Product taste testing before micro testing
Hello,
I have a lab background in liquid milk and I am very used to taste testing the final product before micro testing has been conducted, obviously raw milk testing underwent laboratory pasteurisation prior to taste testing took place.
I now work for an Ice cream company that require the production staff to taste test the product after each batch change, a number of staff are now refusing to taste the product on the grounds that the product has not undergone final microbiological testing (Entero & TVC), are there any industry guidelines for product taste testing before micro testing? Although I have 14ish years in the food industry, I have only worked for two companies, is it common place for taste testing to take place before final micro testing. I guess this will usually be conducted by the laboratory staff.
That would be common.....in big companies you're getting product from 10 different plants for sensory.
If you're doing micro in house, you should have your results in 48 hours
Out of curiosity, why after every batch change? Have they been having issues with sensory?
Thank you
We do every batch more because 'That's what we have always done', However batch's tend to be different flavours or variations on recipes. Its easier to manage to state that all batches are sensory tested.
Got it
I think it light of the recent illness surrounding milk prior to pasteurization, I've got to side with your employees.....what is there was a failure you weren't aware of (stranger things have happened) and 41 employees contracted entero?
Seems to me this falls under better safe than sorry
I would also insist (if I were you) that sensory is NOT performed by QA only...you're biased etc etc etc
I once worked in Ice cream factory and do sensory every batch. However, this is after the product goes into the heat treatment. The reason is because of the "small batches" it would not be economical to do CIP or hot water flushing every batch, hence, must do product sequencing. Then a sensory is again performed after addition of nuts, etc. After a finished product is made, panel sensory analysis is performed by top management down to line ops.
How is the GMP in your plant? What is the profile for your plant in terms of micro? are you having usually high microbial counts for your products? If yes, then, it is highly possible that people in the line will not do sensory unless it is confirm that micro results are out. How many do you produce in a day? how many samples you take? Note that sampling also have its own "risk" in getting the correct product.
These are the reasons that we emphasize on having verification on controls that may lead to "microbial contamination". In addition, 2 days (depending on what you analyze) is also a lot of warehouse space and may entail additional cost implication.