automation & food safety. host bill kinross publisher, meatingplace moderator mike fielding...
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AUTOMATION & FOOD SAFETY
HOST Bill KinrossPublisher, Meatingplace
MODERATOR Mike FieldingEditor, Meatingplace
THE ROLE IN AUTOMATION
Jonathan HolmesResearch EngineerGeorgia Tech Research Institute
Topics
• Overview of research at the Georgia Tech Research Institute’s Food Processing Technology Division
• Challenges of working in food processing environments
• Automation in food processing• Impacts of automation on food safety
GTRI Food Processing Technology Division Overview
Supported by the state of Georgia through the Agricultural Technology Research Program as well as some industry funding with a focus on the poultry industry with research associated with other industries such as baked goods. GTRI’s research also extends into worker safety, water quality, food safety, and sensor development.
Automation Challenges in Food Processing
• Daily cleaning routines involve highly caustic cleaners applied at high temperature and pressure
• Food products are non-uniform and conformal making end effector design difficult
Automation in Food Processing
• Automation is not mechanization• Automatic control involves
integration of sensors and often results in a complex system integration effort
Automation Challenges in Food Processing• Sensor integration
challenging due to environmental constraints – especially machine vision tools
• Low profit margins require cost effective solutions
• IP69K approval not available for many electronics IP69K Test Diagram
Selection of Drive Components and Materials
Servo Motors
Product Conveyance Pneumatic Components
Drive Components
Automation Design for Food Processing• Several good sources of hygienic design guidelines
– American Meat Institute, European Hygienic Engineering and Design Group, and National Sanitation Foundation among others
• GTRI has performed extensive tests on automation equipment resulting in guidelines for the design of automation equipment in food processing
• “Guidelines for Designing Washdown Robots for Meat Packaging Applications” published in Trends in Food Science & Technology (Volume 21, Issue 3)– Addresses packaging considerations associated with material
selection, bearings, belts, manufacturing processes, and general design guidelines
Design Guideline Examples
Automation Effects on Food Safety
• Positive effects are clear– Removing the worker can reduce the level of pathogens– Possibility to introduce automated cleaning solutions
• Research in this area will continue to bring new and viable solutions to the market
IMPLEMENT AUTOMATION PROPERLY AND WITH CAUTION:When improperly implemented, automation of processes can
cause a number of problems ranging from significant down time in operation to actually increasing the existence of pathogens
EQUIPMENT SPECIFICATIONS
Fred HayesDirector of Technical Services - Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute
Food Safety Machinery Issues
What is at stake
Problem areas
Standards and Guidance Docs
Risks• Foodborne Illness– E. Coli– Listeria– Salmonella
• Allergens• Cross contamination
Foodborne Illnesses
• Outbreaks– <5% of the total illness– Get all the media attention– Source of the attribution data
• Sporadic Illness– >95% of illness– Virtually no attribution data– No media coverage
• Are things getting worse?
Outbreaks 1998 - 2007
(CSPI Outbreak Alert – 2009)
PCA salmonella
contaminationRecall of 1800 products impacting 250 BRANDS
Number of Bacteria
Time1
2
48
51264
4,05632,768
262,144
12:0012:00
12:4012:20
2:001:00
4:003:00
5:00 6:00
7:00
MICROBES DIVIDE & MULTIPLY RAPIDLY
2,097,152
Time
FLOW & LINKAGES
EN ISO 14159-1-2008
Guiding Standard
AMI 10 Principles
Communication / training tool
Equipment Manufacturers
Processors
AMI 10 Principle Check List - A Tool to Promote & share common expectations
1 - Clean to a Microbiological level~ 47 uinch
A scratch on a piece of stainless steel acts a harborage point for Listeria.
Courtesy Univ. Wisconsin, Madison
2 - Made of Compatible Materials
6061 Aluminum
3 - Accessible for Inspection, Maintenance, Cleaning & Sanitation
4 - No Product or Liquid Collection
5 - Hollow Areas are Hermetically Sealed
Hardware improperly mounted to frame by bolting through tubing.
6 - No Niches
Multiple Pulleys that are not easily removable for cleaning
7 - Sanitary Operational Performance
8. Hygienic Design of Maintenance Enclosures
View from back side
Fully Enclosed Supply line
From This To This
Previous Design Sanitary Redesign
9 - Hygienic Compatibility with Other Plant SystemsDesign of equipment must ensure hygienic compatibility with other equipment and systems, e.g., electrical, hydraulics, steam, air, water.
10 - Validate Cleaning & Sanitizing ProtocolsThe procedures prescribed for cleaning and sanitation must be clearly written, designed and proven to be effective and efficient. Chemicals recommended for cleaning & sanitation must be compatible with the equipment, as well as compatible with the manufacturing environment.
Standards and Guidance
EN ISO 14159-1 2008 Safety of machinery
Hygiene requirements for the design of machinery
AMI 10 principles of sanitary design
SPONSOR SLIDE #2
RAPID MICROBIOLOGICAL TESTING
Jim DicksonProfessor, Dept. of Animal Science - Iowa State University
Outline
• Sampling• Methods of detection• What do we mean by rapid?• Results• Automation
Sampling
Robust Sampling
• “Given its shortcomings and the presumed low occurrence of this pathogen, the N-60 sample size and design may not be adequate for detecting E. coli O157:H7 in beef trim.”
• UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL (24 Feb 2011)
Iowa State University
Methods to Detect Microorganisms in Foods
• Quantitativesome regulatory standards are based on quantitative measures (e.g. population of bacteria allowed in raw milk; E. coli Biotype I on carcasses)
• Qualitative some regulatory standards are based on qualitative measures (e.g. presence/absence of E. coli allowed in pasteurized milk)
Iowa State University
Quantitative Sample Analysis Flow Diagram
Collect SampleTransport to Laboratory
Analyze Sample(incubate)
Prepare Sample
Results
Qualitative Sample Analysis Flow Diagram
Collect SampleTransport to Laboratory
Pre-Enrich Sample
Prepare Sample
Select Enrich Sample
Analyze Sample
Presumptive Result
Confirmed Result
What do we mean by “rapid”?
Sample Collection
Collect SampleTransport to Laboratory
Pre-Enrich Sample
Prepare Sample
Select Enrich Sample
Analyze Sample
Presumptive Result
Confirmed Result
Sample Handling• Collection• Transport• Chain of Custody• Sample preparation
Iowa State University
IN OUT
Sample Enrichment
Collect SampleTransport to Laboratory
Pre-Enrich Sample
Prepare Sample
Select Enrich Sample
Analyze Sample
Presumptive Result
Confirmed Result
Sample Enrichment
• Pre- and Selective enrichment steps often combined
• Typically 8 to 24 hours
Analyze Sample
Collect SampleTransport to Laboratory
Pre-Enrich Sample
Prepare Sample
Select Enrich Sample
Analyze Sample
Presumptive Result
Confirmed Result
Analyze Sample
• The “rapid” in rapid methods
• ELISA – “dipstick” test – 10 min
• PCR – “molecular” test – 3 1/2 – 5 hours
Analyze Sample
• Factors to consider - technical– Sensitivity and Specificity
• Factors to consider - pragmatic– Number of samples per day or week– Training of personnel– Cost (equipment, supplies, etc)
Results
• Presumptive vs. Confirmed– a positive result usually requires confirmation
• What is confirmation?– Traditional bacteriology – isolate and identify a
culture
Isolation and Identification
• Conventional Bacteriology– Selective media– Biochemical reactions
Iowa State University 2009
www.mc.maricopa.edu/~johnson/labtools/Dbiochem/3mac.jpg
www.bacto.com.au/images/crystal_c.jpg
www.rapidmicrobiology.com/news/1054h29p.JPG
Automation
Automation• What can be automated?– Sample analysis– Culture identification
• Why?– Labor costs– Consistency– Throughput
Conclusions
• “Rapid” is– Collect and Transport to lab – 30 min to 24-28h– Sample preparation and enrichment – 10 -26 h– Sample analysis – 3 ½ - 5 h
• Total – 14 hours to 2 ½ days• Confirm Result- 1 ½ - 2 days
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
FOR MORE INFORMATIONJonathan Holmes: [email protected]
Fred Hayes: [email protected] Dickson: [email protected]
Lisa Keefe: [email protected] McDowell: [email protected]
Weber: [email protected]: [email protected]
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