Was the chart helpful Madam?
The chart is very illustrative. However I do not agree with all the points mentioned in this chart. For example I would not refer to the cooking department as high-risk area. The processes after the cooking step are critical/high risk for cross contamination. i would consider the filling department/assambling department or packing department as high-risk. The same for washing vegetable. The packing after the washing seems more contaminationous to me.
Despite the various OT's (or perhaps because of them 
) I find this thread extremely interesting ( 
)
I also think this is a very interesting thread. Wat started as a simple question to inventarise ideas and definition is turning in a neverending discussion. On one hand I am enjoying it, on the other hand it is really confusing me and doubting all the things I tought I knew. I am already 3 days thinking of the definition of high risk product and the high risk areas involved. Wondering if I have audited companies, which had no high risk area where there should be.
For example today I visited a factory which produces filled bread snacks like bapaos, pitas, barras and bocadillos. Products have a filling of meat/veg/cheese/ The fillings already had a heat treatment at the supplier premises. The filling is put in the dough for the products, which are then steamed or baked and cooled down. Cooled products are packed in flow pack with MAP atmosphere (O
2 < 1,0%), Products have a shelf life of 14 days at < 7 degr C. I never had considered the product as high risk product, but since this thread .....
Other examples of products/processes I am now doubting:
- sandwich making in a very small company (5 persons), all processes are
manual;
- producing, cutting and packing (vacuum) of cold smoked salmon. No high risk area in this company, but the department were the raw fish is received, filetted and smoked are segregated;
- producing of ready to heat meals;
- producing of cut vegetables;
- packing shrimps;
- producing and packing of fried fish;
- producing and packing of herring fillets;
- production and packing of mayonaise based salads, like tuna salad. These products are safe by using only cooked ingredients, pH around 4.2, sealed packing and storage temperature < 7 degr C;
- cut onions, to be used on sandwiches;
- fresh fruit salads;
It is al quit confusing. I even do not know anymore, what I think is hig risk.
Actually I am thinking again for 2 hours and 20 minutes on this problem.
