haccp on walnut oil

HACCP Plan for Tree NutsGoutham.Matta

Introduction

Tree nuts are hard-shelled fruits, or the edible kernels of fleshy drupes or berries, or seeds that are traditionally referred to as Tree nuts. In a general context, a wide variety of dried seeds are called nuts, but in a botanical context, only ones that include the indehiscent fruit are considered tree nuts.

There are 21 types of tree nuts:

Almonds Chinquapin Pine nut/Pinon nut

Walnuts

Coconut Butter nut

Cashew

Filbert/hazelnut Sheanut

Pistachio

Ginko nut Pecan

Beech nut

Hickory nut Macadamia nut/Bush nut

Brazil nut Lichee nut Chest nut

Introduction

The United States is a dominant world player in the commercial production of tree nuts with 875 companies claiming tree nut production as their primary operation.

The total crop value of tree nuts produced in the United States was reported by the USDA to be approximately $1.5 billion. In addition, the per capita consumption rate was 2.5 pounds.

California alone grows 83% of U.S. nut crops. In fact, nearly all almonds, pistachios, and walnuts are produced in California.

Industry Leaders:

Blue Diamond Growers is the largest almond grower producing one-third of California's almond crop.

Diamond Walnut Growers, Inc., of Stockton, California, produces 50 percent of the country's walnut crop.

Introduction

Nuts are 40% of the total value of U.S. fruit and nut exports.

The United States is the world’s largest exporter, trading nearly a third of the world’s nuts (2013).

Nuts are an important source of nutrients for humans. Because nuts are high in unsaturated fat and low in saturated fat, and they are considered to be a high-energy food containing dietary fiber, essential vitamins and minerals. Most varieties are used throughout the year as nutritious snacks. Products containing nuts include ice cream, candy, confectionaries, assorted baked goods, oils and cosmetics.

one ounce of tree nuts per day is the minimal amount needed to provide statistically significant benefits.

Usefulness of Tree Nuts

Almond Milk Pistachio Ice-cream Chestnuts ChocolateCashew Confectionaries

Walnut oil

HACCP Plan for Walnut Oil

Introduction

Walnuts are rounded, single-seeded stone fruits of the walnut tree which undergoes ripening. Following full ripening, the removal of the husk reveals the wrinkly walnut shell. During the ripening process, the husk will become brittle and the shell hard. The shell encloses the kernel or meat, which is usually made up of two halves separated by a partition. The seed kernels commonly available as shelled walnuts are enclosed in a brown seed coat which contains antioxidants. The antioxidants protect the oil-rich seed from atmospheric oxygen, thereby preventing rancidity.

Walnuts have been revered since ancient times as symbol of intellectuality, since their bi-lobed kernels have convoluted surface inside the shell resembling as that of the human brain!

Walnuts have wide variety of applications in food and non food sector.

Food Sector:

Walnut Butter

Walnut oil

Snacks (Raw, Toasted or Pickled)

Confectioneries

Candies

Non-Food Sector:

Medicine

Inks & Dyes ( Husks of Walnuts)

Cleaning (Grounded Shells of Walnuts)

Usefulness of Walnuts

HACCP for Walnut Oil

Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point is a systematic approach for identification, risk assessment, and control of biological, chemical and physical hazards associated with a

walnut oil production, process and practice.

Prerequisite Programme = GHP, GMP, GAP

Prior to the application of HACCP to walnut oil production should be operating according to the Codex General Principles of Food Hygiene, the appropriate Codex Codes of Practices, and appropriate food safety legislation (CAC, 2001)

Practices and conditions needed prior to and during the implementation of HACCP and which are essential for walnut oil safety (WHO, 1999)

Procedures, including GMP that address operational conditions providing the foundation for the HACCP system (NACMCF, 1998)

Prerequisite Programme

Pre-requisite programmes such as GAP, GMP and GHP must be working effectively within a commodity system before HACCP is applied. If these pre-requisite programmes are not functioning effectively then the introduction of HACCP will be complicated, resulting in a cumbersome, over-documented system.


Prerequisites include:

Cleaning and Sanitation

Maintenance

Personnel Hygiene and Training

Pest Control

Plant and Equipment

Premises and Structure

Services (compressed air, ice, steam, ventilation, water etc.)

Storage, Distribution and Transport

Waste Management

Zoning (physical separation of activities to prevent potential food contamination)

Allergens and Recalls Control

Suppliers Quality Assurance


Good Agricultural Practices:

Primary Production:Primary walnut production should be managed to ensure that walnuts are safe and wholesome for the consumer. Production will start on the farm. It is essential that certain ground rules are followed. Land used for crop should be fit for purpose and should not have previously been contaminated with heavy metals, industrial chemicals or environmental waste. Such hazards will be transferred into the walnuts rendering them unfit for human consumption. Farmers should control production so that contamination of the crop, proliferation of pests, and diseases of animals and plants, do not compromise food safety. Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), including Good Hygienic Practices (GHP) where appropriate, should be adopted to make sure that the harvested walnuts will not present a food hazard to the consumer.

Good Storage Practices (GSP) should be followed when the walnuts are stored on the farm.


Good Manufacturing Practices

Establishment Design and Facilities

The structure and location of a processing plant needs to be considered in relation to the nature of operations and risks associated with them.

Food premises should be designed to minimize possibilities of contamination of commodity or product.

Design and layout should permit maintenance, cleaning and disinfection of the site to minimize airborne contamination.

All surfaces that come into contact with walnuts should be non toxic, as well as being easy to maintain and clean in order to prevent any additional contamination.

Suitable facilities should exist for temperature and humidity control, when required.

Effective measures should exist to prevent access by pests


Control of Operation

Effective control measures should be in place to reduce the risk of contamination of the walnut oil such that it is safe and fit for purpose:

Adequate time, temperature or humidity controls

Food grade packaging

Potable water supplies

Maintenance of equipment

Maintenance and Sanitation

Procedures and work instructions should exist to demonstrate an adequate level of maintenance of an establishment as well as efficient practices for cleaning, waste management, and pest control. Overall, these operations will support the ongoing control of potential food hazards that may contaminate food.


Personnel Hygiene

Measures need to be in place to ensure that food handlers do not contaminate food. This objective can be attained by maintaining an appropriate level of personal cleanliness and following guidelines for personal hygiene.

Transportation

The method of transportation should be such that measures are taken to prevent any contamination or deterioration of the commodity. Commodities or product that need to be transported in certain environments should be appropriately controlled, e.g. chilled, frozen, or stored under specific humidity levels.

Containers and conveyors used for transporting food need to be maintained in good condition and be easy to clean.

Containers used for bulk transfer should be designated and marked specifically for food use only.


TrainingAll food handlers should be trained in personal hygiene, as well as in the specific operation with which they are working, to a level commensurate with their duties. Food handlers should also be supervised by trained supervisors.

An ongoing training programme for food handlers is paramount to the success of a Food Safety Management System

Product Information and Consumer AwarenessThe end product should be accompanied by adequate information to ensure that personnel at the next stage in the food chain will handle, store, process, prepare and display the product safely. Since the consumer may be responsible for performing the ultimate control measure, the cooking of raw meat or fish, they should have all the relevant information required to carry out this step effectively.

All batches of food should be easily identified, by a batch or lot number, to allow traceability of the commodity if required.


All prerequisite programs should be documented, regularly audited, reviewed periodically and modified when necessary. As a general rule, prerequisite programs are managed separately from HACCP plans, however, sometimes there may be certain parts of prerequisite programs that are integrated into a HACCP plan.

HACCP

There are twelve tasks required to develop a HACCP plan for walnut oil and these are designed to ensure that the seven principles are applied correctly. Principle 1, which is to conduct a hazard analysis, requires that the first five tasks.

Task 1 - Establish a HACCP team

Task 2 - Describe the product

Task 3 - Identify the product's intended use

Task 4 - Draw up the commodity flow diagram

Task 5 - On site confirmation of flow diagram

Task 6 - Identify and analyze hazard(s) - (Principle 1)

Task 7 - Determine the critical control points (CCPs) - (Principle 2)

Task 8 - Establish critical limits for each CCP - (Principle 3)

Task 9 - Establish a monitoring procedure - (Principle 4)

Task 10 - Establish corrective action - (Principle 5)

Task 11 - Verify the HACCP plan - (Principle 6)

Task 12 - Keep record - (Principle 7)

Developing a HACCP Plan

Establish a HACCP Team

To fully understand the walnut oil processing and be able to identify all likely hazards and CCPs, it is important that the HACCP team is made up of people from a wide range of disciplines. The team should include:

HACCP Team Leader

Quality Assurance Manager, Mycotoxicologist, Laboratory Manager

Specialists able to understand particular hazards and associated risks.

Edible nut specialist with detailed knowledge in walnut oil production and process equipments.

Packaging specialists, Raw Material Buyers, Production and Procurement staff, farmers, brokers.

Technical secretary to maintain records

Task-1

Name of product: Walnut oil

Raw material: Walnuts

Constituents in walnuts Water: 5 %Protein: 15 %Fat: 63%Carbon hydrate: 13%Fiber: 2%Minerals: 2%

Nutrition Information of oil Energy: 897 kcal/100 g

Fat 99.7 g

Saturated fatty acids Palmitin acid: 8%Stearin acid: 2%Eicosan acid: 1%

Unsaturated fatty acids: Olein acid 18:1, (9) 16%

Polyunsaturated fatty acids Linol acid: 59%Linolen acid: 12%

Packaging 250ml transparent glass bottles with aluminumstoppers or 500ml PET-bottles with plastic stoppers.Both have a first opening guarantee system

Shelf life 6 monthdue to the high content of linoleic acid the shelf life islimited.

Customer's information in the label: Keep in a dark and cool place, do not deep-fry.

Intended use: useful especially for salads dressings and cold sauces

Description of Walnut Oil and its useTask-2,3

Flow diagram of ProcessingTask- 4

Walnuts

Procurement

Drying

Storage

Cracking

Sorting

Pressing

Oil

Sedimentation

Filtering

Filling

Labelling

Packaging

Storage

Procurement:Walnuts are grown and are harvested from the natural environment. Then, mechanical shakers vigorously shake each tree and thousands of walnuts fall to the ground. The walnuts are carefully swept into windrows to allow mechanical harvesters to pick them up for cleaning. As a result of this, the outside (shells) is occasionally contaminated with low levels of Salmonella and other bacteria from animal/fowl feces and/or soil. The cleaning (and shelling) operation removes the majority of the microbial contamination, but subsequent storage and transportation creates opportunities for re-contamination with microorganisms from soil, dust, insects, birds, and rodents. So walnuts should be procured from qualified suppliers.

Onsite Conformation of Flow diagram

Task-5

Drying:Directly after procuring, walnuts are relatively wet and should be dried to avoid rotting. They are usually dried either by wind in special shelters with metal frames and roofs or in the sun while being laid on the ground on cloth or plastic. At normal September air temperatures, walnuts will dry adequately in 3 to 4 days. Drying will take longer temperatures turn cooler. Walnuts are considered adequately dried when they have brittle kernels and brittle packing tissue.

Initial moisture content varies from 15-25% in walnuts, during drying, walnuts lose about 20 % of their weight.

Storing:Dried nuts were packed in plastic bags and stored at room temperature. properly dried and stored, in-shell walnuts will retain their quality and flavor for 1 year at 32° to 45°F (0° to 7.2°C), and for 2 years or more at 0°F (–17.8°C). Shelled walnuts will store well for a year or more at 32°F (0°C) and for 2 years or more at 0°F


Task-5


Task-5

Cracking:Walnuts are cracked by a nutcracker machine and then sorted manually.

Sorting of kernels:Before loading nuts into the press, they have to be sorted again. Foreign bodies and nuts with mold have to be removed. Nuts are put on a tray in small batches and visually checked by the worker.

Pressing:Before loading the nuts into the screw oil press expeller, the press should be preheated to 100°C for easy extraction of oil from nuts.


Task-5

Sedimentation:After pressing the oil should be allowed to stay in a tank for 24 hours in order the sediments can settle. It is better to separate the oil from the sediment as soon as possible, because moisture in the sediment will have bad effect on oils quality. Before filtering the oil should be stirred that all sediment can be filtered. With this process the maximum of oil can be extracted out of the sediment.

Filtering:Filtration of oil should be done to remove the traces of sediment and to make it pure and transparent for customers acceptance.


Task-5

Filling in bottles:After filtration the oil is filled into glass/PET bottles and closed with the aluminum stoppers for glass bottles and plastic stoppers for PET bottles perfectly to prevent leakage problems during handling/transportation.

Labelling of bottles:The product shall be labelled in accordance with the General Standard for the Labelling of Pre-packaged Foods (CODEX STAN 1-1985).The label should contain all the nutritional factors, uses and date of manufacture. Labels cannot contain any toxic ink or glue.


Task-5

Packaging of bottles into Carton boxes:Labelled bottles should be packed into a carton box. Before packing the bottles into the carton box. The box should be closed with tape.

Storage:The quality of the oil depends on the freshness and age of the oil as well as proper storage. Walnut oil, like all vegetable oils is light and oxygen-sensitive and should always be stored in a cool dark place. Once opened, to maintain the best quality and prevent rancidity, it should be best kept in a dark pantry or in the refrigerator and used up quickly. Most bottles last up to 12 months. Ideal temperature is 5°C.

What is hazard?A biological, chemical or physical agent that is reasonably likely to cause illness or injury in the absence of its control.

Three types of hazard in the Walnut oil processing industry:

Biological

Chemical

Physical

Identifying and Analyzing Hazard

Task-6 Principle-1

Raw Material

Type of Hazard Description Significant

HazardControl Measure

B P C

Walnuts ✔ Molds, aflatoxins YesQualified Suppliers verification, Prevention of cross contamination

✔ Foreign bodies like stones, dirt, metal, feathers, etc.

Yes

✔ lead, cadmium, mercury, etc.

No

Packing bottles

✔ Dust No

Qualified Suppliers

✔ (Bacillus) No

Stoppers/Lids

✔ Dust NoQualified Suppliers✔ (Bacillus) No

Step of process



B P C

Drying ✔ Growing of mold, production of mycotoxins (aflatoxin) Contamination with bacteria from soil oranimals (chickens, birds)

Yes Prevent cross contamination, GHP.

Storage ✔ Growing of mold,Contamination throughVermin.

Yes GHP: Keep in adry and closed place, pest control

Cracking ✔ Staph. aureus No

GMP, Verification✔ Foreign bodies No

Step of process



B P C

Sorting Visual checkbefore loading thePress.

✔ Foreign bodies like shells, hair, etc. Yes

Pressing ✔ Cleaning water residues No

GHP, CIP

✔ Detergents, Oil residues No

Filtration ✔ Bacteria from water remained in the filter after cleaning

No

GHP, CIP

✔ Detergent residues No

Step of process



B P C

Filling, Capping Indicator, Visual

check before filling and capping

✔ Damaged bottles and stoppers. No

Label ✔ Manufacturing and expiry dates.

Yes

Check visuallybefore packing

✔ Yes

Store & Transport

✔ Chemical reactions and glass can break

No GHP: Store at 30 °C, keep away from sun and heat, and handle carefully

✔

Establishing a CCP

Critical Control Point:A point, step, or procedure in a process at which control can be applied to prevent, eliminate or reduce a food hazard to an acceptable level.

CCPs are product and process-specific.

They are only used to control significant hazards.

They must be measurable and controllable.

CCP Decision Tree to helps to identify whether step is a CCP or not.

Task-7 Principle-2

Processing Step Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 CCP Control Measure

WalnutsB No No Yes Yes No

P No No

C

DryingB No No Yes Yes No

P

C

StorageB Yes No Yes Yes No

P

C

SortingB

P Yes Yes - - Yes Visual checking/ Foreign body detector

C

A maximum or minimum value to which a biological, physical and chemical hazards must be controlled at a CCP to prevent, eliminate or reduce to an acceptable level.

Based on:

Establishing Critical LimitTask-8 Principle-3

Temperature

Moisture level

Water activity (aw)

pH

ORP values

Visual defects

Viscosity

Time

Sanitizer Concentration

Establishing a monitoring Procedure

A planned sequence of observations or measurements to assess whether a CCP is under control, and to produce an accurate record for future use in verification.

Task-9 Principle-4

Establishing a monitoring Procedure

Task-9 Principle-4

Processing Step CCP Critical Limit

Monitoring

Action Frequency Responsibility

Sorting Foreign Bodies

Nil Visual checking

Every time before loading the batch for processing

Production line employee

Establishing a Corrective Action

Corrective Action shall be immediately taken when monitoring indicates there is a deviation from an established critical limit.

Task-10 Principle-5

Establishing a Corrective ActionTask-10 Principle-5

Processing Step

CCP Critical Limit

Monitoring Corrective Action

Action Frequency Responsibility

Sorting Foreign Bodies

Nil Visual checking

Every time before loading the batch for processing

Production line employee

Prerequisite Program: Product will be placed on hold by receiving clerk and will resorted perfectly without any foreign materials

Establishing a Corrective ActionTask-10 Principle-5

TimeProduct Involved Label

Amount of

Product Involved

CCP Exceeded

Person Who

Identified Problem

Person Informed

Action Taken on Product/ Process

Product Disposa

l

Person Verifying

Disposition

Date of Report: ______________________ Revision No. ____ & Date _____________

Corrective Action Log:

Comments:

Verified by: _______________________ Date of Review: _________________

Verifying HACCP Plan

Activities other than monitoring, that establish the validity of the HACCP plan and that the system is operating according to the plan.

Ways in which the system can be verified include:

Collecting samples for analysis by a method different from the monitoring procedure.

Asking questions of staff, especially CCP monitors.

Observing operations at CCPs.

Formal audit by independent person.

Task-11 Principle-6


Reports include:Records associated with CCP monitoring

Modifications to the HACCP plan

Corrective actions for deviations

Sampling and testing methods used to confirm CCPs under control

The HACCP plan and the individual(s) responsible for administering and updating the plan

Task-11 Principle-6


Task-11 Principle-6

Activity Frequency Responsibility Reviewer

Review of monitoring corrective actions, records to show compliance

Monthly Quality Assurance HACCP Team

HACCP Verification Schedule Form

To be sure about contamination through chemicals and bacteria laboratory tests should be performed.Moisture content measuring for nuts after drying is carried out with the help of moisture detecting instrument “Pfeuffer HE 50” from Germany. Moisture content in the nuts after drying are 3.3 % and 4.2 % moisture. With these values the reproduction of bacteria and molds and production of toxin is impossible.

Pfeuffer HE 50

Task-12 Principle-7

Record keeping is an essential part of the HACCP process. It demonstrates that the correct procedures have been followed from the start to the end of the process, offering product traceability. It provides a record of compliance with the critical limits set, and can be used to identify problem areas.

Record Keeping and Documentation

Task-12 Principle-7Documents include:

HACCP Plan for Walnut oil Processing

Hazard Analysis for Walnut oil Processing

CCP determination for Walnut oil Processing

Critical Limit determination for Walnut oil Processing

HACCP team and assigned activities documents

HACCP plan and support documentation used in developing plan

Monitoring system, including sampling procedures and test methods

Corrective action plans for deviations from CLs

Records include:

Raw material logs and suppliers information logs

Logs for each and every step involved in walnut oil processing

Records associated with deviations

Records of verification activities

Record-keeping procedures, including copies of forms and instructions

Procedures for verification of the HACCP system

Record Keeping and Documentation

Questions?

References

http://homeorchard.ucdavis.edu/8005.pdfhttp://msri-hub.ucentralasia.org/node/4197http://www.fao.org/docrep/005/y1390e/y1390e00.htm#Contentshttp://www.candyusa.com/files/ChocolateSafetyHACCP.pdfhttp://www.gmaonline.org/downloads/technical-guidance-and-tools/Industry_Handbook_for_Safe_Processing_of_Nuts_1st_Edition_22Feb10.pdfhttp://www.inspection.gc.ca/food/safe-food-production-systems/food-safety-enhancement-program/rdhi/eng/1384900871739/1384900941583

http://homeorchard.ucdavis.edu/8005.pdf

http://homeorchard.ucdavis.edu/8005.pdf

http://msri-hub.ucentralasia.org/node/4197

http://msri-hub.ucentralasia.org/node/4197

http://www.fao.org/docrep/005/y1390e/y1390e00.htm#Contents

http://www.fao.org/docrep/005/y1390e/y1390e00.htm#Contents

http://www.candyusa.com/files/ChocolateSafetyHACCP.pdf

http://www.candyusa.com/files/ChocolateSafetyHACCP.pdf

http://www.gmaonline.org/downloads/technical-guidance-and-tools/Industry_Handbook_for_Safe_Processing_of_Nuts_1st_Edition_22Feb10.pdf



http://www.inspection.gc.ca/food/safe-food-production-systems/food-safety-enhancement-program/rdhi/eng/1384900871739/1384900941583

