14 replies to this topic

[Jerry Chacko]

Hi,

 

For my Caramel Popcorn HACCP Plan, I outlined the steps and in one of them, there was the Air Popping step which was done at 200-210 Degrees Celsius. So my question here is, if this is my operational setting for the raw corn to pop, will this be considered also as my CCP?

[G M]

Hi,

 

For my Caramel Popcorn HACCP Plan, I outlined the steps and in one of them, there was the Air Popping step which was done at 200-210 Degrees Celsius. So my question here is, if this is my operational setting for the raw corn to pop, will this be considered also as my CCP?

 

Not necessarily.   One aspect of a CCP is that it is the last step which can control a risk.  It is conceivable that the application of the caramel flavoring or some other step after popping might also achieve thermal lethality (presuming you're looking for a lethality CCP step to control micros).

 

Alternatively you also might not be measuring the material that matters.  The air temperature could be 200C, but what is the temperature of the popcorn itself (and thus the contamination on the surface of the kernels)?  If your validation study establishes a proxy, this might not be a problem.

[AJL]

The question you should ask yourself is: are you controlling a risk there? Why does it get heated?
Is it because you are expected that the popcorn is contaminated with pathogens?

Isn't control at this step got a lot more to do with quality than safety?

[Jerry Chacko]

Not necessarily.   One aspect of a CCP is that it is the last step which can control a risk.  It is conceivable that the application of the caramel flavoring or some other step after popping might also achieve thermal lethality (presuming you're looking for a lethality CCP step to control micros).

 

Alternatively you also might not be measuring the material that matters.  The air temperature could be 200C, but what is the temperature of the popcorn itself (and thus the contamination on the surface of the kernels)?  If your validation study establishes a proxy, this might not be a problem.

That is a good point to check at whether the popcorn is really attaining that temperature. I am afraid not. So this can be validated by the microbial log reduction against the raw corn kernels. Hope the result of it can be justified to consider it as a CCP. 

 

However down the flow there is another step which involves coating with caramel slurry (Temp >100 C). This is also a step to eliminate the micro for which I will again need to validate it. The coated popcorn attains minimum 100 Degrees and the exposure time is 30 secs. Can this step be considered as my CCP then?

 

 

Regards

Jerry

[Jerry Chacko]

The question you should ask yourself is: are you controlling a risk there? Why does it get heated?
Is it because you are expected that the popcorn is contaminated with pathogens?

Isn't control at this step got a lot more to do with quality than safety?

 

Hi, thanks for the reply.

For the corn to pop the temperature required is 200-210 Degrees Celsius. My equipment is already designed to give this temperature. So in this case, if I go by the CCP Decision tree, Q2 asks, "Is this step designed to eliminate the hazard or to reduce its occurrence to an acceptable level?", to this question, my answer would be "NO", since this is an operational requirement. If I reduce the temperature to 100 C, the corns will not pop. So it needs this temperature of 200C for it to pop.

 

Please correct me if I am wrong in analyzing the Q2 of the CCP Decision tree.

 

Regards

Jerry

[AJL]

Is pop corn not popping a hazard/risk? It can be that it is important for the quality - but not safety.
Have you researched what the potential microbiological risks are associated with the unpopped corn?

[SHQuality]

Could heating over 120 degrees Celsius potentially cause a risk of acrylamide formation here?

Probably worth some analysis.

[AJL]

My opinion is: it is not a CCP as I can't see that you have a 'hazard' you are reducing.

Microbiological safety (I assume) should be controlled through you approved supplier program and agreed specifications.

[SHQuality]

My opinion is: it is not a CCP as I can't see that you have a 'hazard' you are reducing.

Microbiological safety (I assume) should be controlled through you approved supplier program and agreed specifications.

That is great to control the microbiological safety of your raw materials.

It does zilch to control the micro of your surfaces, machinery or final products.

[AJL]

My point is, I cannot see how this step is a CCP?

[Scampi]

This previous thread may help

 

https://www.ifsqn.co...limits-popcorn/

[Sayed M Naim Khalid]

Jerry, 

 

Let me ask you a question: Are you heating Popcorn to kill any bacteria/fungi/virus? If not, it is not a CCP. CCP is strictly related to safety. You implement CCP to reduce the health hazard. 

 

Your current objective from the heating is to make popcorn. Without heat, the corn will not turn into popcorn. So you goal from heating is to transform a form of starch into a more useable form of it. Technically, there is no relation of this heating with safety, unless your corn is contaminated. 

 

However, the machine you use may have nuts and bolts, if you have a metal detector at the end of the process, that can be considered a CCP. Because your objective would be to control a physical hazard. 

[Charles.C]

Some more detailed (additional) popcorn hazard-related  thoughts here -

 

https://www.ifsqn.co...ry/#entry104964

and a little bit more here -

https://www.ifsqn.co...al/#entry127995

 

I have confidence that a haccp plan already exists somewhere, maybe the US Popcorn Manufacturer's Organisation.

 

Offhand the Process looks like a candidate for a combined biological CCP (popping/caramelling) unless the 1st step completes the hazard XYZ removal followed by an added ingredient.

[Jerry Chacko]

Jerry, 

 

Let me ask you a question: Are you heating Popcorn to kill any bacteria/fungi/virus? If not, it is not a CCP. CCP is strictly related to safety. You implement CCP to reduce the health hazard. 

 

Your current objective from the heating is to make popcorn. Without heat, the corn will not turn into popcorn. So you goal from heating is to transform a form of starch into a more useable form of it. Technically, there is no relation of this heating with safety, unless your corn is contaminated. 

 

However, the machine you use may have nuts and bolts, if you have a metal detector at the end of the process, that can be considered a CCP. Because your objective would be to control a physical hazard. 

Hi Sayed,

 

There are studies which show the presence of micro-organisms in raw kernels. Some studies even say there is Salmonella. So we are yet to do the micro validation on this, and based on the log reduction we will then determine this as a CCP. 

[Jerry Chacko]

Is pop corn not popping a hazard/risk? It can be that it is important for the quality - but not safety.
Have you researched what the potential microbiological risks are associated with the unpopped corn?

Unpopped corn, if reached to the consumer, can be a risk as it damages their teeth. So this could be classified under 'Physical' hazards.