Embwinda Fishing Case Study
In celebration of seven (7) years in business, Iyalago Food Assurance Consultants (IFAC) is delighted to share its remarkable achievements in the field of Food Safety and Quality Assurance within the Namibian Food Industry. Among our proudest accomplishments is the success story of Embwinda Fishing, one of our earliest clients. As a prominent player in the Namibian Fishing industry, Embwinda Fishing exports its products to countries that are highly regulated and with advanced food safety systems, particularly in Europe. Iyalago Food Assurance Consultants (IFAC) has diligently supported Embwinda Fishing in achieving excellence, ensuring that their products meet the stringent quality standards demanded by international markets. Through rigorous assessments, strategic guidance, and collaborative efforts, we have contributed to Embwinda Fishing’s growth and reputation as a reliable supplier of safe and high-quality seafood. Stay tuned as we delve into more inspiring stories and continue our commitment to elevating food safety practices in Namibia and beyond! Background Embwinda Fishing, a prominent player in the Namibian Fishing industry, recognized the critical importance of ensuring food safety and quality assurance throughout their operations. However, they faced challenges in achieving maximum team involvement and accountability in their IFS Food safety system. This lack of engagement led to inefficiencies and potential risks to food safety of their products. In response, Embwinda Fishing sought the expertise of Iyalago Food Assurance Consultants (IFAC) to optimize their IFS Food safety system and empower their management and supervisory team to take initiative in ensuring all departments were on board with the food safety and quality assurance system. Problem Definition Embwinda Fishing faced a significant challenge of minimal team involvement in their IFS Food safety system. This lack of engagement resulted in a gap between management’s expectations and actual implementation, leading to potential risks in food safety and quality. The company recognized the need to transition from a passive approach to a proactive one, where all team members were actively involved and accountable for maintaining food safety standards. This involved empowering employees through training and awareness, defining competencies, and ensuring clear job descriptions pertaining to food safety. Solutions Implemented With the guidance and support of IFAC, Embwinda Fishing underwent a transformative journey to optimize their IFS Food safety system and foster maximum team involvement. The solutions implemented included: Empowering Management and Supervisory Team: IFAC worked closely with Embwinda Fishing’s management and supervisory team to instill a sense of ownership and accountability for food safety and quality. This involved providing training and guidance on effective leadership practices and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. Process Owner Empowerment: IFAC facilitated workshops and training sessions to empower process owners within each department to take ownership of their respective processes and implement proper corrective actions when necessary. This approach ensured that every aspect of the food safety system was monitored and controlled by knowledgeable individuals. Employee Training and Awareness: IFAC conducted comprehensive training programs to educate all employees on the importance of food safety and quality assurance. This included raising awareness of potential hazards, proper hygiene practices, and the significance of adhering to established procedures. Competency Definition and Job Descriptions: IFAC assisted Embwinda Fishing in defining clear competencies and job descriptions related to food safety for each role within the organization. This ensured that employees understood their responsibilities and had the necessary skills to perform their tasks effectively. Results Through the collaborative efforts of Embwinda Fishing and IFAC, the company experienced a complete transformation in their approach to food safety and quality assurance. The optimization of the IFS Food safety system and the empowerment of the management and supervisory team led to significant improvements, including: Here is feedback from the Embwinda fishing team on the value added to their IFS system. Hosea Shaanika, Quality Assurance Manager IFAC training is of good value to our operation and processes, [IFAC] were available to any of our calls. Through your training our employees also changed the culture at work place and behaviours. [With regards to on the jo performance] most of people are really using the techniques they learned through training given by yourself [IFAC Trainers] also training given in training for trainers. Consultation services by IFAC improved our operations most definitely by 90% and yes we are satisfied with your [IFAC’s] team engagement in all correspondence with us. Conclusion The collaboration between Embwinda Fishing and IFAC resulted in a successful transition from minimal team involvement to maximum team engagement in their IFS Food safety system. By empowering management, supervisors, and employees alike, Embwinda Fishing was able to achieve a complete turnaround from their previous approach seven years ago. The company is now better equipped to uphold the highest standards of food safety and quality assurance, ensuring the trust and satisfaction of their customers in the seafood industry.
Clostridium botulinum
Clostridium botulinum depicted below is a Gram-positive, anaerobic, rod-shaped, spore-forming bacterium that produces the most potent biological toxin known, botulinum neurotoxin. Botulinum toxins are neurotoxic and therefore affect the nervous system. Foodborne botulism is characterized by descending, flaccid paralysis that can cause respiratory failure. Botulism is usually associated with foods that have received insufficient or no preservation treatment, been kept out of the refrigerator for a while, and been eaten without the proper heating are typically linked to botulism. A bad smell that alerts consumers to the presence of Clostridium botulinum in food is often, but not always, produced by the bacteria. Since heat kills botulinum spores, under-sterilization; either by processing at a temperature too low or for an excessively short period of time, or a combination of these is the main offender in home canning. Prevention of foodborne botulism is based on good practice in food preparation particularly during heating/sterilization and hygiene.
Facts about Sodium, Trans Fats and Cholesterol
High intakes of sodium, trans fats and cholesterol remain high despite recommendations to limit them to reduce hypertension and cardiometabolic risks. Although these nutrients come with health benefits, they need to be consumed in less amounts to prevent health risks associated with overconsumption. Sodium consumption plays a vital role in nerve, muscle functioning and helps your body in maintaining normal fluid balance. However, it is linked with blood pressure if consumed in elevated levels. People with high blood pressure, diabetes, chronic kidney disease as well as older adults tend to be more sensitive to the blood pressure raising sodium. The WHO recommends the consumption of 2 grams (about a full teaspoon) of sodium per day Trans Fats: According to the (EU) No 1169/2011, the primary source of some industrially produced trans-fats is partially hydrogenated oils. Hydrogenated oils contain saturated, and unsaturated fats and among them and trans fats range up to more than 50 %. They can also be naturally present in foods derived from ruminants such as dairy products, or meat from cattle, sheep, and goat. The regulation set a maximum level of 2 grams per 100 grams of fat in food intended for consumers or supply to retail. An elevation in the consumption of trans-fats may increase levels of developing heart disease, stroke, and high risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Cholesterol is a natural substance produced in and found in animal-based foods. The body produces all the cholesterol needed to help build cells, produce vitamins and hormone secretion. However, people take in additional cholesterol by consuming animal basedproducts such as eggs, meat and cheese which are rich in saturated and trans-fats. The consumption of too much cholesterol may cause the liver to produce high LDL (bad) cholesterol which lead to diseases such as heart attack, Stroke, Coronary Artery disease (CAD), etc. The Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) suggests that the maximum cholesterol should be less than 300 mg daily. There is a wide variety of foods a person can regularly consume that do not contain cholesterol such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains such as oats, brown rice, nuts etc. Dieticians recommend consumers to have a cholesterol and sodium -restricted diet by selecting a diet with low percentage values of Sodium, cholesterol, and Saturated fats.
How Do You Ensure That Your Food Processing Plant Is Clean?
It is vital to keep your food-handling plant clean to ensure food is free from any physical, chemical, allergenic, or microbial contamination. Choose which areas to monitor based on your cleaning schedules and HACCP risk assessment, and routinely check their cleaning efficacy. You can verify if your cleaning team is doing an excellent job, by using sterile Swabs, to check the cleaned surfaces. However, before you take your Swabs, read the instructions on your Swabs packaging carefully and wear disinfected gloves to avoid cross-contamination. Thereafter, submit the Swab samples for analysis to a laboratory. After you get your results, compare the cleaning efficacy calculated by the laboratory with the one you set for your processing plant. To consider your food processing plant clean, the cleaning efficacy calculated by the laboratory should be equal to or higher than your targeted percentage. In case of negative Swab results, reclean the non-conforming areas thoroughly, re-sample the same areas, and re-submit for analysis. Let IFAC assist you with implementing a suitable Cleaning Plan and Cleaning Verification Program for your Facility whilst you take care of business.