the codex general principles of food hygiene – control of operation

Good Hygiene Practices along the coffee chain

The Codex General Principles of Food Hygiene –

Control of Operation

Module 3.3

Module 3.3 – The Codex General

Principles of Food Hygiene –Control of Operation

Objectives

Introduce trainees to Section V of the Codex General Principles of Food Hygiene - Control of operations

Demonstrate relevance of the provisions of general hygiene code on the “Control of operation” to the handling and processing of coffee.

Provide understanding of key aspects of control systems in coffee handling and processing



Content

Scope, outline and objectives of Section V of Codex General Principles of Food Hygiene, “Control of operation”

Principles governing hygiene control systems and their application to the coffee chain

Responsibilities of various stakeholders in the control of operations in coffee processing and handling



Objective of Section V

Production of safe and suitable food for human consumption by

Formulating design requirements with respect to raw materials, composition, processing, handling, distribution, and consumer use

Designing, implementing, monitoring and reviewing effective control systems



Control of food hazards

Food hazards should be controlled through the use of appropriate food safety management programmes that

Identify any steps which are critical to safety of food Implement effective control procedures at those steps Monitor control procedures Anticipate emergencies – development of recall

procedures Review control procedures periodically

Systems should be applied throughout the food chain to control food hygiene throughout the product shelf-life



Key aspects of hygiene control

Some food safety issues to be controlled in food processing operations

Microbiological contamination / food poisoning

Chemical contamination Extraneous material Correct use of additives Record-keeping, documentation and labelling

requirements



Implement control measures

Specific process steps may be designed to exert control of food hazards. Key process parameters may relate to

Thermal processing Chilling /freezing Drying Washing Fermentation Vacuum or modified atmosphere Other process-specific procedures depending on the

production system



Designing / evaluating control measures

Microbiological, chemical and physical specifications

Must be based on sound science Considerations in establishing

microbiological specifications Growth potential in particular medium Infective dose Contamination routes Spoilage



Common problems in hygiene control

Microbial cross-contamination Passive transfer by air or water Transfer / contamination by ‘vectors’ Transfer via surfaces Transfer via staff Raw material crossing finished product Packaging faults



Common problems in hygiene control

Physical and chemical contamination Contamination during production operations Chemical residues and extraneous matter in

raw materials Inappropriate use of additives Glass or metal shards



Building adequate controls into the process

Identification and analysis of potential hazards that could arise is an essential prerequisite for building adequate hygiene controls into the process

All operations involved should be considered:

Raw material receipt All processing steps Storage, transport, handling by all intermediate

and final users



Temporary storage and transport at each segment

Primary transformati

on

Primary processing

Secondary

processing

Exportable coffee

Bagging

StorageFresh

cherries

Dry product

Dry product

Unsorted beans

Unsorted beans

Graded beans

A B C D

General structure of coffee chain - four main segments with different operations in each

segment

Hygiene control systems



Segment A: Consists of stabilisation of fresh product by drying. Two basic techniques are used to achieve this

goal


Parchment

Wet processing

Dry cherries

Dry processing

Fresh cherries



Wet processing - consists of the removal of pulp and mucilage through successive operations and this shortens

time of drying


Pulping Removal of mucilage, mechanically or by fermentation in tanks Washing, an operation only applied after fermentation to remove

pieces of mucilage which could remain



Step 1 - Receiving

Hygiene control - receiving

Handling of cherries between harvesting and processing may impact on microbiological condition

Processors should ensure that cherries are received in good condition

Records of deliveries / lists of approved suppliers



Step 2 - Pulping

Control of pulping

Establish specifications for acceptability of fresh cherry to be fed into pulper and ensure that specifications are met

Ensure use of water of acceptable quality Adjust pulper spacings to avoid crushing of beans Visually check pulped parchments for damage and admixture with

skins to verify functioning of pulper

Disc pulper Drum pulper



Step 3 – Mucilage removal by fermentation

Control of mucilage removal

Time of fermentation defined by local conditions (temperature) Assure availability of clear water Ensure adequate removal of skins from parchment Confirm adequate degradation of mucilage at end of fermentation Records should include start and end of fermentation and any

pertinent comments



Step 3 – Mucilage removal by mechanical action

Control of mucilage removal

Establish specifications for acceptability of fresh cherry to be fed into demucilaginator and ensure that specifications are met.

Ensure that water is of acceptable quality Visual check on condition of outgoing parchment and

adjustment of equipment as necessary Daily removal of residual parchment



Step 4 – Washing (after fermentation)to eliminate residual mucilage adhering to parchment

Control of washing

Ensure use of water of acceptable quality Check adequacy of washing - the parchment should not be

gelatinous

MechanicalCanal



Step 5 – Drying of parchment

Drying of parchment

1250 kg of wet parchment Contains 600-700 kg of water to be removed Produces 450-500 kg of dried beans Produces 110-120 kg of dry parchment husk

Control of the drying operation involves same considerations as drying of cherries



Drying of fresh cherries

Hygiene control systems in dry processing

2500-2600 kg of fresh cherries: Contains 1450-1600 kg of water to be removed Produces 450 – 500 kg of dry beans Produces 500 kg of dry husk



Control of drying operations

Parameters to be considered for control of drying Load of dryer (kg of fresh material/m²) or Thickness of layer

Findings from the global project (drying on tarpaulin)

0,0

10,0

20,0

30,0

40,0

50,0

60,0

J0 J3 J6 J9 J12

J15

J18

J21

J24

J27

Thick layer (T1) versus thin layer (T2)

T1T2

15 days

15%

Load

Layer thickness

T1 : 60 kg/m²

T2 : 37 kg/m²

T1 : 10.5 cm

T2 : 3.5 cm




Recommended loads in sun-drying of coffee

Fresh cherries: 20 - 40 kg/m2 or 2 - 4 cm thick layer Parchment: 30 - 50 kg/m2 or 3 - 4 cm thick layer

Drying layer too deep Correct thickness of drying layer

Furrowing to increase surface area




Measurable parameters to be monitored for control of drying

Loading on surface (kg of fresh material/m²) or of dryer (kg)

Thickness of layer Stirring frequency Temperature, air flow, initial moisture content and

residence time (with mechanical drying)




Drying yard management Batches of coffee or parchment in the drying yards

should be kept separately Essential information about any batch should be

recorded (actions taken, moisture content, etc.)




Drying yard management Coffee should be covered during the night and when

raining The person responsible for covering any batch of

coffee should be clearly indicated



Storage of dry product

Storage of dry cherry Rigorous testing to assure newly arrived cherry

coffee is adequately dried (<12%) and in satisfactory condition (evidence of prior abuse)

The recommended maximum length of storage of dry cherry (before hulling) being confirmed

• Husk is an important source of contamination• But husk is more hygroscopic than bean so may confer re-

wetting protection• Poor moisture management could lead to increased risk of

contamination • Practical limitations imposed by hulling capacity



Storage of dry product

Appropriate storage facilities should be provided as outlined in Module 3.2

Permitting adequate cleaning and maintenance Preventing pest access and harbourage Providing protection against moisture uptake

and new contamination Inadequately dried coffee (m.c. > 12.0%)

should not be put into storage



Management of dry product

Records should be kept of dried product accepted into storage (date, moisture content on receipt, condition, etc.)

Scheduled inspection for insect and rodent infestation made and recorded

Regular inspection for roof / plumbing leaks

Stored products should be subject to effective stock rotation - first in, first out

Store bags on pallets but NOT against a wall

Avoid poor quality bags stored on the floor



Segment B: Husking consists of the transformation of dry parchment coffee or dry cherries into beans by husking /

hulling


Parchment

Dry cherries

Beans



Control of husking

Factors to control in husking Moisture below 13% to avoid

excessive heating and crushing of beans

Adjustment of the machine to avoid physical damage to beans

Good separation of husk and beans

When operating in closed place, good ventilation is required

Husk can be highly contaminated with OTA-producing mould and OTA, badly managed husking operations can create contamination risk



Segment C: Cleaning, sorting and grading. Consists of the transformation of dry parchment coffee or dry cherries

into beans by husking / hulling


Unsorted coffee

Sorted coffee

Defects



Hygiene control in grading and sorting

Sorting and grading are primarily related to quality and marketing of coffee

According to ICO Resolution 407 minimum standards for exportable coffee - < 86 defects in 300g sample of Arabica; < 150 defects in 300g sample of Robusta

ISO 10470 - definitions and characteristics of main defects and foreign matter in green coffee

Quality defects / foreign matter may also be linked to risk of OTA contamination – this is under investigation in the global project Sample OTA (ppb)

Bulk coffee 6.3

Sound beans 2.2

Defects 24.5

OTA content of defects and sound beans sorted from a single batch of bulk coffee



Storage of green coffee

Coffee must be protected from re-wetting during storage

Coffee should be protected from sources of contamination

Store bags away from walls

Store bags on pallets in

ventilated and clean warehouse



Storage of green coffee

Green coffee should be stored separately from dry cherry or parchment

Recommended shelf life under ambient conditions of temperature and relative humidity - under investigation in global project



Incoming material requirements

No raw material or ingredient be accepted if known to contain hazards which would not be reduced to acceptable levels by normal sorting/processing

Raw material should be inspected and sorted before processing and, when necessary, laboratory tests should be made

Routine OTA testing is unreliable and expensive Prevention of OTA contamination by adherence to good

practices throughout the chain All actors in the coffee chain should require assurance

that they receive material from reliable suppliers following recommended practices

Only sound and suitable material should be used



Control of incoming material

Periodic evaluation of incoming ingredients Written specifications needed and purchasing

specifications should meet food laws Statistically representative sample taken and analysed

at scheduled frequency

1OO% lots inspected A certificate of analysis for each lot Predetermined sampling plan to verify adherence to

specifications

Vendor certification Specification requirements

Strategies for assuring quality of incoming raw material



Packaging

Packaging design and materials should provide adequate protection

Packaging design should allow proper labelling Packaging materials and gases must be non-toxic Reusable packaging should be durable and easy to clean

Label certifying that this jute bag is

suitable for contact with

food



Water

Water in contact with food: case of wet processing with coffee

Pulper Washing canal

Water quality specifications have not been established - but clear water is recommended

Avoid water polluted with chemical residues and other toxins



Management and supervision

Management of food establishments must Establish and document food quality and

safety policy for establishment Facilitate implementation of quality and safety

policy through adequate quality /safety management programmes

Improve awareness of all employees of food quality/ safety issues and encourage participation of all in assuring food safety and quality

Provide training to employees in food quality and safety, as appropriate to their function



Management and supervision

Design of appropriate control systems depends on: Size of business Nature of activities Type of food

Constraints in relation to coffee sector Highly fragmented nature of marketing chain in

most producing countries Predominated by small-holder farms Limited human, financial and technical

resources of most of the economic operators within the chain

Weak or non-existent economic incentives for ensuring quality and safety



Documentation and records

Any food quality and safety system must include documentation, record-keeping and monitoring

Where necessary, records should be kept and retained for a period exceeding the shelf-life of product

Records of incoming raw materials received Records of processing Records of distribution

Documentation can enhance Credibility Ability to react effectively and efficiently in case of

a food safety problem



Documentation and records

A large proportion of the farmers and traders in many coffee-producing countries operate at a micro-scale

Pooling of coffee is widespread in smallholder areas In many producing countries, regulations governing

the condition of coffee traded within the country are outdated or lacking

Instruments for reliable and accurate measurement of moisture in coffee are not widely available for use in the field

Factors affecting record keeping in the coffee sector



Ensuring adequate hygiene controlsin the coffee sector

To design and implement hygiene control systems covering their entire operation

Industry groups can play an important role in encouraging good practices

Participate in discussions with relevant government agencies on industry concerns, priorities, and provide data as appropriate

Role of industry



Ensuring adequate hygiene controlsin the coffee sector

Use a risk-based evaluation to ensure best use of available resources for the implementation of good practices within the sector

To establish a sound science-based regulatory framework that ensures food safety without unnecessarily encumbering the industry

Assist industry to meet food safety requirements by providing practical guidelines and training

Commit resources for the implementation of monitoring programmes to allow early detection of problems and other technical support programmes to address key issues

Ensure effective use of resources in addressing problems as they arise

Role of government



Next steps…

Reflect on coffee processing operations that you are familiar with - is there adequate control to ensure food safety?

Consider what is your role in ensuring that adequate controls are applied in the processing and handling of coffee?

Next module – ‘Maintenance and sanitation’

the codex general principles of food hygiene – control of operation

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