How can you manage ingredient quality control?

Ingredient quality control is a crucial aspect of food manufacturing, as it affects the safety, taste, and shelf life of your products. Poor quality ingredients can lead to foodborne illnesses, customer complaints, product recalls, and legal issues. In this article, you will learn how to manage ingredient quality control in your food manufacturing process, from sourcing to storage.

1 Sourcing ingredients

The first step in managing ingredient quality control is to source your ingredients from reliable and certified suppliers. You should verify the origin, traceability, and certification of your ingredients, and request quality certificates or test results if available. You should also establish clear specifications and standards for your ingredients, such as moisture, pH, color, flavor, and microbiological criteria. You should communicate these specifications to your suppliers and ensure they are met before accepting any deliveries.

Add your perspective

Sian W.

Food Scientist| MSc. Food Processing Engineering | BSc. Chemical and Process Engineering
Report contribution
Food safety standards such as ISO 9001 requires organizations to establish criteria for selecting, evaluating and monitoring suppliers. Following these requirements can help ensure that ingredient suppliers are reliable and capable of delivering ingredients that meet an organizations desired quality standards.

Like

2 Receiving ingredients

The second step in managing ingredient quality control is to inspect and test your ingredients when you receive them. You should check the condition of the packaging, the temperature, the weight, and the appearance of your ingredients, and compare them with your specifications. You should also take samples of your ingredients and perform laboratory tests or sensory evaluations to confirm their quality and safety. You should reject any ingredients that do not meet your standards or show signs of damage, spoilage, or contamination.

Add your perspective

Sian W.

Food Scientist| MSc. Food Processing Engineering | BSc. Chemical and Process Engineering
Report contribution
It is also important to establish clear acceptance criteria and procedures for how non-conforming ingredients should be handled. Sometimes a business needs to assess the risk and implication of an ingredient not meeting standards because it may not always be feasible to reject the ingredients. Factors such as lead time and stock coverage need to be considered. Hence it is important to ensure a clear procedure is established for non conforming material

Like

3 Storing ingredients

The third step in managing ingredient quality control is to store your ingredients properly and safely. You should follow the storage instructions and conditions provided by your suppliers, such as temperature, humidity, light, and ventilation. You should also label and date your ingredients, and apply the first-in, first-out (FIFO) principle to avoid stockpiling or wasting ingredients. You should monitor and record the storage conditions and inventory levels of your ingredients, and inspect them regularly for any quality issues.

Add your perspective

Sian W.

Food Scientist| MSc. Food Processing Engineering | BSc. Chemical and Process Engineering
Report contribution
A crucial part of ingredient storage is also training and awareness. Employees need to be trained on proper storage practices. Another point to note is the importance of a pest control program to prevent pests from accessing and contaminating ingredients. Pest control measures need to be appropriate and not pose additional risk to food safety. Lastly, segregation of ingredients is critical as well to preventing cross contamination. Allergenic ingredients should be stored separately and clearly labeled or colour coded.

Like

4 Processing ingredients

The fourth step in managing ingredient quality control is to process your ingredients according to your recipes and procedures. You should weigh and measure your ingredients accurately, and follow the mixing, heating, cooling, or other processing steps precisely. You should also use clean and sanitized equipment and utensils, and prevent cross-contamination or adulteration of your ingredients. You should monitor and record the processing parameters and quality attributes of your ingredients, such as temperature, time, pH, viscosity, or texture.

Add your perspective

5 Packaging ingredients

The fifth step in managing ingredient quality control is to package your ingredients appropriately and securely. You should use suitable and durable packaging materials, such as plastic, metal, glass, or paper, that protect your ingredients from moisture, oxygen, light, or pests. You should also seal and label your packages correctly, and include information such as product name, batch number, expiration date, and storage instructions. You should inspect and test your packages for any defects or leaks, and store them in a designated area.

Add your perspective

6 Auditing ingredients

The sixth and final step in managing ingredient quality control is to audit your ingredients periodically and continuously. You should review and evaluate your quality records and data, such as supplier certificates, inspection reports, test results, processing logs, or customer feedback. You should also conduct internal or external audits of your ingredient quality system, and identify any gaps or areas for improvement. You should implement corrective and preventive actions, and monitor their effectiveness and impact on your ingredient quality.

Add your perspective

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

Add your perspective

Sian W.

Food Scientist| MSc. Food Processing Engineering | BSc. Chemical and Process Engineering
Report contribution
Food safety standards such as Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) schemes like FSSC 22000 , provide guidelines and requirements for ensuring food safety throughout the supply chain which includes ingredient quality control. Complying with these standards can help companies maintain a high level of food safety and quality in their ingredients.

Like

How can you manage ingredient quality control?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Sourcing ingredients

2 Receiving ingredients

3 Storing ingredients

4 Processing ingredients

5 Packaging ingredients

6 Auditing ingredients

7 Here’s what else to consider

Food Manufacturing

Rate this article

Thanks for your feedback

More articles on Food Manufacturing

More relevant reading

How can you manage ingredient quality control?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Sourcing ingredients

2 Receiving ingredients

3 Storing ingredients

4 Processing ingredients

5 Packaging ingredients

6 Auditing ingredients

7 Here’s what else to consider

Food Manufacturing

Rate this article

Thanks for your feedback

Explore Other Skills