Food Safetyin the Packing House
Chalmers R. Carr IIIRidge Spring, South Carolina
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Who we are….
• Founded in 1999, by first generation farmers
Chalmers & Lori Anne Carr.
• 1500 acres – peaches
• Today, we have diversified and grown our
farming operation to over 7,500 acres of
peaches & vegetables and we harvest crops
more than 40 weeks of the year.
• Completely vertically integrated organization.
Family Owned & Operated
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Product Brand Menu
PEACHES• Titan Brand• Carolina Beauty• Lori Anne Peach• Southern Charm
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Distribution across the United States
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Industry Leading Technology
••
• Industry leading consistent precise sizing Most gentle fruit handling system in the marketplace
Compac’s Spectrim technologyAccurately evaluates each piece of fruit based onsoftness, blemishes and other fruit characteristicsutilizing nine cameras per lane.Infrared technology LED lighting
2019 SQF Code 2000 Level 2 Certified
Driven By Technology – Quality First
Most technologically advanced packing equipment in the world! (2015/2016)
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Titan Farms – Video
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Why Food Safety?
No farmer can live with the fact that something they grow, pack or ship caused an illness or death to anyone.
Titan Farms is committed to producing and
supplying only safe high-quality fruits and
vegetables.
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Why is Food Safety Important?
• Ensures the food supply is safe by shifting the focus from responding to contamination to preventing it.
• Protect Consumers
• Protect Retailers / Wholesalers- Satisfies customer requirements
• Protect Growers & the Industry – Recall Prevention
• IT IS NOW THE LAW!!!
FACTS
•Food Borne diseases on average cause 48 million people (1 in 6 Americans) get sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die each year from food borne diseases. - the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• These outbreaks are not only blows to victims' health, but also the economy. In the United States, the economy lost about $7 billion every year due to these outbreaks. - Washington Times
CDC Issues Lettuce E. Coli Recall
Date: April 2018 to end of June 2018
Total Illnesses: 210
Hospitalizations: 97
Deaths: 5
Yuma, Arizona
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The lack of traceability after passing through several intermediary shippers hands complicated the trace back process and caused delays. CDC eventually steered people away from eating any romaine from the Yuma region because of a lack of timely traceability info.
Outbreaks drove romaine sales down by 71 million dollars in 2018.
Recalls affects everyone
Sometimes those who are not involved
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CDC later stated that “The investigation showed that
jalapeño peppers, serrano peppers and a water source on a farm in
Mexico were the source of containination.
Originally thought tomatoes were possibly a source, particularly early in the outbreak but samples of jalapeño and serrano peppers were collected on a
farm in Mexico were the main cause of the outbreak.
Date: May 2008
Total Illnesses: 1,442
Hospitalizations: 286
Deaths: 2
Still devastating for Tomato Growers” Tomatoes that were going for $18-19 per box before the FDA announcement. After announcement they were selling for just $4 afterwards. Some Florida growers reported selling boxes for fifty cents to $1.
Growers say they lost $100 to $125 million due to the
mislabeled recall
OR
Recall in Fresh Peaches – Summer 2014
• Export to Australia
•Product test positive for listeria•<10CFU
• United States has ZERO tolerance for listeria
•Grower issued voluntary recall
•No deaths or illnesses reported
•Pulled product from every retailer (D&D)
•Emotional & financial stress
California Peach Operation
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Food Safety Evolution
1994HACCP Alliance, SQF, and Primus GAP guidelines
Formed
1998BRC was Formed
2000GFSI
Formed
2002Bioterrorism
Act
2012 Safe Food for
Canadians Act
2011FDA FSMA
2019USDA
Harmonized GAP Plus + Standard
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GAP vs. GFSI
VS.
GFSI - much more robust- striving for continuous improvement. Allows growers to expand their markets and satisfy customer requirements
GAP - voluntary program, covers basic food safety requirements- more affordable options for growers
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Titan Farms Food Safety Program
• Deeply committed to the highest level of food safety
• Leader in the industry
• 2019 SQF Code 2000 Level 2 Certified• Score of 99% - Excellent
“We don’t just do food safety on the day of the audit, we live and breathe it.”- Chalmers Carr
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Huge Key to Success - Employee Training
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Educating everyone on food safety, food defense and security is the best way to protect the
public, employees, and their families. Properly trained employees can improve food safety and help reduce risks that may lead to
product contamination.
HACCP Hazzard Analysis Critical Control Points Points HACCP Steps: map the flow of product from the field through your facility.
Identifies areas where products may become contaminated (Critical Control Points, CCP’s) figure out how to best mitigate risks
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Risk Assessment
Matrix
Risk based method of identifying and
controlling food safety related critical control
points - CCPS
Packing House Analyzing the process flow
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Out to Consumer
Product In From Field
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Receive Peaches at Packhouse
(16)
Hydro Cooler (22)
Dumper (24)
Pre-leaf table (25)
Washer,Wax, Dry (26)
Sort Tables (28) #2 (34)Weighed and Packaged
Processing Bins(30)
Disposal (56)
PLU Labels (36)
Sort by Size (35)
Convey to box fillers (37) Hand Pack (42)
ReWork (45)
Processing Bin Storage (31)
Pallet Tags (46)
Shipping Cooler (50)
Transport (54)
Receiving of Packaging (19)
Packaging Storage (20)
Receive Returned
Products (55)
Palletizing (40)
Chlorine Dioxide Water (21)
#2 Grade Conveyed (29)
TransportMexico Product to Fumigation Chamber (51)
Fumigate (52)
Mexico Product to Shipping Cooler (53)
Receiving Cooler (23)
Pre-Graders (27)
Box fillers (38)
Box closers (39)
Case labels (44)
QC Box Weights (43)
Receiving of Chemicals (17)
Chemical Storage (18)
Presort Totes (47)
Tote Storage (48)
Tote commit to pack (49)
Downgrades Conveyed (29)
Ripes Selected and Packaged (33) QC – Size and
Quality (41)
Processing Bin Transport (32)
Soap (58)
Wax (59)
Water (57)
Dump Tote ()
Grade (61)
Bag/Tray (62))
PlU Label ()
Packhouse Process Flow
It is important to line out each step of the process in a visual manner, so that each step can be identified and analyzed for risk
Process Flow – Hydro Cooler
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Receive Peaches at Packhouse
(16)
Hydro Cooler (22)
Dumper (24)
Pre-leaf table (25)
Receiving of Packaging (19)
Packaging Storage (20)
Chlorine Dioxide Water (21)
Receiving Cooler (23)
Receiving of Chemicals (17)
Chemical Storage (18)
Soap (58)
Water (57)
Ingredient – Process Step
Potential hazard introduced, controlled or enhanced at this step
Is the hazard significant?
Justification for Decision Is this step a critical control point?22) Hydro
CoolerP: None
B: Pathogens
C: Chlorinated water solution
No
No
No
P: No hazard identified
B: Not reasonably likely to contaminate the product, due to Pack House prerequisite programs such as GMPs, SOPs, and training; effectiveness of these programs verified with monitoring.
C: Chlorinated system generates chlorinated water which is effective in reducing pathogens on product. Limits: ORP 700-900pH: 6.0-7.7. The Hydro Cooler is monitored by Pulse Instruments constantly and ORP will be monitored by a specially trained employee on a 60 minute basis.
No
No
No
Hydro Cooling – Cooling of Product – Pre-Packing
Has potential to spread contamination/cross contamination
Risk = recycled water
**HACCP Analysis- mitigate risk with water treatments, sanitation SOP’s and training
* Titan Farms utilizes Chlorine Dioxide Generation system for treatment and measures ORP for control and monitoring
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• Water Quality- annual testing- must be performed at an accredited lab
• Temperature- must be monitored to ensure water is at adequate temperature for commodity when used for coolingo thermometers should be used to gauge temperature
• ORP (Oxidation Reduction Potential)- used to measure the ability of the water to clean and sanitize surfaces that it toucheso 700-900 mV is the appropriate range to prevent
cross contamination. Should be monitored through dosing system and meter
Brush Bed Washer
Single Pass water: (Spray bars)
Risk = Brushes are hard to clean
** HACCP Analysis – Water treatment and proper sanitation to mitigate risk
• Water Quality- annual testing- must be performed at an accredited lab
• pH- can disrupt the efficiency of sanitizers. Monitor at consistent frequencyo can be monitored through test strips or pH meters
• ORP (Oxidation Reduction Potential)- used to monitor microbial levels in watero 700-900 is the appropriate range to prevent cross
contamination. Should be monitored through dosing system and meter
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Product Handling
**HACCP Analysis Potential risk for cross
contamination via produce handlers and
surface areas
Establish SOP’s and train workers on all
procedures
Good Manufacturing Practices: Hairnets,
Beard nets, Gloves, Aprons
No jewelry
No food or drink
Proper handwashing
Allergen Awareness
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Cold Storage
* HACCP Analysis – Potential pathogen growth in moist cool environment
• Inspect regularly to ensure areas are clean and cooler is functioning properly
• Regular cleaning schedule should be implemented for cooler and drains
• No condensation should be present
• Door should be sealed
• Cooler temperatures should be monitored and recorded to ensure temperature is at appropriate level for commodity
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Cleaning vs. Sanitation
CleaningUse of chemical and mechanical processes to remove soil from a surface
Sanitation/SanitizingThe application of a specific chemical (a sanitizer) or other treatment to a previously cleaned surface to kill bacteria and/or pathogens
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Goals of Cleaning & Sanitation
•Remove Soil –Soil is food for bacteria
•Kill any bacteria remaining on food processing surfaces
•Remove or prevent the formation of biofilms
•Provide a clean and sanitary environment for packing
•Maintain a clean and sanitary environment throughout the operation day
•Prevent migration of bacteria between zones
What is Biofilm? Biofilm is the buildup of bacteria that adheres to the surface
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Verification of cleaning
Visual Inspection Pre-Operational Swabs Provide feedback to
the sanitation team
Effective Cleaning is 99% of the sanitation job. The remaining 1% is the job of sanitizers
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A Successful Sanitation Program Requirements :• Commitment from Management
• Engagement of all departments –Sanitation, Maintenance, QA/QC, Ops
• Employee Training in Sanitation, Food and Personal Safety
• A Documented Cleaning and Sanitation Program
• Adequate Supply of Potable Water with Appropriate and Functioning Sanitation Equipment/Tools
• Effective Cleaning and Sanitation Products
• Good Sanitary DesignStainless Steel- Corrosion Resistant therefore it is holds up integrity to prevent harborage areas
• Adequate time to clean what need to be cleaned
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Environmental Monitoring
• Frequency- weekly, monthly • Timing- pre-operational, during operation• Locations- by Zones• Techniques- sponges, swabs
Focus on Zone 1• Goal is to find pathogen and eliminate before it becomes
problem
Product sampling?• If you’ve implemented a robust environmental monitoring
program, product testing is redundant- you’ve already verified your cleaning and sanitation program
High risk areas: brush, rollers, contact surfaces, coolers and drains
Adapt your program to your facility, equipment, and
products
Identify zones and areas of importance for swabbing- validates cleaning and sanitation program, identifies problem areas, ability to form trends of overall conditions, evaluates hygienic design of equipment
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Zones
Zone 3Below the production flow, still subject to environmental and sanitation concerns for an RTE (ready to eat) facility.
Zone 2 Non-Food Contact: table legs, floors, drains, aprons
Zone 1Product Contact Surfaces: belts, conveyors, cups
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Traceability Regulation Requirements
Procedures need to be in place to identify raw
materials and packaging from receipt through
process to finished product and distributions.
“one step forward, one step back”
Annual testing is required to test this process-
records must be maintained.
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From…..
- Field Block Farm
- Harvest Crew
- Raw Storage Location
- Packout Data
- Case Labeling
- Packed Inventory
- Shipping
- Retail Warehouse
To…..
Your Local Grocery Store
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Case/Pallet Labeling
Key for our ability to trace products from farm to retail location.
1) GTIN – Farm ID
2) Lot Codes
a) Pick Date
b) Variety
c) Field/Block
d) Storage/Location
e) Quality
3) Product Information
a) Size
b) Package
c) Variety
d) Pack Date
e) Quality 32
July 27
Final Keys to Success - Record Keeping
• Records are an important tool for analyzing and improving food safety.
• False records will not help improve the system or help you reach your goal of improved food safety!
• Records help provide proof that staff members complete necessary activities and that these activities are performed effectively.
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Documentation over kill!Say what you do and do what you say!
Cost of Food Safety program and investments made
Annual Costs of Titan’s Food Safety Program:
Category Total Supplies - PPE 15,000.00 Pathogen Swabs 4,400.00Water Samples 5,000.00 MRL Testing 14,200.00 3rd Party Audits 8,500.00 Auditing Fees 1,900.00 Professional Fees 1,600.00
Chemicals- Sanitation 25,000.00 Sanitation Utensils 5,000.00 QC Supplies 3,000.00Digital Food Safety Portal 10,00.00Service Contracts 5,500.00
$89,100.00
Investments:
• Time Can’t get there overnight
• Personnel
• Custom Traceability Software
• Enclosed facility
• Segregated room/packing area
• HVAC system
• Stainless Steel Machinery
• Poly Urethane coated flooring
• Web-based electronic monitoring
34$0.05 per Box
Do Food Safety Everyday!!
We don’t just do food safety on the day of the audit, we live and breathe it.”- Chalmers Carr
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Everyone Should Wear The Food Safety !!
Titan Farms5 R. W. DuBose Road
Ridge Spring. South Carolina 29129
THANK YOU!
Chalmers R. Carr III
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QUESTIONS??