ScienceDirect
Original Article
Article history: To ensure the safety of the peanut butter ice cream manufacture, a Hazard Analysis and
Received 13 October 2014 Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan has been designed and applied to the production pro-
Received in revised form cess. Potential biological, chemical, and physical hazards in each manufacturing procedure
5 January 2015 were identified. Critical control points for the peanut butter ice cream were then deter-
Accepted 23 February 2015 mined as the pasteurization and freezing process. The establishment of a monitoring
Available online 21 April 2015 system, corrective actions, verification procedures, and documentation and record keeping
were followed to complete the HACCP program. The results of this study indicate that
Keywords: implementing the HACCP system in food industries can effectively enhance food safety
food safety and quality while improving the production management.
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Copyright © 2015, Food and Drug Administration, Taiwan. Published by Elsevier Taiwan
Point LLC. Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.
ice cream
peanut butter
* Corresponding author. Graduate Institute of Food Science and Technology, National Taiwan University, Number 1, Section 4, Roosevelt
Road, Taipei, Taiwan.
E-mail address: kccheng@ntu.edu.tw (K.-C. Cheng).
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jfda.2015.02.005
1021-9498/Copyright © 2015, Food and Drug Administration, Taiwan. Published by Elsevier Taiwan LLC. Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.
510 j o u r n a l o f f o o d a n d d r u g a n a l y s i s 2 3 ( 2 0 1 5 ) 5 0 9 e5 1 5
contamination due to the hot and humid climate of Taiwan, exist in the peanut butter ice cream production process were
which may pose a severe threat towards food safety [2]. In identified and CCPs were selected.
addition, the microbiological quality of ice cream can be low
as its many nutrients and neutral pH value makes it a good 2.2. Methods
growth medium for microbes [3]. Therefore, the prevention of
microbial contamination is crucial, and a tailored food safety Based on the 2008 revised form of the Food Safety Control System
control system should be established to ensure the safety of of the Department of Health, Executive Yuan, and the HACCP
the peanut butter ice cream production. and guidelines for its application of the United Nations Codex
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) is a Alimentarius Commission, the overall technical process of
scientific and systematic approach applied in the food in- peanut butter ice cream production was drawn and a hazard
dustry for the identification and the control of specific haz- analysis was performed. CCPs were subsequently identified
ards. The HACCP program covers the input of the materials, and selected. Critical limits, as well as a monitoring system,
production process, final products, facilities, and personnel at corrective actions, verifications, and documentation and re-
the critical control points (CCPs). It consists of two major cords were then established according to government regu-
components: hazard analysis and the control measure of the lations and industry standards. The decision tree method, a
critical limit. Hazard analysis is the process of identifying and visual and easy-to-understand analysis, was applied to
evaluating the potential hazard factors that may negatively determine the CCPs.
affect food safety, while the control measure is to prevent or
eliminate the hazards to a minimized and acceptable level [4].
The HACCP system has been widely adopted by countries all 3. Results and discussion
over the world as well as international organizations,
including the World Health Organization and the Food and The flow diagram of the peanut butter ice cream production is
Agriculture Organization, and is currently a world-recognized summarized in Fig. 2, including the receiving of raw material,
preventive management system to maintain food hygiene. weighing and blending, pasteurization, homogenization,
In Taiwan, HACCP is defined as the Food Safety Control cooling and ageing, freezing (followed by peanut butter addi-
System in the regulations of the Department of Health (now tion), packaging, hardening, and storage and distribution.
upgraded to the Ministry of Health and Welfare) [5]. It is an
extended food safety supervision that is based on the present 3.1. Hazard analysis and prevention measures
standard operating procedures, Good Manufacturing Practice, establishment
and Good Hygiene Practice [6]. Although the HACCP system
has been proven to be effective in controlling and preventing Hazard analysis was conducted at every technical procedure
food hazards, it is still a voluntary procedure for most food starting from the receipt of materials to the delivery of the
industries in Taiwan. To expand the application of HACCP in final product. All biological, chemical, and physical agents
Taiwanese food industry, the government has been promot- with the potential to cause adverse health effect were iden-
ing this control system stage by stage, from encouraging tified and evaluated. The significance of each hazard factor
spontaneous employment to mandatory implementation in will be determined by the severity of the risk.
certain food sectors [7]. With the occurrence of many food
safety issues in recent years, HACCP could be a possible 3.1.1. Receiving of raw material
alternative to avoid these problems and ensure food safety. As a major ingredient, milk and milk products provide ice
Various studies have been conducted to assess the ice cream with milk fat and nonfat solids, which contributes to its
cream production after the application of a HACCP program, unique mouth feel and rich flavor. The fresh cream from milk
and this has proven to have positive effects on both the offers a fine combination of lipids that produces the smooth
microbiological quality and the overall quality of the final texture and the melting properties of the ice cream [11]. All
product [8e10]. In this case study, information on the peanut dairy products must meet the requirement of the Ministry of
butter ice cream production was collected and evaluated, and Health and Welfare: Sanitation Standard for Milk and Milk Products,
a HACCP plan (Table 1) was implemented to this production and each one should also conform to the Chinese National
process. The quality and safety of the peanut butter ice cream Standards according to its distinctive type. Egg yolk normally
product can be effectively guaranteed through this HACCP serves as an emulsifier in ice cream products. It is a source of
implementation (Table 2). lecithin, which provides emulsifying properties to develop the
creamy characteristic desired in ice cream [12]. As regulated
by the Taiwanese government, egg products are required to
2. Materials and methods meet the conditions set by the Ministry of Health and Welfare:
Sanitation Standard for Eggs and Egg Products. In addition, sup-
2.1. Study object pliers are strongly encouraged to submit self-inspection re-
ports to ensure food safety, especially in regards to Salmonella
The entire production process of peanut butter ice cream was contamination. Being the main flavoring of the peanut butter
evaluated including the plant layout, facility structure, tech- ice cream, peanut butter is subjected to the law of the Ministry
nical standards, cleansing method, staff assignment, safety of Health and Welfare: Sanitation Standard for the Tolerance of
control, storage conditions, and distribution (Fig. 1). The po- Mycotoxins in Foods to regulate the amount of aflatoxin (no
tential biological, chemical, and physical hazards that may more than 15 ppb) in peanut products.
Table 1 e Hazard analysis for peanut butter ice cream production.
Technical Hazard factors Significant Criteria for judgment Prevention & control measures Critical
process or not control point
Receiving of B Escherichia coli,Listeria spp., No Inappropriate processing, storage, & distribution of Confirm certified business license & demand
raw material Salmonella spp., Staphylococcus the supplier may cause microbial contamination product inspection reports from the suppliers;
aureus, Aspergillus spp. evaluate suppliers periodically & select the
C Antibiotics, aflatoxin, nitrate, Yes Inappropriate production may cause harmful optimal ones; sample every batch of material;
j o u r n a l o f f o o d a n d d r u g a n a l y s i s 2 3 ( 2 0 1 5 ) 5 0 9 e5 1 5
nitrite chemicals to pollute the material, such as remaining self-evaluation documents should also be
antibiotics in dairy products; improper treatment of provided to ensure material quality
peanut may produce aflatoxin-contaminated
products
P Stone, metal No Brought in by suppliers during the production chain Conduct sifting & metal detection
in the following procedures
Weighing & B Microbial contamination & growth No Inappropriate processing temperature & sterilization Perform feeding quickly at a low temperature,
blending during processing of mixing vat may result in pollution of mixing vat should be properly cleaned
microorganisms & sterilized in advance
C Excessive food additives No Excessive consumption of food additives may have Product formula should strictly follow the
adverse health effects requirement of food regulations; weighing
facilities should be frequently corrected
P Metal residue No Metal may left at weighing & mixing facility Manufacturing area & facilities must be kept
clean; conduct sifting & metal detection in the
following procedures
Pasteurization B Pathogen remains after Yes Inadequate pasteurization Strictly control pasteurization time CCP1
pasteurization & temperature
C None No N/A N/A
P None No N/A N/A
Aging B Microbial contamination & growth No Improper aging condition & sealing of facility may Strictly control ageing condition; keep
result in microbial contamination relevant facilities clean & sealed
C None No N/A N/A
P None No N/A N/A
Freezing B Microbial contamination & growth Yes Unhygienic container & operation area Keep the inlet & its surrounding air clean; CCP2
(plus peanut filter screen must be sterilized in advance;
butter addition) peanut butter addition should be processed
quickly at low temperature
C None No N/A N/A
P None No N/A N/A
B ¼ biological; C ¼ chemical; CCP ¼ critical control point; N/A ¼ not available; P ¼ physical.
511
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present condition;
regular check up
Verification
Examine record
on temperature
controlling plot
product quality
daily, regularly
Apply portable
timer to check
thermometer/
stated in the CNS [13]. Due to its nutrient contents and neutral
pH value, the microbiological quality of ice cream may be low,
to ensure
as it is a good growth medium for microbes [3]. Numerous
incidences of pathogen-contaminated ice creams have been
controlling plot reported, including Listeria spp., Salmonella species, Staphylo-
coccus aureus, Bacillus cereus, and Yersinia enterocolitica [14e16].
Second time
controller
butter addition
3.1.3. Pasteurization
Object
3.1.4. Homogenization
Homogenization of the mix breaks down and reduces the size
butter addition) (B) contamination
Significant
efficiency.
control point
3.1.5. Aging
Critical
Fig. 1 e Large ice cream plant for production of 5000e10,000 l/h of various types of ice cream. A ¼ Raw material storage;
B ¼ Dissolving of ingredients & mixing: 1. Mixing unit, 2. Plate heat exchanger, 3. Mixing tanks (at least 2 for continuous
processing); C ¼ Pasteurization, homogenization & fat standardization of the mix: 4. Plate heat exchanger, 5. Homogenizer,
6. Tank for anhydrous milk fat or vegetable fat; D ¼ Ice cream production plant: 7. Aging tanks, 8. Continuous freezers, 9. Bar
freezer, 10. Wrapping & stacking unit, 11. Cartoning unit, 12. Cup/cone filler, 13. Hardening tunnel, 14. Cartoning line, 15.
Return conveyor for empty trays, 16. Tray tunnel extruder, 17. Peanut enrobing unit, 18. Cooling tunnel, 19. Wrapping unit,
20. Cartoning unit, 21. Cold storage. Note. From “Dairy processing handbook,” by G. Bylund, 1995, Lund, Sweden: Tetra Pak
Processing System AB, p. 392e93. ©Tetra Pak; Copyright 1995. Adapted with permission.
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Application of the HACCP system provides the food industry analysis and critical control point (HACCP) and guidelines for
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Available at: http://www.mhlw.go.jp/english/topics/
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