Food hygiene in production

Today, we take it for granted that we can choose from a wide variety of flawless food products at any time. This is the responsibility of producers and retailers, who are subject for example to EU hygiene legislation. Companies involved in food production must ensure that food is hygienically safe throughout the entire process. During production and processing, transport and distribution. Especially meat products are considered safe if they do not pose a risk to health, are not contaminated, for example by germs and bacteria, and are generally suitable for consumption.

Responsibility of meat producers

The core idea of food hygiene legislation is to strengthen the personal responsibility of food businesses under the motto: “From the barn to the table”. Responsibility means commitment. Meat producers must therefore ensure that meat is free from germs, bacteria and other contaminants at all stages of production and distribution. Alongside nuclear technology, food technology has the highest acceptance criteria. Every production step, every material must fulfil the strictest hygiene regulations. Meat producers must guarantee compliance through in-house inspections. The companies act in accordance with the principles of the HACCP concept (hazard analysis and critical control points). This enables them to identify food-related risks and provides them with a clear structure for avoiding them.

The analyses include:

• Clean production facilities such as floors
• Germ-free containers, trolleys and means of transport such as crates
• Safe conveyor technology
• Hygienic work clothing and black and white separation of work and everyday clothing
• Cleaning and disinfection of hands, boots and soles
• Access control
• Hygiene sluices and other hygienic access points

Authorisation requirement in meat production

Almost all businesses that place products of animal origin on the market require authorisation. There are no exceptions for meat production, as these companies are particularly sensitive from a food hygiene perspective. All slaughterhouses are therefore subject to authorisation. This even applies to small self-slaughtering butchers or direct marketers who slaughter themselves.

Food technology authorisations for meat include:

• Slaughterhouses
• Cutting plants
• Establishments that produce minced meat, meat preparations or mechanically separated meat
• Businesses that produce meat products
• Game processing plants

There are only exemptions for primary producers who sell very small quantities of meat from poultry and lagomorphs, game or game meat directly to end consumers. These are subject to the corresponding requirements of the national “Food Hygiene Ordinance” and the national “Animal Food Hygiene Ordinance”.

Complete hygiene solutions for the food industry

PHT offers total solutions for food hygiene, especially for meat production and processing. The solutions cover all technical aspects of food hygiene, such as clean production facilities and transport systems, cleaning systems, systems for personal hygiene and much more. Meat processing companies receive customised hygiene solutions and innovative technology to help them meet the requirements of EU food regulations and obtain approval.