In the delicious world of dessert production, food safety is just as important as taste and presentation. Despite that, we often indulge in our favorite sweet treats without considering the rigorous processes that go into making them safe. However, behind the scenes, there are plenty of protocols in place. Here are some of the most common hazards and the steps taken to mitigate risk.
Common Hazards in Dessert Production
Food contamination can be broadly categorized into three types: biological, chemical, and physical hazards.
Biological Hazards
Bacterial contamination is a serious concern for fresh dessert ingredients like milk, eggs, and cream. These high-risk items are a breeding ground for pathogenic bacteria such as salmonella and listeria which thrive in moist environments.
Another common biological hazard is mold, which typically grows in desserts with dried fruit and nuts if they’re not stored correctly. Mold can produce harmful mycotoxins, which cause anything from nausea to long-term effects immune damage.
Chemical Hazards
There are nine main allergens according to the USDA. The ones most commonly found in desserts are milk, eggs, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, and sesame. These pose a serious threat to allergy sufferers who can go into anaphylactic shock if they come into even the lightest contact with them.
Other chemical hazards include pesticide residues which can remain on fruit if it’s not washed properly. Cleaning agents can also sometimes make their way onto desserts from equipment and surfaces that’s not been thoroughly rinsed.
Physical Hazards
Physical hazards include foreign objects like metal fragments from machinery, plastic from packaging, or even glass shards. If eaten, they can cut, scratch, bruise, or otherwise damage the digestive tract.
Impurities from low quality ingredients are another potential contaminant. For example, shell fragments in nuts or stones in dried fruits. An even less savory thought is the human-related physical hazards that might be present. Everything from pieces of jewelry through to hair and fingernails can make their way into desserts if precautions aren’t taken.
Best Practices for Food Safety
The first thing dessert producers should be aware of is good manufacturing practices, known in the industry as GMPs. This comes down to making sure the production environment is clean, tidy, and hygienic. For example, equipment should be regularly sanitized, employees should wear protective clothing, and a handwashing regimen should be enforced.
Another important acronym in the sphere of food safety is HACCP, which stands for hazard analysis and critical control points. This systematic approach helps in monitoring each step of the production process. Regular training is also essential. Employees should receive ongoing training on food safety standards so they fully understand how important it is to follow protocols.
Preventing Physical Contamination
Physical contamination can occur at any stage of production, from handling to packaging. To prevent this, companies such as TDI Packsys employ innovative detection systems that not only identify contaminants, but can eliminate them as well. For example, x-ray machines can detect contaminants as small as 0.1 square millimeters.
Endnote
Food safety in dessert production is non-negotiable. Good safety practices protect consumer health as well as business interests. The risks from biological and chemical reactions can be managed by following best practices. One of the most effective ways to combat physical contaminants is to leverage modern technology that detects and removes even the smallest of fragments.
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