An effective sanitation program is a segment of total quality management (TQM), which must be applied to all aspects of the operations within an organization.
Total quality management applies the “right first time” approach. The most critical aspect of TQM is food safety. Thus sanitation is an important segment of TQM.
The successful implementation of TQM requires that management and production workers be motivated to improve product acceptability.
Furthermore, all involved must understand the TQM concept and possess skills to maker the program successful.
Quality Assurance for Effective Sanitation
Quality is the degree of acceptability. Component characteristics of quality are both measurable and controllable.
A sanitation Quality Assurance program can achieve the following goals:
- Identify raw material suppliers that provide a consistent and wholesome product
- Make possible stricter sanitary procedures in processing to achieve a safer product, within given tolerances
- Segregate raw materials on the basis of microbial quality to allow the greatest value at the lowest price.
By tradition, the food industry has applied quality assurance principles to ensure effective sanitation practices, among them, inspection of the production area and equipment for cleanliness.
If evidence of poor cleanup is reported, necessary action is taken to correct the problem.
More sophisticated operations frequently incorporate use of a daily sanitation survey with appropriate checks and forms. Visual inspection should include more than a superficial examination, because a film buildup that can harbor spoilage and food poisoning microorganisms can occur on equipment.
Total Quality Management
