Principles of Food Warehousing

By

Dr Deryck D. Pattron, Ph.D. Public Health Scientist & Consultant Trinidad, West Indies

Definition of food warehouse

Any food storage facility, storing large or nor so large amounts of food for either short or long periods, for distribution in normal food channels

Important link in the food chain from the processor to consumer Vary in nomenclature, size, function and physical conditions
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What is the importance of safe food warehousing?

To prevent economic losses To promote health and well being To facilitate trade To facilitate economic prosperity To prevent spread of diseases

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What is the importance of safe food warehousing? (contd)

To provide a readily available source of food To provide revenue and job opportunities To prevent burden on health care facilities To ensure a steady supply of goods on the market To ensure consumers have access to foods in and out of season both locally and internationally

Dr D. Pattron, Ph.D

What types of food warehouses exist?

Dry storage warehouse Chilled storage warehouse Frozen storage warehouse Dry and chilled storage warehouse Dry and frozen storage warehouse Chilled and frozen storage warehouse Dry, chilled and frozen storage warehouse

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Warehouse grounds
Areas surrounding warehouse should be: Free from weeds, grass and bush Free from trash, rodent tracks and burrows Free from standing water and clogged drains Walkways and driveways paved and kept in a good state of repair Well drained Ideally located away from potential environmental hazards
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Warehouse building (external)

Walls and roof should be painted and maintained in a good state of repair Doors and windows should be screened proofed Wall and ceilings should be free from cracks and holes Pipes entering the building should be sealed properly to prevent entry of pests Roofs should be maintained in a good state of repair and not leak
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Warehouse building (internal)

Floors, walls and ceilings should be smooth, clean and maintained in a good state of repair to prevent cross contamination Windows and doors should seal tightly to prevent entry of pests No dead spaces around equipment or other structures that would provide harborage for pests and prevent efficient cleaning

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Warehouse equipment

Chillers Freezers Forklifts Shelves Storage bins Temperature and humidity gauges Pallets

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Warehouse equipment characteristics

Rust resistant Odour resistant Non-porous Easily cleaned and sanitized Suitably colored

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Warehouse equipment characteristics (contd)

Food grade or compatible Non toxic Located in an area that facilitates easy cleaning and maintenance Free from grease and other chemical or physical contaminants

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Warehouse storage conditions

Food items should be stored on pallets 46 cm off ground and 46 cm off wall Non crowded Clean and sanitary Food items stored and rotated on a first-in-first-out basis Maintained at proper temperature and humidity Free from physical, chemical and microbiological hazards

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Warehouse storage and handling of hazardous materials

Poisonous chemicals such as pesticides, cleaning solvents, lubricants and other compounds should be safely and securely stored Accessed by authorized, trained employees Properly labelled Follow manufacturers instructions as to the quantity for safe use Use protective ware when handling hazardous materials
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Warehouse storage temperature

All frozen food products should be at 18 C or below During transport the temperature should not be higher than 12 C Temperatures for chilled storage should be kept between 1 C and 4 C Dry storage areas should be between 10 C and 21 C Thermometers should be present in all frozen storage, chilled storage and dry storage areas with on site temperature logs
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Warehouse storage temperature and relative humidity

Products
Frozen meats: Canned products Grains

Temperatures
-23 to -17 C 4.4 to 16 C 4.4 to 16 C

Relative Humidity
-----------50 to 60 % 50 to 60 %

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Warehouse air circulation

Important factor in the proper storage of food Food products should be stacked on pallets 46 cm wall clearance and 5 cm ceiling clearance Sufficient working aisle space

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Warehouse ventilation

To prevent excessive heat, steam condensation and/or dust from accumulating within a confined area Should never be from dirty to clean area Openings should be screen proofed Should be natural or artificial

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Warehouse lighting
Essential for: General cleaning Reading and identifying labels, colours Recognising the condition of the food stored Preventing injuries Preventing cross contamination of food products

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Warehouse lighting specifications (contd)

At least 540 lux at all inspection points At least 220 lux in work areas At least 110 lux in other areas

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Warehouse sanitary operations

To avoid contamination of food products To ensure detergents, sanitizers, hazardous materials and other supplies used in safe and effective manner Cleaning compounds and hazardous materials kept in original containers, stored separate from food products Garbage properly stored and protected from insects, rodents and other pests and/or disposed in an adequate manner
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Warehouse sanitation operations (contd)

A permanent cleaning and disinfecting schedule should be developed and enforced All cleaning workers should be well trained in cleaning and disinfecting procedures All floors are not cleaned in the same manner:some floors are wet cleaned using a strong cleanser, rinsed and allowed to dry, other floors are cleaned by sweeping and brushing

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Warehouse chemicals for disinfection

Chlorine and chlorine-based products 100-250 mg of available chlorine per litre Two minutes exposure time Rinse after exposure Iodophors 25-50 mg per litre of available iodine Two minutes exposure time Rinse after exposure Quaternary ammonium compounds 200-300 mg per litre Two minutes exposure time Rinse thoroughly after exposure
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How to handle garbage in food warehouse?

Quickly remove and store in covered bins Excellent breeding ground for pests Broken down pallets and cardboard boxes should be disposed of in an appropriate manner

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Transportation practices to and from food warehouse

Transport at the proper temperature Maintain a temperature log for each trip Protect food from thermal, physical, chemical and microbiological injury Protect from unsanitary conditions Protect from poor handling and packing Transport food in covered reliable well cleaned and maintained vehicles
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Requirements for incoming raw materials in food warehouse

Temperature of food product Absence of pesticide residues Microbiological quality Chemical quality Absence of physical contaminants Clean and sanitary surroundings Grade or type Conform with regulatory agencys requirements Absence of insects, rodents or bird activity
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Rotation of stored food in warehouse

Food products should be rotated based on the expiry date and perishability Old products should be kept in front of the new products All incoming products should be dated Food containers should not be dusty, faded or discoloured

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Repackaging operations in food warehouse

Should be done under strict hygienic and sanitary conditions All equipment should be clean free from debris and properly sanitized Packaging should be food grade and unadulterated Audit for quality by ensuring all packaging seams are intact, no foreign contaminants, filled to stated weight or volume Audit for safety by performing random or systematic sampling of repackaged products for chemical, physical and microbiological consistency Dr D. Pattron, Ph.D 27

Quarantine in food warehouse

Products spoiled by physical, chemical and microbiological damage, insects, rodents or other causes should be stored in a designated quarantine area Quarantined items should be disposed of quickly to avoid pest harborage and infestation of stored food Incoming materials that are damaged and not in accordance with suppliers specifications should be rejected
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Pest control in food warehouse

Perform regular pest inspections in and around warehouse Be vigilant and on the look out for burrows, urine tracks, fecal pellets, rub marks, snawing marks, hairs, dead rodents, etc. Pesticides are poisons and should be administered by a competent person Pesticides should be placed at marked positions throughout the warehouse and checked regularly
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Recall types for potentially hazardous food distributed from food warehouse
Three types of FDA recall: Type I= Most serious, high risk, potential injury or death Type II = Minimum risk, temporary health problems Type III = Least severe, unlikely to cause health problems, violate FDA manufacturing or labeling regulations

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Recall procedures for potential hazardous food distributed by food warehouse

Maintain a current list of all purchasers: Person name doing business on behalf of company Name of company Mailing address Phone number Email address

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Recall procedures for potentially hazardous food distributed by food warehouse(contd)

Each product sold/distributed should have a batch number indicating time, date, batch, shift with respect to its manufacture Each product withdrawn from the market should be able to be traced back to its source and possible areas of concern identified and corrected for future products

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Employees code of practice in food warehouse

Good hygienic practices Good sanitary practices Suitable safety ware such as clothing, face mask, respirators, weight lifting belts, steel tip booths Properly trained staff

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Toilet facilities available to employees in food warehouse

Toilets should not open directly into food storage areas Sewage line should not pass over stored food The number of toilets should be appropriate to the number of staff, both male and female Warning signs should be posted on entering toilet areas advising users to wash hands thoroughly after use

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Toilet facilities available to employees in food warehouse (contd)

Toilets should be equipped with toilet paper, soap, sanitizer and potable water Toilets should be maintained clean and sanitary at all times Toilets should be properly ventilated and may be fitted with extractor fans

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Hand washing facilities available to employees in food warehouse

Suitably located and present in the sufficient numbers to ensure safe and hygienic operations Prevent cross contamination of stored food

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Changing room facility available to employees in food warehouse

Should be equipped with lockers Prevents employees using street clothes Provides a place to change clothes and to put on protective gear Should be maintained in a good state of repair Separate for males and females

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Conclusions

Food warehouses are an important link in the food chain from farm to fork Food warehouses provide a readily available reserve supply of food allowing consumers to enjoy a wide variety of foods out of season as well as in season Food warehouse like other food facilities must be built in a non hazardous environment and maintained in a good state of repair to prevent adulteration of stored food
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Conclusions (contd)

Employees who work in food warehouses should observe proper hygienic guidelines and sanitation standard operating procedures Proper employee facilities should be in place such as toilet facilities, hand washing stations, changing rooms, lunch rooms to prevent adulteration of stored food

Proper protocols should be implemented for transportation, receiving, storage, and recall of food
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References

Food and Agricultural Organization of the United nations. 1984. Manuals of Quality Control 5. Food Inspection. Longree, K. 1985. Quality Food Sanitation. New York: John Wiley & Sons. Pattron, D. 2004. Quality Assurance & Food Service. New York: Scientific Publishers. Pattron, D. 2004. Food Safety. New York: Scientific Publishers.

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The End
Thank You Dr Deryck D. Pattron, Ph.D
Public Health & Safety Consultant Trinidad, West Indies
Email: drpattron@gmail.com

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