices, pest management, food defense plans, internal audits, HACCP system, Allergen management, Process and finished product standards, shelf life controls, GMP site controls, Personnel training, customer feedback reviews and other similar procedures.
Priority Considerations in Agricultural Production and Animal Husbandry
Vegetable/Agricultural Production
In plantation farming, pesticide properties are one of the most important food safety issues.
The pesticide solution used should be licensed, used at the appropriate dose and time in accordance with the legal limits with appropriate tools, and at the time between disinfection or fumigation and harvesting should be considered.
Critical matters such as solution and harvest intervals used to ensure traceability should be recorded.
Animal Husbandry
Medicines authorized by the Ministry should be used for animal health. These veterinary medicines should be used in accordance with the guidance of the veterinarian. Vaccinations of animals should be carried out regularly and on time.
According to the technical package sheet of the drug used, if there is a withdrawal period required to remove the drug from the animal body, animal slaughtering should not be carried out by complying withdrawal procedure.
Attention should be given to the proper conditions and cleanliness of livestock stables, barns, and transport vehicles.
Animal diseases and unprecedented animal deaths should be reported immediately to the Provincial/District Agricultural Directorates.
An official veterinarian should issue a Veterinary Health Report for the transformation of animals. Records of feed, veterinary medicines and vaccines should be kept to ensure traceability.
Priorities to be Considered by the Food Manufacturers
Legal Requirements
- Food-production enterprises must first obtain a “business license and work permit” from the authorized organisations and then a “food-production permit” registration.
- If the food is imported, produced or distributed by the manufacturer does not comply with the food safety requirements, it must recall its product from the market and inform the competent authorities in this regard.
- Product labelling must comply with the relevant legal requirements. The business must ensure that the product labelling process is controlled, correctly labelled, and coded. The product label shall contain appropriate storage and safe consumption conditions (e.g. Cooking) information.
- Compliance with the labelling laws of the country where the products are sold must be assured with an allergen management system to prevent allergen contamination of the products.
Documentation
- Necessary records should be kept in order to ensure it is traceable in the workplace.
- An effective document control system should be established to ensure the use of up-to-date versions of all documents, including production quality control process record forms.
- Quality and food safety standards should be established for materials (including packaging materials), processes and final products.
Infrastructure
- The area where production is carried out should be designed sufficiently for size, and production requirements in a suitable structure, preventing contamination and ensuring safe and legalised food production.
- Factory layout, product flow and personnel movements should be in a manner that shall not contaminate the product and shall comply with relevant legal obligations.
- Personnel facilities (dressing rooms, dining hall, WC, etc.) should be large enough for the number of employees and should be designed to prevent product contamination. In addition, facilities should be kept well-maintained and clean.
Personnel Competency
- Hygiene training of the personnel has to be provided.
- The organization should be able to prove the competence of all personnel performing works affecting product safety, compliance with the laws and quality with training, work experience or qualification.
Supplier Management – Material Acceptance
- Systems should be established to minimize the risk of purchasing fraudulent or adulterated foods and all product descriptions and declarations should be legal, complete and verified. Suppliers who cannot meet certain conditions should not be part of the system, and material acceptance should be made by passing specific controls during each material acceptance.
- There should be a supplier selection and performance monitoring system that shows that the manufacturer manages the potential risks to product safety, authenticity, legality and quality from materials (including primary packaging that is in contact with food).
General Food Safety System
- An appropriate organisational structure must be in place to ensure effective management of the products’ safety, legality, and quality.
- HACCP basic requirements must be applied. For this purpose, written instructions, plans, and procedures should be created, and control records should be kept.
- Personnel hygiene standards should be established in a way to minimize the risks of product contamination from personnel and should be adopted by all relevant personnel, including production facility visitors. For this purpose, employees, suppliers or visitors should wear appropriate protective clothing provided by the business when entering or working in production areas.
- An analysis system should be established to determine a proper standard for safety and compliance with the legislation. In addition, the quality of the products is also subjected to analysis in the factory and/or external company.
- Internal audits should be carried out to verify whether the Food Safety requirements are fulfilled.
- After system errors are detected for food safety and quality management, the necessary corrective actions should be carried out, and the occurrence of the same mistake should be prevented.
- Necessary controls have to be in place to avoid violations in product safety in production support services such as water, ice, compressed air, steam etc, used in production and storage areas.
- All material, including packaging materials that come into contact with food, must be traceable from the supplier to all processing steps and to the customer, or vice versa (field farm to fork).
- Customer complaints should be dealt with effectively and the repetition of similar complaints should be prevented.
- Control programs should be applied for pathogens and microorganisms that may cause deterioration.
Maintenance and Equipment Conditioning
- An effective maintenance plan for factories’ machinery and equipment must be implemented to prevent contamination and reduce possible failures.
- Production equipment should suit the food production.
- The monitoring and measurement devices used in production should be calibrated for accuracy and reliability. The calibration proof needs to be filed.
Non-Conformity Product and Recall
- Non-compliance products should be effectively managed and prevented from going to the market.
- Problems should be managed effectively while plan and system should be established to ensure that problematic products can be recalled from warehouses and sales points as quickly as possible.
Pest Management
- Wastes should be managed according to legal obligations and in a way that does not accumulate nor pose a risk of contamination or attracting pests.
- There should be an effective pest management program. The pest management program must comply with all applicable laws.
Storage and Shipment
- Ingredients, semi-finished products and final products should be stored in accordance with the standards (temperature, humidity, odour, sunlight, etc.).
- Shipping vehicles need to adhere to product safety, safety and quality.
R&D
- New and existing research and product development should be carried out to ensure safe and legal products are produced.
Issues to be considered by the Consumer
What to Consider When Buying
- Attention should be given that there is no opening or defect in the packaging of the purchased products and the expiry date.
- Foods such as meat, chicken, and fish, which are perishable, should be purchased at the end of the shopping spree. It must be refrigerated as soon as possible (within 1-2 hours).
- Frozen foods should be taken at the end of shopping before going back home, extra care should be taken to ensure that they are undissolved, and if they are not to be used immediately, they should be placed in the freezer as soon as possible.
- When purchasing dried legumes and grains, check that they are not insecticides, moisturized and mouldy.
- Cracked eggs with broken shells should not be purchased.
- Cans packaging is deformed and the lid is bulged (swollen) should not be purchased.
Considerations After Purchase
Vegetable Foods
- Dry foods such as cereals, dried legumes, nuts should be stored in a dark, dry and cool environment and checked periodically for moth/insect infestation.
- Fruits and vegetables should be washed thoroughly and no detergent or soap should be used in this washing process.
Foods of animal origin
- Pasteurized milk should not be kept in the refrigerator for more than 1-2 days and should be consumed within 1-2 days after the ultra-high-temperature (UHT) milk boxes are opened.
- Eggs should be stored in the refrigerator without washing. Eggs can be checked for defects by breaking them in a separate container before use.
- Minced meat, small pieces of meat and fish should not be kept in the refrigerator for more than 1-2 days, and large parts of meat should not be kept for more than 3-4 days.
- Meat, chickens and fish that will not be consumed within a day or two should be stored in a freezer, thawed out in the refrigerator and not at room temperature.
- Thawed meat, chicken and fish should not be re-frozen.
- Raw meat, chicken, and fish in the refrigerator should be prevented from contacting other foods.
- Raw and cooked foods are dangerous to consume and mix with each other (cross-contamination). For example, the cross-contamination is caused by the contact of raw meat, chicken and fish with the container and the knife and chopping board prepared with ready-to-eat foods.
General
- The nutritional values of frozen foods are very close to fresh foods. They must be stored at least -18 °C from production to consumption.
- Foods such as tomato paste, pickles, etc. should not be stored in plastic containers such as detergents and yoghurt leftovers containers.
- Cleaning the tools used in food preparation, cooking and service should be taken into consideration ,
- Cleanliness of kitchen, countertops and cloths should be taken into consideration.
- Animal foods that are not cooked at the appropriate temperature and time pose a danger. Bacteria like foods with protein (milk, eggs, meat, etc.).
- Moulded foods and their parts should be thrown away, and the remaining should not be used (tomato paste, cheese, bread, etc.).
- Foods suspected of being spoiled should be discarded without tasting them,
- Leftover meat dishes should not be kept in the refrigerator for more than 1-2 days. The remaining meat dishes should not be kept for more than 3-4 days, and only as much of the foods that will be eaten as much should be heated.