Lesson 2 - Quality Assurance and Quality Management

The efforts to manage quality that we considered in the first part of this lesson are, for the most part, voluntary. However, managing food safety is a mandatory requirement. We will now cover what can and must be done in this regard.

Food safety hazards 

We know that beer is inherently safer than most foods or drinks. This is because the presence of ethanol, low pH, and iso-α-acids prevent the growth of most pathogenic organisms. This is not the only potential hazard, though.  

Food safety hazards can be categorised as:

• A foreign body that may choke or cut the consumer, or damage teeth, such as glass, metal fragments, or wood splinters.

• A chemical contaminant that may cause sickness, both in the short term, e.g. glycol or caustic in bottles, or in the long term, e.g. nitrosamines, heavy metals, and mycotoxins. Allergens, despite their potential to do serious harm, are not considered a chemical contaminant in terms of food safety. Some countries and authorities expect them to be covered by the hazard control system and some do not. You should check which approach applies to the location of your brewery. In either case an allergen risk assessment and system of management will be required. More on allergens in the next section.   

• Pathogenic microorganisms, which may cause sickness, e.g. Cryptosporidium – a parasitic protozoan that may enter beer through using contaminated water supplies, causing gastroenteritis. Salmonella and E. coli also need to be considered when alcohol-free beer is being produced as these beers lack the protection of ethanol.

Allergens in beer

An allergen is a substance that triggers an allergic reaction. An allergic reaction is, in essence, an overreaction of the immune system, and symptoms include:

• Tingling or itching in the mouth

• Hives, itching, or eczema

• Swelling of the lips, face, tongue, and throat or other parts of the body

• Wheezing, nasal congestion, or trouble breathing

• Abdominal pain, diarrhoea, nausea, or vomiting

• Dizziness, light-headedness, or fainting

In some people, a food allergy can trigger a severe allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. This can cause life-threatening symptoms, including:

• Constriction and tightening of the airways

• A swollen throat or the sensation of a lump in the throat that makes it difficult to breathe

• Shock with a severe drop in blood pressure

• Rapid pulse

• Dizziness, light-headedness, or loss of consciousness

Untreated, anaphylaxis can cause a coma or even death.

The 14 known food allergens are:

1. Cereals containing gluten, namely: wheat (such as spelt and khorasan wheat), rye, barley, oats

2. Crustaceans, for example prawns, crabs, lobster, crayfish

3. Eggs

4. Fish

5. Peanuts

6. Soybeans

7. Milk (including lactose)

8. Nuts, namely: almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, pecan nuts, Brazil nuts, pistachio nuts, macadamia (or Queensland) nuts

9. Celery (including celeriac)

10. Mustard

11. Sesame

12. Sulphur dioxide/sulphites, where added and at a level above 10 mg/kg or 10 mg/L in the finished product. This can be used as a preservative in dried fruit

13. Lupin, which includes lupin seeds and flour and can be found in types of bread, pastries, and pasta

14. Molluscs, like mussels, whelks, oysters, snails, and squid

For a standard beer, allergens of concern would be cereals containing gluten and sulphur dioxide. For some of the more unusual modern styles, milk, nuts, crustaceans, and molluscs might also be significant. Effective management of allergens in the brewery relies on risk assessment and the appropriate control measures. These include:

• Segregation of allergens.  

• Storage in dedicated areas with signage.

• Traceability of raw materials throughout the supply chain.

• Supplier assurance. 

• Banning of certain food stuffs from site (nut free zones).

• CIP after processing allergens with validation.

• Allergen training for staff.

• Monitoring allergen levels in the process and product.

More guidance on allergens can be found on the website of your national food standards agency.

Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)

GMPs are the basic environmental and operational conditions required to manufacture safe foods. We use them to ensure that ingredients, packaging materials, and finished goods are handled safely and that food is processed in a suitable environment. GMPs address the hazards associated with personnel and environment during food production. They also provide a foundation for any food safety system. In some countries food GMPs are defined and enforced by government. GMPs cover the following:

• Environmental control: location, design, and construction of the building and its interior, equipment, and water supply.

• Personnel practices: personal hygiene, hand washing, workwear, injuries and wounds, evidence of illness, access, chemical use.

• Shipping, receiving, handling, storage: inspection procedures for deliveries and dispatch, allergen control; chemical storage; waste management.

• Pest control: pest management procedures for the exterior and interior of the building.

• Sanitation: cleaning and sanitising procedures and pre-operational assessment.

• Equipment maintenance: preventative maintenance and calibration of all the equipment and instruments that can affect food safety.

• Recall and traceability: procedures that ensure final products are coded and labelled properly; incoming materials; in-process and outgoing materials are traceable; recall system is in place and tested for effectiveness.

• Water safety: water safety monitoring procedures for water, ice, and steam, and water treatment procedures that ensure it is potable for use in food processing.

GMPs have two main components: written programmes and implementation. Written programmes are all the policies and procedures required to meet the standards the company is committed to. Implementation is the operation of the business according to these policies and procedures with auditable records.

Here is a video explaining GMP for food production.