4 replies to this topic

[EwelinaSzmyt]

Hi All,

we doing chilled ready meals, but we are looking to develop frozen products. We are on production paperwork stage. Please could you share your examples of records regarding food safety, BRCGS point of view for frozen production? Thank you in advance!

[Dorothy87]

Hi Ewelina, 

 

This is a bit difficult as you need to check your HACCP first, this will include processes like ; 

 

- cooking 

- chilling (blast chilling (consider time and the way of temp checking (core, top, middle and bottom of each trolley)) but here we need to know what product you are making, for example chilling process will be slightly different for sauces and mixes than for dips or snacks.. do you have CQC (cook, quench, chill)? or maybe capcold (cooked in kettles and chilled using Capcold machine - here products should be chilled within 4 h to achieve <5 C.. 

- blast freezing or just freezing (dependant what kind of freezer you have there), then packaging and defrosting / cooking / baking from frozen instructions for the customer. You will need to consider blast freezing time & temperature (again what type of freezer you have - this is all about crystallisation process as this will link your product to correct quality and shelf life), do you have a display and print out from your blast/freezer? 

- Storage 

 

[EwelinaSzmyt]

Hi All,

What should be on label on frozen ready meal? Please if you can support with frozen references. 

Thank you in advance!

[Dorothy87]

Hi, 

 

Customer  (just briefly as I don't know what you selling) 

 

- RTE? (ready to eat) product once defrosted? or you need to cook it ? if so then you need to specify cooking from frozen instructions or once defrosting

- Frozen BB, and USB when cooked/opened (your shelf life exercise can be checked by BRC)

- Nutritional value

- weight 

- storage 

- bar code

- Ingredient deck & allergy advice & may contain, claims (gluten free etc) or suitability (suitable for vegetarians) 

- Recycling 

- if you are selling your product to retailers you should have info from retailers as they are very specific

- if you are selling outside UK, check Health Certificate info & current labelling for EU info 

[Charles.C]

Hi All,

What should be on label on frozen ready meal? Please if you can support with frozen references. 

Thank you in advance!

Particularly if RTE, this data is commonly defined/approved by the customer as per contractual and local regulatory requirements etc.