Client Brief:

Scale up the process of extracting and purification of a biological by-product from pilot plant to commercially viable capacity.

Description:

An effective means of successfully extracting the product had been determined and licensed by a New Zealand CRI. However to make the process commercially viable the productivity needed to be raised significantly. This was carried out initially using the existing pilot plant equipment: by optimising the number of staff involved, sequencing activities to improve efficiency, and increasing batch sizes, with a focus on meeting technical parameters for purity & functionality and increasing yields.

Outcome:

Significant reduction in production cost was demonstrated via these efficiency gains. Manufacturing equipment was purchased by the client and a temporary processing facility set up to expedite commercial production. Further optimisation activities were carried out reducing costs.

Key Activities:

To achieve the clients desired outcomes the following were required:

• Decoupling processes to enable efficiency gains

• Scaling production volumes

• Optimisation of unit operations

• Development of capital equipment specifications to allow further scaling

Client Brief:

Carry out internal audits on behalf of the client to meet their RMP operator verification requirements.

Description:

The client is a small business that has no dedicated compliance personnel. They process many different animal products making for very complex requirements. Bringing an expert from outside to review their operation on a regular basis provides a regulatory perspective that they haven’t got. The main benefit is that the client has fewer non-conformances identified during the regulatory Performance Based Verifications (PBV) which reduces the overall cost of their compliance activities. This process generally involves:

• Confirmation of audit timing and scope (based on verification schedule)

• Desk top review of programmes prior to the audit (against the relevant regulatory standards and industry operational codes)

• On site audit including record review and reality check

• Review of key findings with staff (both Non-conformances, and things that they are doing well)

• Detailed Audit report

The actions required (recommendations, corrective actions & preventive actions) are discussed and timeframes and responsibilities assigned.

Similar Activities:

• Complete operator verification audits for seafood and bee product RMP operators

• Complete operator verifications for businesses operating under the Food Act 2014 regime (National Programmes and Food Control Plans)

Client Brief:

Carry out an Independent review of thermal processes for Commercially Sterilised foods to support an RMP Evaluation Report

Description:

Where Commercial sterilisation is carried out MPI requires the thermal processes to be independently evaluated by a Qualified Person as per:

• Guidance Document: Further Processing CHAPTER 2: Good operating practice – Part 2: Commercial Sterilisation

• Animal Product Notice: Production, Supply and Processing, Part L1 Thermal processing of low-acid commercially sterilised product

For commercially sterilised food products the information requirements to demonstrate that the process will be adequate for every product variant, every batch and each container are rigorous.

In this case the processor (RMP facility) had changed their packaging equipment requiring all products to have new scheduled processes determined for the new pack sizes for an existing retail product range. The Recognised RMP Evaluator was not a qualified person for thermal processing of low acid canned products. (Refer: Guidance Document: Evaluation Manual 5.1 Use of technical expertise and other recognised evaluator). Reports detailing the development of the scheduled processes were reviewed (Temperature distribution and heat penetration studies) to ensure that all critical elements were suitably addressed. My technical expert review report was completed in line with the regulatory requirements and supplied to the RMP Evaluator.

Outcome:

The significant amendment was able to be processed having the technical export report submitted as part of the overall RMP evaluation, allowing the operator to commence processing utilising the new equipment.

Similar Projects:

• Reviews of thermal processes for canned pet foods

• Reviews of heat treated food products having long refrigerated shelf life

Client Brief:

An existing client was in the process of establishing an additional processing facility to undertake a new range of primary and secondary processes. Their requirement was for a new RMP to be written for which they wanted pre-registration.

Description:

The operators existing RMP was a useful starting point. However there were opportunities to simplify and streamline the structure and content of common programmes, and individual programmes required to be written to reflect the new facilities, products and processes.

One of the features of RMP’s is that New Zealand regulations generally allow operators to achieve the required outcomes without specifying the processes / procedures. (By contrast, the US requirements are generally more prescriptive.) The New Zealand system can make it more difficult for organisations to ‘know’ how best to operate but does provide the operator with a great deal of operational flexibility.

The building had been constructed, but many of the services had not been installed nor the processing equipment received at the time of drafting the RMP. This meant that many programmes could not be finalised (eg water, pest control, calibration etc.)

The interim evaluation report was completed (noting the outstanding issues that required further evaluation) and submitted to MPI.

Pre-registration provided the client with an opportunity to shorten the timeframe between the final RMP evaluation and registration by MPI.

Outcome:

Additional work was carried out in close collaboration with the operator to finalise the programmes to reflect “intended reality”.

No RMP can be written by a contractor without significant input by the client to reflect the operators’ specific situation and requirements. (Even Template RMP’s must be tailored to meet the business needs and additional supporting documents written.)

In this scenario the operator had prior experience with running RMP’s but there were several issues with the facility that required modification. However, operators with minimal experience with food processing have a far greater risk of not meeting the required outcomes which can be very costly to manage or rectify.

In this example the final evaluation was completed shortly after the facility was ‘ready to operate’ and having no conditions, MPI confirmed registration in under a week.

Client Brief:

This project was to develop in house capability to blend and pack a powdered food product for a RMP facility. The budget and physical location were defined as well as the timeframe for operation.

Description:

The operator subcontracted the blending and packing operations to another business but wanted to bring it in-house whilst increasing capacity.

The initial work highlighted that in its most simple format, that:

• the required equipment could not be purchased within the budgeted amount

• the product would readily form an explosive dust mixture

• product losses would be high

• labour requirements would be high

• the working environment would be unpleasant for staff

• high humidity could negatively impact product quality

It was agreed that a comprehensive proposal should be put together for a substantially enclosed processing system addressing the issues noted. A brief was provided to several equipment suppliers and after detailed discussions and refinements with each provider, one proposal was identified as meeting the client’s requirements. During discussions on site with the equipment supplier it was identified that significantly more flexibility with the system could be provided with minimal additional equipment & cost.

Outcome:

Based on the proposal a capex was prepared with the Client detailing the equipment specification, timeframe for supply, installation and commissioning. The proposal met the specification and ROI requirements and was approved by the Client’s Board.

Having been installed and commissioned, the processing line is operating effectively.

Client Brief:

To assist the crew on a limited processing fishing vessel to meet their Regulated Control Scheme (RCS) compliance requirements.

Description:

The operation of the fishing vessel is such that it spends several weeks at sea at a time. Crews generally rotate between voyages, and there is also the normal turn-over of key personnel within the industry. Due to the constant changing of responsible crew and shore based staff not having compliance expertise, the Client required support to train staff and maintain the RCS.

The main tasks undertaken included:

• Ensuring that Factory Managers, Engineers and Officers were familiar with the RCS, and understood their food safety responsibilities

• Train Factory Managers in RCS requirements

• Assist Factory Managers to identify and address issues pre/post voyage

• Implement or direct the completion of corrective and preventive actions

• Assist during Regulatory audits

• Carry out Annual Review / re-registration

Similar Activities:

• Provide compliance support for seafood, bee product and egg RMP operators

• Provide compliance support for businesses operating Food Control Plans (FCP) and National Programmes (NP)

Client Brief:

Create a HACCP plan for a new food production facility that meets the Codex HACCP standards.

Description:

The client was establishing a new processing facility to be registered as a National Programme Level 3 under the Food Act 2014. However, the intended markets for their products was primarily overseas, via multinational food businesses. Many large food businesses require their suppliers to operate to a Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) recognised certification programme . (eg BRC, FSSC22000)

The initial requirement was to complete the HACCP, and have it audited by an independent certifier to Codex HACCP, which would then comply with any GFSI standard selected in future.

The HACCP plan requires a series of pre-requisite or supporting programmes that define how specific risks are addressed.

To complete the HACCP an initial meeting was held to ensure I had a thorough understanding of the intended production processes. During the development of the HACCP plan regular communication was maintained to clarify details and discuss control measures. Where gaps were identified these were noted and actions agreed.

Outcome:

A final Draft of the HACCP plan was provided along with several additional supporting documents (policies & procedures). The operator successfully completed their HACCP audit.