Last week, the deliverable 8.41 on FQMS (Food Quality Management System) guide has been concluded.The objective was creating a guide on the Food Safety and Quality Management System in the fresh-cut segment. The guide is a list of 1) good agricultural practices (GAPs), 2) good hygiene practices (GHPs), 3) good post-harvest management practices (GMPs), 4) good processing practices for fresh-cut industry, which are crucial for HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) system.
The guide is the result of info and data collected by all Quafety partners through the experimental work and demonstration activity in the cooperating fresh produce companies.
The guide is divided in 6 parts:
1. Regulations. This part highlights the importance of GAPs, prerequisite programs and HACCP system.
2. Existing guidelines for fresh-cut rocket and melon. This part provides an indicative plan for SMEs that are in businesses with fresh rocket salads and cut melon. It is based on the experience gained by the SMEs participants in the project and other existing information
3. Main R&D outcomes from Project QUAFETY with potential impact on existing guidelines and related procedures of application. This part provides inputs from results of Project QUAFETY hinting to practical methods for implementation throughout the chain.
4. Diagnostic instrument. This part provides the questionnaire used for assessing the Quality Management System/Food Safety Management System applied in SMEs of fresh-cut produce, and classifying a SME enterprise giving a best practice score.
5. Safety assessment plan. This part provides a systematic procedure (SAP) that supports in deciding on where and how to take a sample, at what frequency, how to prepare a test sample, the methods for microbial analysis, results interpretation and how to judge the outcome in the perspective of a Food Safety Management System.
6. QUAFETY procedures. This part provides the methods and analytical procedures developed, improved or adjusted to fresh-cut fruits and vegetables within Project QUAFETY.
The guide is also available in USB-key format for fresh-cut chain operators, and it should be a tool for daily use.