Applications for the Food Industry
Regulatory Compliance
Statistical Process Control (SPC) and Manufacturing Analytics (MA) are essential management tools to dependably meet regulatory requirements for food safety and label compliance. By creating a stable process that is capable of meeting specifications you predict behavior at critical control points.
Modern food safety has become heavily dependent upon HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) principles since their first deployment in the US Space Program. HACCP provides the means to identify Critical Control Points (CCP), establish critical values, and monitor for food safety failures.
HACCP programs have frequently been written from an audit or inspection point of view. It is more effective to use SPC/MA tools to monitor and predict the behavior at critical control points. The Butterball case study demonstrates that stable, highly capable processes enable successful sanitation and food safety programs:
This concept was incorporated in the original USDA HIMP (HACCP Inspection Model) regulations and proves the role of SPC in maintaining safe food production.
Predictive or preventative approaches have recently been applied to further support process control and regulatory compliance. Monitoring process conditions and quality outcomes at various stages have proven to identify trends and potential problems before they occur.
Likewise, a stable process in statistical control that is capable will predictably deliver product that meets or exceeds label specifications. For example, SPC is the accepted way to maintain portion control and fill weights that fall within the MAV (Maximum Allowable Variance) allowed by law.
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- Food Safety in the Food Supply Chain
The television program Feast or Famine looks into the challenges of feeding the world. NWA was an active participant in episode 102, “Food Safety in the Food Supply Chain,” which features the ground-beef purchase system of the National School Lunch Program as an example of a successful food-safety and quality system. - Optimizing Product Fill Weights
SPC enables manufacturers to optimize product fill weights, minimize overfill, and comply with regulatory label requirements - The Future of Food Regulations
The National Academies of Science report "Scientific Criteria to Ensure Safe Food" recommends that all food processors use SPC to monitor all processes. The benefits of implementing SPC include safer and higher quality food, decreased production costs, increased processing efficiencies and better regulatory compliance. - Using SPC Methods to Trigger Preventative Maintenance and Prevent CCP Violations
Predictive maintenance more effectively uses resources than scheduled systems. SPC enables dependable response to system needs at reduced cost and greater effectiveness. - Integrating HACCP and SPC
HACCP programs are often monitored only for critical value violations. Using SPC to monitor process stability and capability at critical control points increases the chance of HACCP success. - HACCP Integrations
Review of hardware and software used to integrate HACCP into plant management with discussion of Quality Monitor used for HACCP data collection. - Supply Chain Management in the Purchase of Ground Beef
The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service has developed a world class vendor certification and supply chain quality management system to guarantee the safety and wholesomeness of ground beef supplied to school children through the Federal School Lunch Program. - Choosing and Implementing SPC Software in the Food Processing Industries
The correct SPC software choice means getting more done with less effort. Case study on how to determine allowable raw material variation to meet regulatory label requirements.
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