Understanding GMP Guidelines for Food & Beverage Manufacturing
If you are interested in starting your food manufacturing business or already own one, it is likely you are with the operational requirements that you must follow in the food industry. One such key set of guidelines are GMPs (Good Manufacturing Practices), which must be followed by manufacturers, regulators and retailers across the world.
In this article, Ability Fabricators will be explaining what GMPs mean for food and beverage manufacturers and how their choice of equipment can help increase adherence to these rules.
What are GMP Guidelines?
Good manufacturing practices are a significant part of the overall food safety system in a food manufacturing business. There is substantial attention on compliance with good manufacturing practices (GMP) in all applicable customer certification standards and food legislation. GMPs are crucial in the food business as manufacturers have a social responsibility to ensure that consumers are not negatively affected or harmed by consuming poor-quality food and drink.
How GMPs are formulated can vary by country. GMPs exist across most major economies in the world, including Canada, the United States, the UK, India, Japan, Australia and the European Union. These GMP standards are not just determined by manufactured products, but also by imported goods.
In Canada, GMP guidelines for food and beverages are decided by Health Canada. Alongside guidance from other acts and regulations, manufacturers are then assessed by these through the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
GMP Standards for Food & Beverage Manufacturers
A food and beverage manufacturer has to follow many GMPs. It includes the following basic operational standards and procedures:
General provisions
The general provisions section encompasses information about plant and employee hygiene obligations, relevant safety training and food education. Employees must follow safety guidelines such as wearing suitable clothes and jewelry, maintaining personal hygiene and avoiding smoking or eating in food production areas.
Buildings and facilities
The buildings and facilities section illustrates provisions regarding ground maintenance, waste removal and treatment, including litter control and drainage. It also includes information about chemical storage, plumbing, pest control, sanitation and hand-washing facilities.
Production and process controls
The production and process controls section gives detail of the essential general sanitizing processes and controls. It also illustrates physical factors of food quality, such as humidity, time, temperature, flow rate, pH and acidification. This section also provides detail regarding proper storage and transportation of food that controls contamination of the food.
Equipment and utensils
This section provides details about the design, construction, and maintenance requirements for equipment and utensils. It also provides information about temperature requirements and other general mechanisms to check food contamination. Controlling food contamination during production is the most vital factor in maintaining GMP standards. The use of the right kind of equipment and utensils plays a paramount role in protecting the food quality.
Why Use Stainless Steel in Food & Beverage Manufacturing
Food comes across various metals during the process of food production. It is pertinent to know the type of interaction and select the suitable metal for the food processor to prevent any transfer of unhealthy elements from metals to food. Many food and beverage manufacturing companies worldwide have switched to stainless steel equipment in their food production process. In fact, for many food production facilities, it is almost impossible to imagine life without stainless steel equipment.
This hygienic and long-lasting alloy has become popular both in the food industry and domestic kitchens. Manufacturers now use stainless steel equipment diversely in the processing of dairy and milk products, wine and beer making, cooked meats, confectionery and many more food and beverage products.
Advantages of using stainless steel in the food industry
There are many benefits of using stainless steel equipment and utensils in food and beverage manufacturing:
- Stainless steel is heat resistant and can withstand fire
- It can endure shock and abrasion and is sturdy
- It maintains its shine and is durable
- It stops contamination while preserving the original flavour and taste of food items
- It has hassle-free cleaning and prevents bacterial infections
- It is suitable for food items with spicy ingredients
- It can tolerate heavy washing with chemicals or other strong detergents
- It can withstand scratches and dents even in rough operating conditions
- It is strong and does not break or crack easily
- It possesses outstanding cryogenic properties
- It is resistant to acids and alkalis
- It is more flexible compared to other metals
Applications of Stainless Steel Equipment for Food & Beverage Manufacturing
Some of the existing stainless steel applications in the food industry include syrup tanks, stainless steel conveyor belts, flour silos, ice cream moulds, evaporation tubes, beer kegs, food mixers, tanks holding dairy, confectionery equipment, peeling machines and industrial ovens.
There are also staple pieces of equipment like stainless steel counters and cabinets that can help store and prepare food items for industrial and commercial purposes.
Finding the best stainless steel equipment for your food manufacturing needs
Maintaining the food quality is the biggest challenge for any manufacturer that depends primarily on selecting the right kind of equipment, which prevents the contamination of edible goods during the food production process.
Ability Fabricators Inc. is a leading stainless steel fabricator known for providing premium quality stainless steel food and beverage manufacturing equipment. Our team has built up a range of equipment that includes Stainless Steel Tanks, Kettles, Conveyor Systems, Stainless Steel Fabricators and Platforms for the Food and Beverage industry.
Our products have earned a high reputation due to the following factors:
- The design and structure of the premium quality stainless steel equipment are strict as per GMP standards.
- These are easy to clean and require low maintenance.
- They are non-toxic and free of lead or zinc.
- Due to the polished surface, sturdy structure and existence of chromium, our equipment has an excellent lifespan and endurance.
- Our tanks are built using the technology of surrounding chambers to control the tank temperature during brewing and storage.
- Our food manufacturing equipment is neutral and will retain the flavours and aroma of food ingredients.
- Risks of contamination are non-existent, especially with correct maintenance.
- We offer the provision to customize equipment as per the need of your industry. They can also have attachments and can be designed for multipurpose use.
Purchase Industrial Stainless Steel Food Processing & Manufacturing Equipment
If you are searching for stainless steel equipment for your industrial food and beverage facility, contact Ability Fabricators. We will design a customized plan to provide you with the equipment as per your requirement and according to GMP-certified standards. With our premium-quality stainless steel products, your facility can reap the benefits of high-performance and durable equipment for many years to come.
