WORK RELATED LEARNING AT

By
JOEL TENDEKAI TINASHE TARUZA (R091299C)

Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of

Bachelor of Science Honours in Biological Sciences
Department of Biological Science
In the
Faculty of Science and Technology at the
Midlands State University
Industrial Supervisor: Mr F Magadzire
Academic Supervisor: Mr J Bare
AUG 2012-JULY2013

Attachment Report
Table of Contents
Forewordiii
Aims of Work Related Learning... iii
Acknowledgement. iv
Chapter 1: Introduction
Company historical development...............1
Mission statement and vision.3
Organizational structure ........... 3
Products.6
Service markets..........................................8
Company social responsibility..............................10
Chapter 2: Main body
Overview of the departments at Schweppes.....................13
Placement Department: QEOSH........14
Production Processes at Schweppes . 41
Hot fill Line............54
Chapter 3: Conclusions and Recommendations
Key skills developed, strengths and weaknesses... 55
Conclusion...57
Recommendations57
References...60

FOREWORD

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My industrial attachment at Harare Schweppes Zimbabwe Limited (SZL) was an important

period within my academic cycle. The main objective underlying attachment (work related
learning experience) was applying theory learnt into practice and that enhances understanding
processes at industrial level. The report mainly focuses on the production processes and
quality control/assurance techniques and systems which are applied at SZL. It highlights
activities, services and markets served by the organization as well as the companys
organizational structure. Recommendations were suggested to improve on weaknesses
observed and recognized in the Production and Quality Assurance Department.

W O R K R E L ATE D AI M S

To put into practice the theories and experimental skills learnt

To get experience of industrial environment and to know more about organizational

structure(s)
To gain more knowledge about Quality Assurance /Control systems and techniques
To know more about International Standardization like the ISO series and their
requirements.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to pass my regards to the following personnel who made my stay at Schweppes
Zimbabwe Limited fruitful, Mrs J Bwerinofa (Quality Assurance Manager), Mr F Magadzire
(Plant Chemist), Mr D Manjere (Plant microbiologist), Mr L Mugambiwa (Lab Chemist), and
the following Quality Assurance Technicians, Miss C Jiri, Mrs F Chigumira, Mr I Hodzi, Mr
O Mutyandai, Mrs R Mhungu, Mr D Chitumba, Mr M Matawo, Mr R Mataranyika, Mrs M
Shoko and Mrs P Kwangwari. I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to Midlands
State University for providing such an excellent facility that links students with the industry
during their degree programs. A profound gratitude goes to SZL for allowing me this
opportunity to be attached with them for one year. During this period I was able to match the
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academic scientific theory to the real science and industry. I am grateful to all the staff at
SZL, their co-operation, professional expertise and encouragement during my stay.
CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION AND INDUCTION

The student arrived at Schweppes Zimbabwe Limited (SZL) on the 2nd of October 2012. The
first port of call was the Head Office, where the student was introduced to all the sections by
the Human Resources (HR) Officer. From this point onwards the student was introduced to
all other departments at the company by the HR Officer. The induction process included the
following areas; a rundown of the general conduct accepted at SZL, and an overview of the
functionality of all departments at SZL. The general conduct accepted at SZL included the
wearing of Personal Protective Equipment(PPE), wearing closed shoes before entering the
plant, wearing clean protective clothing, washing of hands all the time before and after
entering the plant, wearing head covers when entering the plant and keeping work areas
clean. As the student moved from one department to the other, each department gave an
overview on how it provides services to the running of the company. The induction process
ended with the student being handed over to the Quality Assurance Department after one
week for training.

Company Background
The History of Schweppes Zimbabwe Limited (SZL) dates back to 1930 when Arthur Sturges
arrived in Zimbabwe and set up a bottling company known as Spa Bottlers in Bulawayo. In
1931, the Company launched Mazoe Orange crush nationwide. The success of the small
bottling company in Bulawayo led to the opening up of factories in Harare (Barrow Road),
Ndola and Lusaka in Zambia.In 1955 Schweppes P.L.C acquired a controlling interest in Spa

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Bottlers and the name of the Company changed to Schweppes (Central Africa ) Limited. In
1958, Schweppes (Central Africa) Limited secured a franchise for the manufacturing of Pepsi
Cola and Canada Dry. As the Company expanded and diversified its products, the Harare
branch moved from Barrow Road to its present premises in Willowvale in 1976 and
eventually sold its Barrow Road premises in 1985.
In December 1998, Cadbury Schweppes PLC announced the sale of its brands to The CocaCola Company. The Company was bought by the Coca Cola Company on the 27 th of
November 2001 and became a wholly owned subsidiary of The Coca Cola Company. In
recent developments, Coca Cola Company honoured its promise to indigenize the business
hence 49% of Schweppes shares were sold to Delta Beverages and the remaining 51% were
split as follows, 31% is now owned by Schweppes employees and 21% by a company called
Waterton Investments which is constituted by the current Schweppes directors. The brands
however remain in the ownership of Coca Cola.
NORTHERN TERRITORY

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2 Plants:
Harare
Bulawayo
Ds

SOUTHERN TERRITORY

Figure 1: Showing the main two plants and the Customer Collection Depots they serve.
There are two plants in Zimbabwe, one in Harare which is the Head Office and one in
Bulawayo. It also has four Customer Collection Depots (CCDs) in Masvingo, Mutare,
Kwekwe and Chinhoyi.

Mission Statement
We commit ourselves to innovatively produce and supply high quality beverages that nourish
and refresh consumers whilst creating stakeholder value.

C o m p a n y Vi s i o n
To be a world class supplier of healthy, refreshing and nutritious beverages.

Organizational Structure
The management at SZL is governed by the managing director who reports directly to the
board of directors. He is responsible to shape the companys vision and strategy and has 4
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General Managers who report directly to him as well as three other executives as shown by
the organ gram below:
Key: IT Information Technology
HR Human Resources
QA- Quality Assurance
KD- Key Distributor

Board of
Directors
Managing
director
QAE
Executive

Distribution
warehouse
and
warehouse and
sales

plant
plant
chemist,
chemist,
SHE
SHE
officers,
officers,
Systems
Systems
Coordinator
Coordinator

General
General
Manager
HR
Manager HR
HR and
security

General
Manager
Finance
Finance and
stores
stores

Marketing and
PA executive

Marketing

General
General
Manager
supply
chain
supply chain

IT Exacutive

Internal
Audits
Audits

procurement
and stores

QA
Inters
QA Inters

Figure 1.1 Schweppes Organ gram

DESCRIPTION OF THE ORGANOGRAM

Board of Directors

The board of directors ensures the company's prosperity by collectively directing the
company's affairs, whilst meeting the appropriate interests of its shareholders and
stakeholders. In addition to business and financial issues, boards of directors deals with
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challenges and issues relating to corporate governance, corporate social responsibility and
corporate ethics

Managing Director

The Managing Director of Schweppes Zimbabwe Limited, Mr Msipa leads and develops the
corporate culture for the organisation. As the title suggests, the Managing director manages
the daily business of the company. This includes the staff, the customers, the budget, the
company's assets and all other company resources to make the best use of them and increase
the company's profitability.

General Managers

A general manager is a senior manager and also an executive in the managerial committee,
whose main responsibility is to oversee all the operations and practices of the organization as
a whole. The General Managers of Schweppes Zimbabwe Limited are Mr Mbauya (GM Sales
and Distribution), Mr Madamombe (GM Supply Chain), Mr Chitagu (GM HR) and Mr
Dahwa (GM Finance) are primarily responsible for guiding employees in achieving the goals
and ambitions of the organization. They ensure that all processes and practices are working in
a proper manner. They discuss with other members of the top management and devise any
specific goals, which are to be accomplished within a certain time period. As they oversee all
processes, they have to pay minute attention to monthly or quarterly functioning of each
individual practices. They need to hire well-experienced and efficient managers for handling
the operations of individual practices in a company.

Quality Assurance Executive

The quality assurance managers role is to oversee all the issues pertaining to quality from the
quality policies, safety and health systems, and ensuring that these are implemented and
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maintained. The Executive is at the top of the Quality department managing water treatment
quality systems, safety, health, and environment, microbiological and analytical laboratories.

PRODUCTS AT SCHWEPPES
Schweppes Zimbabwe Limited products can be subdivided into five main categories and
brands which are:TABLE1.1: Product profile
Product
Cordials

CRUSHES
Mazoe Orange Crush 2Lt
Mazoe Orange Crush 1Lt
Mazoe Light 1Lt

SYRUPS

C r e a m S o d a , R a s p b e r r y, B l a c k b e r r y
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Properties
Juice
contains sweetener
and additives
Contains 50%
fruit juice
Dilution ratio
1 part juice: 4
parts water
Packaged in
1lt & 2lt bottles
Certified by
Standards
Association
of
Zimbabwe

Flavoured
juice
containing
nutritive sweetener
and additives
Packaged in
2lt bottles
Shelf
life-9
months
Certified by
SAZ

Ready
to Drink

Nartjie, Peach
RIPE N READY

Lemon & Orange

Wat e r

500ml&1.5lt
Fruit
Juices

100%

Breakfast blend,
mango orange
Nectars

apple,

orange,

and

b e r r y, m a n g o , a p p l e , p i n e a p p l e , e x o t i c
and orange
PETS(400ML)

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Flavoured
drink
containing
nutritive sweetener
and additives
Ready
to
drink
cold
or
ambient
Packaged in
5ooml bottles
Shelf life -9
months
Certified by
SAZ
Purified
bottled still water
enhanced
with
mineral salts
Manufactured
using state of the
arts
reverse
osmosis
technology
Certified by
SAZ
100%,
2040% and 10% fruit
juice
1
Lt
Tet r a
prism in pack
330ml pack
400ml pack
Screw
on
closure
with
tamper proof seal
Shelf life- 9
months& 6months
f o r P E Ts

Pulpy orange, orange, tropical, apple

grape and mango apple

CANS(330ML)

breakfast blend, and apple

Service Markets
The main markets that are served by Schweppes Zimbabwe are wholesalers and among them
are Bhadella, N Richards, and Mohammed Mussa. Retailers are also part of the market that it
serves and these include O.K stores, TM, Spar outlets and Afro foods. Hotels, Restaurants
and Caf are part of the clients that Schweppes serves and all the petrol food marts that are
around Zimbabwe. Wholesalers buy in large quantities and break bulk by selling to small
retail outlets, since they buy in bulk, they are given trade discounts for retention.
Wholesalers are also given trading terms which they operate within for example they can be
given products on credit but are to settle payment within fourteen days. This market is
affected by seasonal changes that is in winter they buy less products and in summer they buy
more.
Retailers sell directly to the final consumers they also buy in bulk and are given trade
discounts for retention. They negotiate for prices at head office level and have a group buyer
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for Schweppes products. This market is also affected by seasonal changes and their demand is
higher in summer and low in winter.Hotels, Restaurants and Caf sell at premium prices
hence Schweppes sells products to them at retail prices, This market therefore is key to
Schweppes Zimbabwe Ltd in meeting its main goals. A recent survey showed that of every
Zimbabwean who buys cordial drink, 58% buy Mazoe Orange Crush. Citra lain, a soft drink
manufacturer only follows at 6%; the rest of cordial manufacturers share the remaining
36%.Some of our own syrups fall into the 36% portion. The figure below shows Schweppes
market share.
Strengths and Weakness
The table below shows the strengths and weakness for Schweppes operations.
Table 1.2 STRENTHS AND WEAKNESS FOR SCHWEPPES
STRENGTH
WEAKNESS
Strong brand identity-Mazoe
Failure to penetrate into foreign
Wide product range that meets
markets due to high production costs

Failure to take advantage of

international standards with a
satisfactory
evidenced

market
by

reception

the

approval

as

HORECA channel by failing to

and

produce certain product lines such as

certification by HACCP, SAZ and

ISO9001
Ability to hire and retain competent

lime

juice,

lemon

with

customers,

suppliers

and

employees
SZL offers credits to customers most
of which accommodate customer
requirements
High-tech machines
Joel T.T Taruza

that

makes
Page 9

and

inconsistent supply of Mazoe also

frustrates customers

employees
Establishment of good relationships

barley

production process faster

SZL is in a better position to control the
market through aggressive pricing strategies

Lyons launch of 50% orange crush

Matonjeni launch of guava, passion,
orange

and a well spelt out promotional

The company has the ability to reenter a shelved export market and

and

tropical

crushes

aggressive in store activities for

example Mohamed Musa

open new ones as well

Cape Fruit margins under pressure
due to rand appreciation

COMPANY SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Schweppes Zimbabwe Limited participates in a number of social responsibilities such as
donating product, training of students during work related periods etc.SZL also gets quite a
number or donations requests for various needs from various organizations. Categorically
there are four main lines that the donations are channelled by the company and they are
namely:

Sports and recreation

Schweppes Zimbabwe Limited plays a pivotal role in the success of the annual Danhiko
Project Paralympics games through the donation of Schweppes water and Mazoe orange
crush.

Trade Promotion and industry development

The company has in the past supported events such as the Confederation of Zimbabwes
industries, HIFA, Harare Agricultural Show, and the Jaggers classics by donating money.
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Education

Primary and secondary schools come to educational tours and among those are Eaglesvale
Primary and College and St Georges College. There are supervisors who are responsible for
educating student on tour. The company also has a Graduate trainee programme and a work
related learning programme which gave the author an opportunity to learn.

Charity

Vulnerable children as well as those that are living with HIV get donations from the company
for their HIV camping and tournaments.

EXPECTATIONS AND INDUSTRY REALITY

When the student got exposed to the new environment that is Schweppes Zimbabwe Ltd in
October 2012, he had never been in any industry before. As a human being both excitement
and nervousness caught up with him since he had many expectations. With what was offered
in the industrial environment it differed from the expectations of the student. Some of his
expectations were to be fulfilled to a greater extent than he had imagined or perceived. When
the student started working he had a number of expectations and these are highlighted below:
The author expected to be lonely at all times and to feel out of place

he also expected to be assigned to do difficult experiments on his own to prove

competence
he thought that bosses would not interact nicely with subordinates and that they were

mean
he also expected that as a student on work related learning he would be tasked to

sweep the floors and to do all other dirty jobs

The author expected to see a state of the art laboratory without any apparatus amiss in

it
he also thought that he would have his own equipment to work with and own space

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Expectation Gaps
Contrary to what the author had expected, all the things turned out to be different. The QA
department was filled with supportive and caring people and the bosses were also very
friendly unlike the initial belief that they would be mean. The student never felt lonely at any
particular time and he wishes the work related learning period would be extendable. In the lab
all the apparatus and equipment were used by the QA department team and no one was
entitled to his/her own apparatus like the author had hoped for.
The author was given fairly challenging assignments and he got overwhelming support in
doing them from the workmates. The author did not even realize his lack of experience in the
first part of the work related learning period because he was always assisted by others until
able to stand on his own feet.
The laboratory had ordinary equipment and some of the apparatus were yet to be bought/to
replaced and during that period the author had to improvise in executing his duties. Some of
the apparatus used are also available at college and they were quite familiar hence easier to
utilize. The author also learnt that as a student he did have to sweep and do other dirty jobs
that were not linked to his programme.

CHAPTER2

WORK RELATED LEARNING RELEVANCE TO DEGREE PROGRAMME

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AN OVERVIEW OF THE DEPARTMENTS AT SCHWEPPES

The Production department encompasses bottling, packaging and manufacturing services. It
is there for continuous, uninterrupted production. The production department is the main
operating sector of the company and is supported mostly by all other departments. The QA
laboratory provides part of the technical services as it provides testing and analytical services
primarily to production. It constitutes the nub of the quality control function in the company
and it provides services to the purchasing function (i.e. examination of raw materials).
Procurement department carries out all purchases. Stores are responsible for the receipt and
storage of raw materials and Packaging materials and other items of use to the company. The
Stores department is again responsible for the issuing of materials to all departments in the
company. The Warehouse is where the finished products are stored and collected for sale; it
works hand in hand with Distribution department. Sales and marketing are the `sellers` or
merchandisers and they receive customer complaints which are then brought to QA for
analysis.

Finance is responsible for main budgets of the company and other accounting matters such
as documentation, payment of bills, and control of incoming and outgoing cash flow .The
Audit department undertakes all internal auditing of departments. The IT department
develops and manages the ERP (Entity Resource Planning System), which is a Microsoft
product that governs the entire business operation. The IT links all departments through
information communication technology. The Human Resources department is concerned with
the recruitment and selection of potential candidates and payrolls. Lastly the Engineering
department is there to provide engineering project management, and maintenance services to
the whole company.

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THE

QUALITY

ASSURANCE,

ENVIRONMENT,

SAFETY

AND

HEALTH

DEPARTMENT
The QEOSH department was the placement department and is divided into 4 sections which
are (i) Analytical Laboratory (ii) Microbiology Laboratory (iii) Packaging Laboratory (iv)
Quality Systems, and Safety Health and Environment and (v) Water Treatment.
The QA department at SZL ensures that a high quality product is produced, which meet the
consumer expectations. It is involved in all processes which are related to maintaining and
improving quality conformance, including systems approach for Quality Management. There
are control procedures used which range from chemical tests, physical tests-visual inspection
and microbiological tests. The department also seeks to quantify the impact of the business on
the environment, and to address its impacts on the natural environment itself. It also deals
with health and safety issues involving the worker, visitors and contractors. This is the
department to which the student did his work related learning.

Fig2.1 QA Departmental structure

KEY
QAE- Quality Assurance and Environment
SHE- Safety Health and Environment

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QA
Executive

Systems
Coordinat
or

Plant
Chemist

Laboratory
Chemist

line
inspect
or

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Microbiologist

Packaging
Analysts

Page 15

SHE
Officer

QA Interns

water
treatment
team
leader

Quality statement
According to Coca-Cola, quality is more than something we see or measure or manage. It
shows itself in every action and it encompasses everything we do from processing to
packaging. Anything less than 100% is not acceptable because our consumers throughout the
world deserve the highest quality beverages we can produce.

T H E R O L E S AN D D U T I E S O F T H E D E PAR T M E N T
Process monitoring
Analyse the product for acidity, brix colour, taste, appearance in comparison to other
products.
Check to ensure that the label is properly aligned on the bottle
Check for proper date coding
To ensure that all the required parameters are met by the products
Standardization of test reagents
Microbiology

Media preparation for pour plating and membrane filtration

Micro analysis of incoming raw materials
Analysis of environmental swabs, equipment and final products

Packaging material analysis and inspection

Monitoring all quality aspects associated with packaging material, PET pre-forms and
blown bottles.

Sampling and analysing all packaging materials from external suppliers.

Conducting trials of packaging materials from suppliers.

Handling and investigating consumer complaints, both internal and external.

Conducting material age survey.

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Calibration and up keeping of Packaging laboratory equipment and records.

Training of packaging personnel on Good Manufacturing Practices and Product

handling.
Equipment calibration and verification

All the equipment used in the laboratory are calibrated and verified according to the
manufacturers instructions, every day.

G O O D M A N U FAC T U R I N G P R A C T I S E S M O N I T O R I N G ( G M P )
The quality of the products produced at Schweppes largely depends on the hygienic status of
the production plants. This is achieved by GMPs. Plant hygiene is maintained at high
standards at SZL and cleaning process ensures plant hygiene. This involves the removal of
juice and syrup from pipelines using cold water and the cleaning fluid is introduced. The
cleaning process involves the use of detergents which are available in liquid and powder
forms; these include alkalis (caustic soda) and general purpose detergents for the floors.

The basic function of the detergents is establishing intimate conduct with the soiled matter
through wetting, hydro toping effect, penetrating properties and displacement of soil.
Detergents vary and their use depends on operation of the short pipe runs. Combination of
detergents is also used to ensure efficient cleaning action. The cleaning methods employed at
SZL are manual (for utensils), Cleaning-In-Place (CIP) for tanks and filling machines. The
cleaning processes are done at the end or before every production run and several methods
are used to assess the sanitary condition of processing equipment. These methods are:
(i)

Inspection of the cleaning and physical examination making use of senses of sight,
smell and feel,

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(ii) Chemical examination which involves checking, using chemical tests the presence of
detergents (caustic soda) in the rinsing water to detect if remaining residues of the
chemicals,
(iii) Bacterial examination in which microbial counts are done on plant surfaces
processing equipment and packaging material.

GMPs are guidance that outlines the aspects of production and testing that can impact the
quality of a product. Although there are a number of them, all guidelines follow a few basic
principles.

Manufacturing processes are clearly defined and controlled. All critical processes are
validated to ensure consistency and compliance with specifications.

Manufacturing processes are controlled, and any changes to the process are evaluated.
Changes that have an impact on the quality of the food are validated as necessary.

Instructions and procedures are written in clear and unambiguous language.

Operators are trained to carry out and document procedures.

Records are made, manually or by instruments, during manufacture that demonstrate

that all the steps required by the defined procedures and instructions were in fact
taken and that the quantity and quality of the food was as expected. Deviations are
investigated and documented.

Records of manufacture (including distribution) that enable the complete history of a

batch to be traced are retained in a comprehensible and accessible form.

The distribution of the food minimizes any risk to their quality.

A system is available for recalling any batch of drug from sale or supply.

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Complaints about marketed foods are examined, the causes of quality defects are
investigated, and appropriate measures are taken with respect to the defective drugs
and to prevent recurrence.

Inspection of Raw Materials

This section refers to the inspection of goods received by the Stores department. These raw
materials include; food ingredients such as juice, sugar and essence (units), packaging
materials and other materials used for production processes. The raw materials were received
together with Certificates of Analysis (COAs) then these COAs were given to the quality
inspector. Upon the COAs, the student was instructed to inspect the material received. On
inspection the student had to take note of the material name, manufacturer, batch number and
the expiration date provided by the manufacturer if it complied with the COAs. Samples were
then taken of the materials so that they could be tested in the laboratory. With use of the
reference documents and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for testing of materials, the
samples were tested against the set specifications of KOKE. Chemical, microbiological and
organoleptic tests were conducted on food ingredients, visual and measurements conducted
for packaging materials.

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Fig2: 2Flow diagram of examination of raw materials

PROCESS CONTROL
Process control describes the monitoring and control of a process to ensure that it operates at
its full potential to produce conforming products. The process control involved monitoring of
water treatment, syrup preparation, packaging material and line inspection of bottling lines.
On-the-spot tests were carried out during food processing to measure (often indirectly)
composition and the physical properties of food products. Rapid feedbacks were essential
during process control to ensure that adjustments could be made in time to maintain product
quality. During process control chemical, physical, visual and organoleptic tests were carried
out. The chemical tests incorporated alkalinity determination in water, clinistix test in water,
caustic concentration of detergent solution test and sulphur dioxide determination in cordials.
The physical tests involved those in which instruments were used for analysis, for example
weight and torque. Visual and organoleptic tests incorporated the use of the five senses to
analyse the products. In the course of process control there had to be receipt of a sample form
from the originating section stating the product name, quantity of sample, samplers name,
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time and date of sampling, and the test parameters and their specifications. There was then
verification of specifications provided before sample analysis. The acquired results were
recorded on the sample form and the sample form was returned to the originator. The
operations carried out during process control are shown in the next page.

PHYSICAL
PHYSICAL
TESTS
TESTS

ORGANOLEPTIC
ORGANOLEPTIC
TESTS
TESTS

PROCESS
CONTROL

RAPID
RAPID
FEEDBACK
TO
FEEDBACK TO
PRODUCTION
PRODUCTION

Fig 2.3: Diagram on operations employed during process control

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CHEMICAL
CHEMICAL
TESTS
TESTS

PRODUCT EXAMINATION
The product examination process is not entirely control but it helps to confirm that the
desired product results have been attained. Product examination mainly encompasses product
organoleptic acceptability, and some other chemical, microbiological and quantitative tests.
During this process, representative samples were drawn or taken from the production lines.
The first consideration during product examination was total dissolved solids (brix) which
had to fall between the set limits provided. Other tests would follow after brix measurement;
these were foreign material, torque, and fill height. Analysis was then followed by recording
documentation of check sheets.

COLLECTION OF
PRODUCTS
PRODUCTS TESTING
AND ANALYSIS
CHECK SHEET
RECORDING

RECORD KEEPING
FEEDBACK TO
PRODUCTION LINES

Fig 2.4: Flow diagram on product examination

ANALYSIS DONE IN THE ANALYTICAL LABORATORY

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Sugar analysis
A 1kg sample of sugar was taken with a scoop from the tonne bags of sugar being analysed.
About 82g of sugar was weighed and distilled water was added and stirred. When the sugar
had dissolved, turbidity was determined. Turbidity is the clarity of a solution/fluid, its
cloudiness or haziness. The brix was measured using the refractometer and had to be between
50-60 degrees. Sugar was tasted after diluting 20ml in 100ml of treated water.
There was an odour test for sugar also done. In the Odour After Acidification test,
phosphoric acid was added to 100ml of sugar solution with the pH meter dipped to ensure the
pH reading reached 1,5 . The sample was then heated while swirling gently, sniffing the
solution after every 10 minutes for a period of 30 minutes to note if there are any unusual
odours. After analysis all results are recorded in the Sugar analysis file.

Juice analysis
Samples were taken aseptically from every batch that was received. Colour, sweetness (taste),
odour and appearance were observed to see if they conformed. Brix was measured using the
refractometer and had to be 50 degrees or more. To get acidity, 10g of juice were measured
and 100ml of distilled water was added, the sample with a magnetic stirrer was put on the
auto titrater to get the titratable acidity. Using the titratable acidity, the corrected brix was
obtained from Brix Tables. The results were then recorded in the Juice analysis file.
Units were not analysed as per requirement of Coca Cola but their packaging was inspected
for any breakages, storage requirements and also the date codes were checked.
PH determination
Determination of pH value of products or raw materials pH denotes the measure of acidity
or alkalinity of a solution. The test was done with use of a pH meter equipped with a glass
electrode (probe) connected to an electronic meter that measures and displays the pH reading.
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The pH meter was calibrated at the beginning of each working day. The calibration was
carried out with the use of two buffer solutions, pH 4 and pH 7 buffer solutions.

Fig 2.5 Picture showing a hand held pH meter

Brix (Solids) Determination Refractometer Method

This method is intended to determine the percentage of solids or sweeteners using a
Refractometer. The Brix scale measures the amount of sugars in solutions and determines the
amount of solids in products where sugar is the main component, such as in fruit juices, fruit
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pulps and syrups. A small amount of sample is put on the Refractometer prism surface; the
Brix (%) is then read directly from the instrument. For syrups, the Density and Sound
Velocity meter was used to measure brix. Its a complex and advanced machine through
which syrup passes through membranes.

Alkalinity of Water test

This method is used to determine the alkalinity level of water samples. Alkalinity is a
solutions capacity to neutralize an acid. When determining alkalinity phenolphthalein was
used as colour indicator, the water turns pink if the pH is above 8.3. When determining
alkalinity using methyl orange or methyl purple the water samples turns yellow and green
respectively if the pH is 4.9.
The water sample is titrated with sulphuric acid, after some addition of sodium thio-sulphate
which neutralizes any chlorine present and 3 to 4 drops of phenolphthalein indicator and a
stirrer. The volume of acid used is recorded and multiplied by 10 to get (P) alkalinity (mg/l as
CaCO3).The titration is continued using methyl orange or purple. The volume used during
both titrations is multiplied by 10 to get (M) total alkalinity.

Sulphur Dioxide
Preservatives can be categorized into three general types: antimicrobials that inhibit growth
of bacteria, yeasts, or moulds; antioxidants that slow air oxidation of fats and lipids, which
leads to rancidity; and a third type that blocks the natural ripening and enzymatic processes
that continue to occur in food stuffs after harvest.

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Sulphur dioxide serves all three functions, which is one reason why it and related compounds
called sulphites are found in so many household products .A small percentage of the
population is allergic to sulphites but the majority of the population is safe. In addition to its
antimicrobial action, sulphur dioxide inhibits degradation reactions in fruits, thus
consequently juice.
The procedure is as follows:
1. Take 25ml of sample with clean 25ml bulb pipette into 250ml conical flask.
2. Add 2-3 drops of starch indicator into the sample.
3. Titrate against 0.1 Iodine solution.
4. The end point will be when you observe the first permanent blue-black colour
5. Record the reading from the burette.
Calculation:
Titrate value x Iodine factor (result after standardization) = Result (mg/L)

Torque
Torque, also called moment of force, is the tendency of a force to rotate an object about an
axis fulcrum, or pivot. Just as a force is a push or a pull, a torque can be thought of as a twist.
Loosely speaking, torque is a measure of the turning force on an object such as a bolt or a
flywheel. For example, pushing or pulling the handle of a wrench connected to a nut or bolt
produces a torque (turning force) that loosens or tightens the nut or bolt. A torque is an
influence which tends to change the rotational motion of an object. The torque meter was
used to check if the capper had applied the closures within the recommended range of 9-17.
The spring torque tester was used at SLZ.

Caustic Concentration of Detergent Solution

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Detergents used in Cleaning In Place (CIP) at SZL industry are of known

concentration/strength, this enables efficient and economic use of these detergents. Use of
detergents with a weaker strengths result in poor cleaning regimes, whilst highly concentrated
detergents results in unnecessary loss of detergents as well as corrosion to rubber rings in
joining pipes. Alkaline detergents are generically known as caustics and chemically they are
NaOH (caustic soda). They are used in the sanitation process. Acid detergents used react with
mineral deposits that have accumulated on juice contact surfaces. Juice and mineral deposits
become hardened and layered on the equipment surface and provide excellent surfaces on
which biofilms, which are adherent macro-colonies of bacteria, may thrive. Acids are used
in proper strengths to attack all these without attacking rubber parts.
To test caustic concentration 10ml of the detergent solution was obtained and put into a
beaker, 2-3 drops of P indicator were added and the sample was titrated using 1N sulphuric
acid. The sample was titrated until a pink colour disappeared and the solution was colourless
for at least 20 seconds. Volume of acid used was recorded as P value. Two to three drops of
M indicator were added and titration was continued until green to greyish purple. Volume
used in both titrations was recorded as the M value. Calculations are as follows:
2P-M =A
% NaOH =A x 0.4

Ozone Residual Water test

Maintaining the optimum level of ozone is very critical. If the ozone level is too high, plastic
bottles may develop an after taste. If the ozone level is too low bacteria spores hidden in the
water, inside the plastics walls of closure devices can recover and easily contaminate the
entire products. The procedure quantifies the ozone residual in water sample whenever ozone

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is used as disinfectant. A small sample of ozonated water containing a DPD pill was placed in
a comparator and the comparator was held towards a light source and a colour disc could be
rotated until it matches in the two windows. The concentration was read in mg/l and
appropriate action could be taken if results did not meet the required specification.

Net content
A balance scale was used to measure the net content of products according to their
specifications. When they are out of spec they are then put on hold so that a way forward may
be determined.

Visual and Observation tests

The other tests include foreign matter which uses light to see if there is foreign matter in
water and for other drinks direct observation is done. Label application and date code also
used direct observation to see if the label is being applied correctly on the correct product and
if the date code is correct. The date code shows the best before date, the time and the line
were it was produced this helps in traceability programs.

Iodine Standardization
This was necessary for the Iodometric titration of sulphur dioxide. The method is as follows:
1. Measure 5 ml of Sodium Thiosulphate
2. Add 2 drops of Starch indicator
3. Titrate with iodine solution

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4. Divide titre volume by 640 to get iodine value

Residual Chlorine test

A digital colorimeter is the most accurate way to measure free chlorine and/or total chlorine
residual and this was used at SZL. The colorimeter used the following method:
1) Addition of DPD tablets or powder into a vial of sample water that causes a colour change
to pink
2) Insertion of the vial into a meter that reads the intensity of the colour change by emitting a
wavelength of light and automatically determining and displaying the colour intensity (the
free and/or total chlorine residual) digitally. The range of the meter was 0 - 4 mg/L,
equivalent to 0 - 4 ppm (parts per million).

ANALYSIS IN THE MICROBIOLOGY LABORATORY

Microbiology is the science study of the microscopic forms of life which can be found in the
environment (Soper, 1997). These microorganisms include bacteria, moulds, yeasts, algae,
protozoa and viruses. Most microorganisms are unicellular, with some consisting of loose

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aggregate of independent cells and some form long filaments or protoplasts within a single
cell wall. Microorganisms perform the same fundamental activities within their single cells as
higher organisms do within their many celled structures, and this is the basis of
microorganism studies. Microorganisms are ubiquitous, meaning they are found everywhere,
in soil, bodies of water, in the food and water we consume and even in the air we breathe, the
mouth, nose, digestive tract and other human body regions. Due to the above mentioned areas
of microbiological growth, tests were done on products, water, raw materials, equipment or
plant environment and work personnel.

Yeast and Moulds

Yeast cells (single cell organisms of spherical, elliptical or cylindrical shape) are undesirable
organisms in the beverage industry as they cause fermentation products with formation of gas
and acid (Merck, 2003). The gas produced results in the blowing off of fermented and
sweetened products while the acid formed gives the product a bitter taste which is undesirable
and renders the product unfit for human consumption. Optimum pH growth for yeast growth
is 4, 5 to 5, 0. Yeast cells are facultative anaerobes, in the absence of oxygen they breakdown
sugar to alcohol and water, while in the absence of oxygen they break down sugar into carbon
dioxide. The micro-organisms can cause defects in orange juice and orange juice products
and syrups.

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F i g 2 . 7 : S h o w i n g Yea s t C e l l s
Yeast can develop as white, pink, red, or green colonies with a satiny or shiny appearance.
Other colours of yeast colonies also exist.

Non-fluffy appearance

Fluffy appearance
Fig 2.8: Showing moulds

Moulds can form many different colours. Some of these colonies can have a fluffy
appearance.

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C O L I F O R M D E T E R M I N ATI O N
The coli form test is a more specific bacteriological test for the quality of non-carbonated
products. It is used as an indicator of proper sanitation. Coli forms are defined as all aerobic
and facultative anaerobic, Gram positive, asporogenous rods able to ferment lactose with the
production of acid and gas. These organisms constitute a threat to safety of beverage products
because they indicate a potential to cause disease out breaks. Faecal coli forms are a division
of coli forms that are distinguished by their ability to ferment products with the production of
acid and gas at elevated temperatures (43-45C). E-coli are faecal coli forms because of the
presence of E-coli in humans and animal intestine and in their resultant stools. Its presence in
processed foods is generally considered to indicate pollution of direct or indicate faecal
origin.

The Total coli form method has two stages:

The presumptive test

Confirmed test

In the presumptive test, series of McConkey fermentation tubes are inoculated with decimal
dilution of the samples, formation of gas and acid after 24-48 hours at 37C constitute a
positive test.
For the confirmed test, decimally diluted samples are inoculated into tubes containing Blue
Green bile, which contains selective and inhibitive agents that suppress the growth of all coli
form micro-organisms accept faecal. Gas and acid production at elevated temperature of
442C constitutes a positive test for faecal contamination.

Total Bacterial Count (TBC)

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Juice and juice products are a good media for bacterial due to their nutritive values. There are
four main sources of high TBCs in juice and juice products and these are as follows:
Environmental contamination such as poor hygiene/ WRONG procedures used is sanitizing
the preparation tanks.
Bottling equipment
Poor storage of the product
Juice extraction
Total Bacterial Counts are also applied to non-juice products such as syrups and Schweppes
still water, in which case they are used as a measure of the purity of the product as well as of
the effectiveness of the sanitation regime being put in place. High TBC in juice and non-juice
products lead to product of poor quality and also shortens the life span of the products.

F i g 2 . 9 : S h o w i n g Tot a l b a c t e r i a l G r o w t h

GOOD LABORATORY PRACTICES

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A microbiology analysis is all about accuracy and to attain accuracy there has to be
employment of good laboratory practices (GLP). When there is use of GLP, aseptic
techniques are employed during, before and after analysis. This comprises of cleaning and
disinfection of workbench before and after analysis, and cleaning and disinfection of the
plating room before and after use. SZL used 70% alcohol for disinfection of workbench and
hands. Sterilization of pipettes, media, diluents, and decontamination of lab waste was also
crucial as exposure could bias results. All cultures and other materials had to be made noninfectious before disposal from the lab thus used Petri dishes were autoclaved first before
disposal to clinical waste. The microbiology waste was placed in plastic bags which were
securely sealed and sent for incineration. Other methods of disinfection included autoclaving
pipettes, glassware, and using chemical disinfectants such chlorine.
Elimination of residue through the drain is strictly forbidden as the chemicals cannot be
reduced by waste water plants and hence there would be contamination of the environment.
Sterilization by autoclaving was done for 15minutes at 121C to achieve sterility of glassware
and other apparatus.
Components of a GLP as stated to the author are shown below;
1) Laboratory coats or correct protective clothing should be worn at all times
2) All glassware to be used for analysis should be sterile
3) All organisms examined to be handled as carefully as possible and must be treated as
potentially infective
4) Test tubes holding cultures should always be kept standing on racks
5) Cultures meant to be incubated should be labelled accurately and adequately ( with
name of test material, dilution, culture used and date of incubation) before incubation
or storage at the appropriate place in the lab
6) Media and live cultures are never to be poured down the drain as they may clog the
drains due to setting
7) Sterilization of loops, tongs and forceps before and after inoculation is a necessity
8) Always check incubation temperatures (log them on the temperature log sheet),
sterilization temperatures, and water bath temperatures
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9) Always calibrate scale either in the morning or before use and record on the internal
scale calibration file
10) No eating/ food in the micro lab

MEDIA PREPARATION
A culture medium is a substrate or nutrient rich solution which is used for the cultivation of
microorganisms. Culture media was prepared from dehydrated powders which were
rehydrated using de-ionized water and mixed with the use of a hotplate magnetic stirrer.
Depending on the preparation instructions, some were heated until they reached boiling point
and some were not exposed to heat during stirring. The media was then sterilized with use of
an autoclave. Exposure of media for 15 minutes to usually temperatures of 121C is enough
to destroy all organisms which might hinder accuracy of the process. Agars mainly used at
SZL were m-GYM (Green yeast and moulds), PCA (Plate Count Agar), PDA (Potato
Dextrose Agar) and others. OSA (Orange Serum Agar), m-Endo and m-TGE.
OSA is mainly used in culturing acid tolerant microorganisms and is optimally adapted to
special requirements of microbial flora present in citrus juices because it contains orange
extracts and a pH of 5.5 0.2 at 25C. PCA is mainly used for microbial counts and has a pH
of 7 0.2 at 25C. PDA however has a pH of 5.6 0.2 at 25C and is used for cultivation of
yeasts and molds because the carbohydrate and potato infusion promotes growth of yeasts
and molds while low pH inhibits growth of accompanying bacterial flora, (Merck,2003)

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PLATING TECHNIQUES
After sufficient dilution of samples, the inoculums were added to the specified culture
mediums. Two techniques were mainly used, pour plate and membrane filtration.
Pour plate method
With use of a Bunsen burner, the sample was aseptically transferred to a properly labelled and
sterile Petri dish. The aseptic transfer was achieved through exposing the tip of the pipette to
the flame, cooling and then sucking the diluted sample. The author was instructed to only
open the Petri dish enough to allow the tip of the pipette to go through and avoid
contamination from aerial microorganisms. Molten agar was then poured after inoculation of
sample into the Petri dish, approximately 10 15ml of the agar was used. The bottle
containing the agar was flamed before and after pouring the agar to achieve and maintain
asepsis. The Petri dish was then swirled in an anticlockwise and clockwise direction, five
times each and left to set before being incubated in an inverted position.

Membrane filtration
Membrane filtration involved filtration using liquid or dehydrated media pads and solid
media in Petri dishes. A sterile membrane apparatus was attached to a vacuum source.
Forceps were dipped in alcohol and flamed and were used to aseptically place a sterile
membrane filter into the apparatus. After sample dilution, it was aseptically poured into the
top of the apparatus. The vacuum was applied to draw the sample through the membrane after
which the cover was removed and the sample was rinsed with sterile water. The liquid was
drawn and flamed forceps were used to remove the membrane to a sterile Petri dish with
proper media. The sample was then incubated at the appropriate temperatures for a proper
duration. (www.microbio.com/biologicssafetytesting,14-04-2013)

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ANALYSIS DONE IN PACKAGING LABORATORY

Raw materials used in packaging of the product are analyzed (i.e) labels, corrugated slip pads
and closures were analyzed physically for compliance with Standards and Certificate of
Analysis. Shrink-wrap, liners and stretch wrap were analyzed for dimension, thickness and
conformance to COA. Pre-forms used in bottle blow molding are also analyzed for
conformance to COA and weight as well as ability to work with appropriate closure. Blow
molded bottles are analyzed for clarity, sectional weight and wall thickness. Packaging
analysts are also responsible for monitoring process of PET blow-molding at correct
temperatures and pressure.

QUALITY SYSTEMS KNOWLEDGE AND IMPLEMENTATION SKILLS

The company has stringent programs, standards, guidelines and operating procedures, built
from KORE, ISO 9001:2008, ISO 22000:2005, SAZ 749 and PAS 220:2008, to ensure that
all their products are safe. The company recently attained a Standards Association of
Zimbabwe (SAZ) certificate which focused on the implementation of the ISO 22000:2005 of
Food Safety Quality Management System.

KORE stands for Coca Cola operating requirements. It provides a management system
foundation that combines discipline toward producing the highest quality product while
allowing flexibility to achieve global implementation. KORE offers assurance in quality, food
safety, environment and Occupational health &safety. To strengthen this assurance SZL align
with external, internationally recognized standard.

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KOKEFRAMEWORK

KORE has 5 levels:

i) Policies
ii) Standards

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iii) Specifications
iv) Requirements
v) References
The first four make up the WHAT, they focus on the desired outcome rather than the
process. The final level makes up the HOW or the manner in which the KORE
requirements can be achieved.

POLICIES
The policy level is the foundation upon which the entire management system is built. The
policies state the Companys expectations & they guide the activities &decision making of
the organization .SZL has 4 policies
Quality: confirming the coca cola systems strong commitment to quality in all that is
done
Food safety: stating our adherence to proven food safety systems, processes and
controls
Environment: strengthening our position as environment leaders
OHS: reaffirming that people are our most valuable resources

STANDARDS
The company is aligned with internationally recognized standards in manufacturing,
production & distribution as part of our commitment to global governance & operational
excellence. Because global customers expectations are constantly evolving, SZL have
aligned with international and industry standards to stay current with the highest level of
Quality, environment, safety and health. SZL is certified to:
i.

ISO 9001:2008

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ii.

ISO 22 000: 2005 & HACCP

iii.

OHSAS 18001:2007

iv.

ISO 14001:2004

SPECIFICATIONS
Provide prescribed limits or characteristics to which a product or service must conform.
Specifications provide parameters used to monitor measure & analyse a product to ensure it
conforms with & meets the necessary quality requirements.
i.

Beverage & product specifications

ii.

Ingredient specifications

iii.

Packaging, sales & marketing equipment specifications

REQUIREMENTS
Includes the company requirements needed to protect trademark & product integrity& to
ensure protection of people & the environment. Provide the details of what must be
implemented and the desired output:
i.

Beverage & product requirements

ii.

Facility environment& safety & health requirements

iii.

Standard methods

iv.

Packaging requirements

v.

Sales & marketing equipment requirements

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REFERANCES
Represents the How in the KORE framework
i.

References

ii.

Guides & guidelines

iii.

Procedures

PRODUCTION PROCESS AT SCHWEPPES

The production department is the main operating sector of the company and is supported
mostly by all other departments. It constitute of the following departments:
i)
ii)

Manufacturing Services Department

Packaging Department.

The QAE provided part of the technical services as it offered testing and analytical services
primarily to production.

MANUFACTURING SERVICES DEPARTMENT

This department comprises of sub-sections which are Water Treatment, Simple Syrup Room
and Final Syrup Room. Each sub-section is responsible for providing services for production
purposes. The Water Treatment is responsible for management, treatment and monitoring of
incoming water from municipal, to ensure that water meets the specifications for its intended
use. The Simple and Final Syrup Rooms are responsible in the production of all the noncarbonated beverages. These products were brought for testing to the QA department before
bottling commences.

WATER TREATMENT

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The process is done to proactively manage, treat and monitor incoming water (municipal
water) to ensure that water meets the specifications for its intended use. The procedure
applies to the Water Treatment Plant and it starts from raw water analysis, tank filling,
chemical dosing, coagulation, filtration and final analysis to release for use. Portable water
(municipal water) is used as raw water for the multi-barrier water treatment system. The
multi-barrier system consists of:
a

Treatment tanks covered on top

Sand filter and flow meters

Semi-treated water tanks

Carbon filters and flow meters

Polishing filters- with 10 micron filters

Backwashing water storage tank for potable reuse. Potable reuse is obtained by
blending recovered water with raw water at no more than 20% by volume. The water
passes through sand and carbon filters before it is fed to treatment water tanks for a
full chemical treatment.

The sand filters and carbon filters are backwashed every 24 hours if the water analysis results
for sand/carbon filters are out of specification. For Packaged Water it is further treated by
reverse osmosis and ozonation after the multi-barrier treatment. Treated water that has passed
through the multi-barrier treatment is used for:
a

Cleaning and sanitation of product-contact equipment

Manufacturing of products

Rinsing of containers on line

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Fig3.1: Water treatment flow diagram

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WATER TREATMENT FLOW DIAGRAM

The flow diagram shows the whole process of water treatment before use in the plant. Lime is
added to stabilize the pH, ferrous sulphate encourages sedimentation and coagulation and
chlorine destroys bacteria. The sand filters trap residues (dirt), lime and the ferrous sulphate.
Carbon filters trap the chlorine and this is the first critical point because chlorine tends to
bleach or discolour products. The polishing filters further purify the water as it passes
through cartridges before it is transferred to the plant. For packaged still water, the water
undergoes a process known as Reverse osmosis. Reverse osmosis is a process by which a
solvent such as water is purified of solutes by being forced through a semi-permeable
membrane against its concentration gradient, the solvent passes but not solutes. The water is
then transferred to the final syrup tank were salts are added. The tank is agitated and the
water is filtered. A process known as ozonation then occurs where a gas known as ozone is
put in the water to preserve it for the next 9 months shelf life.

HOMOGENIZATION OF JUICE
Homogenization is the act of making something uniform by blending together thoroughly so
as to get a homogenous composition. The juice is mixed with the orange oil until they are
homogenous and this process prevents separation. Orange peel oil is added to concentrate to
mask and slow down the development of a card board off-taste during storage. The
homogenized juice is used in the in Mazoe orange crush, and Mazoe orange light.

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Fig3.2: Homogenization Flow Diagram

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SIMPLE SYRUP
The simple syrup refers to the dissolved sugar which should have a brix range of 50-60
degrees. Brix is the amounts of sugar in solution. Pre-checks were done to ensure if the
contimol, mixing tank, sieves and filter were properly sanitized. The following flow diagram
shows the whole process of simple syrup preparation.

Fig 3.3: Simple syrup Flow diagrams

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BTA means buffer tank. Water is added into the dissolving tank, in sufficient quantity to
cover the jet mixer. The water starts circulating and the sugar valve is then opened. The screw
conveyor moves the sugar from the Hooper to the dissolving tanks. After dissolving of sugar
it is then transferred to the simple syrup buffer tanks. These are numbered to help when doing
traceability. The total soluble solid (brix) is then tested with reference to the sugar tables.
Appropriate final syrup personnel are informed that the simple syrup is ready for filtration
and the simple syrup is transferred to the final syrup room.

FINAL SYRUP
The final syrup room is where all the final products are prepared. Pre-checks are done to
ensure all tanks and pipes are sanitized. The final syrup tank and ingredient mixing tank are
sanitized to eliminate possible health hazards arising from pathogenic microorganisms
associated with syrups. Before the simple syrup is transferred to final syrup room, the
quantity of the granulated sugar required is calculated, based on the product mixing
instructions. Brix of the simple syrup is tested and the volume is determined by reading from
the slighter glass. The simple syrup is filtrated through a sieve before it reaches the final
syrup tanks. Filtration is done to remove any foreign material that maybe found in the syrup.
The pressure of the syrup is also monitored during the simple syrup transfer. Simple syrup
checks are carried out. The tests will be on brix, temperature, sweetness, odour and
temperature, based on the specifications required. If they are out of specification, alterations
are made.
Dissolved ingredients and water are added to the simple syrup and agitated. The process of
agitation enables the mixing of the syrup and other dissolved ingredients. Agitation carries on
up until all ingredients are thoroughly mixed to homogeneity level. When the syrup is ready it
is tested for Brix, temperature, taste, odour and acidity as per required specifications. The

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final syrup is also tested on appearance in comparison with the reference sample. The
reference serves as the control, syrup is then released after it is confirmed that it is ready for
bottling. The following flow chart shows all the processes done in the final syrup room.

Fig3. 4: Final syrup Flow Diagram

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PACKAGING PLANT
The packaging plant is where the containers/bottles are made from resin to pre-forms and
then the pre-forms are blown to produce bottles. Coca-Cola approved resin is used in the
manufacture of the various pre-form sizes and the lot numbers of the resin used are captured
on production log sheets. The preforms are stored in boxes with plastic liners to prevent dust
and foreign particles and these boxes are allocated lot numbers which appear on the box
sticker. The preforms are kept under the stores department for 48 hours before blowing to
allow uniform cooling. All the scrap from the perform manufacture is disposed.
The Quality Assurance Department approved pre-forms are used for bottle blowing and the
lot numbers of the pre-forms used are captured on the production log sheets for record
keeping. The bottles are stored in boxes with plastics liners to prevent dust particles .These
boxes are allocated lot numbers which appear on the box stickers and on lot number log
sheets. The whole process is shown by the following diagram

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Fig3. 5: Bottle manufacture Flow diagram

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BOTTLING PLANT
The bottling plant is where the finished beverages conforming to quality requirements,
meeting customer and consumer expectations are packaged for the market. Bottles from the
packaging plant are fed into the bottling process through the unscrambler and sorted out and
conveyed to the filler by an air conveyor. The bottles are rinsed to remove any foreign
material before filling; this prevents any form of contamination. The containers are filled up
to the specified fill height to avoid over or under filling. In the case of packaged water filling,
ozone levels are checked on hourly basis, on the ozone monitor to maintain the optimum
level required during bottling.

Filled containers are capped with the designated colour of closure for the particular product.
The QA checks the torque on capped product. The checks are done after a certain period of
time to make sure all the bottles are being closed properly. Capped products are labelled
according to the type of syrup. The labeller operator sets the date coding machine accordingly
and frequently monitors the print on the product for any deviations. No products go to
warehouse without proper date coding. Finished products are shrink-wrapped to the particular
case size for easy handling and storage. The flow chart is as follows:

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Fig 3. 6: Bottling Flow diagram

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WAREHOUSE
The warehouse is where the finished products are stored before distribution to the market.
The pallets are stacked in racks and bays. The flow diagram simply shows what happens in
the warehouse.

Fig 3.7: Warehouse Flow Diagram

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HOT FILL PROCESS

Hot Filling is a proven and recognized method for filling high acid foods (pH less than 4.6)
that will be shelf stable at ambient temperatures. This method is used extensively in the food
industry for filling a glass and plastic containers and in paperboard cartons. It relies on heat
treatment to temperatures in the region of 194-203 F (90-95 C) for at least 15 seconds
(typically 15-30s). This process produces a Commercially Sterile Product by killing all
microorganisms capable of growing in it. The product is then cooled and filled at
temperatures ranging 180-185 F (82-85 C) into containers, sealed immediately with
closures, and then held at this temperature for approximately 2-3 min. The hot filling will
sterilize the inner surface of the container. The filled containers are usually placed on their
sides so that the neck-finish and closure are also sterilized. The containers are then cooled in
a cooling tunnel in order to minimize the thermal degradation of the product.
The main purpose of hot filling is to provide a product free from microorganisms capable of
growing in it at ambient storage. Commercial sterility or thermally processed food refers to
the absence of disease-causing microorganisms, absence of toxic substances and of spoilagecausing microorganisms capable of multiplication under a number of non-refrigerated storage
and distribution conditions. The same line runs cold filled still water that is ozonated to
microorganisms.

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CHAPTER 3

PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The knowledge acquired at college before the work related learning helped the author a lot as
he found it simple to relate the theory and the practical work during the work related learning
period. There was now a better meaning to why certain tests are carried out in the laboratory.
For example when you test for acidity on the face value of it its just an acid base titration but
at Schweppes we carried the acidity to determine preservative concentration and taste.
The author also leant administrative and business skills as he realized that when running a
business every variable like water usage and electricity consumption counts as it impacts on
the final financial gain of the company. Another major aspect leant was to minimize errors as
a small error could ruin the financial outcome of the company as a simple customer return
would mean transport to go and fetch the product back from the market and also money to
destroy it .
During the work related learning period the author was able to identify his strengths and
weaknesses with the former outweighing the latter.

Strengths
Confidence- this is the major strength that the author had and he was always

confident thanks to the stronger theoretical knowledge he had leant and college.
Communication-because of the exceptional staff that the author worked with, he
always found it easy to communicate with any of them.

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Responsibility- the author was very responsible because he knew that any lack of
concentration would make everything go wrong and that would land him in big

trouble.
Time management- he always found it easy to prioritize things in order of
importance and at the end of the day his work was well outlined, traceable and neat.

Weaknesses

Entrance- upon entering the company some people would look down upon the author
as they saw him as a mere student who could offer nothing and this pulled him down.

Slow adaptation to adjustments- the author was slow to adapt to the fact that he was

expected to work on night shifts as it was new to him.

Short temperedness- he had problems in dealing with workmates in the production
area as some of them didnt want to listen to him as he was the QA personnel to
assure that quality is maintained a top priority at all times.

Keys skills developed

Technical skill

The author leant to aseptically collect samples and to plate using aseptic techniques. He also
learnt how to effectively titrate samples and to make calculations based on the titrations.
Implementation of international systems was another thing that the author leant as well as the
importance of HACCP and the environmental occupational health and safety (EOSH).

Interpersonal skills

The author realized how communication is an important tool in the success of a company as it
brings individuals to a common platform for decision making, mutual understanding, conflict
resolution and exchange of ideas.

Business skills

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As some of the information was confidential the author had to learn to be integral and
maintain the ethical value of the confidentiality. Time management was also another key
aspect of business that the author leant as time is considered as money in business terms.
Management of costs was also a major highlight as far as the business skilled acquired by the
author are concerned.

RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS

Limitations

A lot of bottling Stoppages and interruptions could be observed during production,

This was mostly due to the increased breakdown of machines during operation.

Raw materials could come contaminated due to weather conditions, during transit

which could lead to cross-contamination of products.

At times storage space was inadequate for product being produced; this led to

products being stored between production lines.

Observation of the first in first out (FIFO) rule was not totally adhered to due to

overloading of the raw materials in the stores department.

The increased power cuts had a negative impact on all plant operations and on the

keeping quality of product resulting in major financial losses.

Sensory evaluations were not properly conducted for new products developed.

Some employees were reluctant to practice; GMPs this could lead to contamination of

products.

Recommendations

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Line stoppages that have an impact on food safety and quality of product should be

handled in such manner as to prevent product contamination or spoilage. Line interruptions or

stoppages that last more than 60 minutes, normal QA product tests should be carried out on
samples from either the filler bowl or Syrup room tanks before bottling resumption.

There should be strict maintenance requirements for all processing equipment to

ensure conformance of that equipment in producing/processing products

There should be a sensory evaluation laboratory for the purpose of testing new

products developed by Research and Development department.

All incoming raw materials should be tested for the presence of inhibitors which

could cause cross contamination

All employees should receive documented training in personal hygiene, GMPs,

cleaning and sanitation procedures and personal safety.

CONCLUSION
The Work Related learning year has made the student to mature personally, academically,
professionally and socially. It was a good first time industrial experience working at SZL and
It has made him discover that working environment is different from college environment. He
would like to thank everyone who made his stay a pleasant one. Nevertheless, he adopted
mature ways of self-conduct, professional etiquette as well as good communication skills.
The student is of the opinion that industrial attachment is a very important tool in equipping
undergraduate students with professional experience. Going through work related learning is
absolutely an eye opener and experience of a lifetime; he managed to effectively amalgamate
and integrate the learnt theories and concepts with the practical demands of industry. He
managed to quickly synchronize the theory he had learnt at college into relevant practice
especially pertaining to networking, operating systems and internet.

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References

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1) Merck

OP

(2003),MERCKS

MICROBIOLOGICAL

METHODS

AND

TECHNIQUES MANUAL,12TH EDITION, Logic Printers Inc, Germany

2) Soper R, (1997),BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES,3RD EDITION, Cambridge University,
UK
3) www.microbio.com/biologicssafetytesting 14-04-2013

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