Specific GMP measures for Food Transportation

General Requirements:

The transportation and distribution segments are very diverse. In many cases, transportation firms may be handling a variety of products in addition to food, which adds to the complexity of the situation.

The first step is to identify those circumstances that pose a significant health risk, such as improper handling of sensitive products or ineffective cleaning or sanitizing of transportation vehicles. For example, inadequate control of temperatures during transportation and distribution can contribute to microbial growth, formation of mycotoxins, spoilage and/or deterioration of certain products.

GMP/HACCP plans developed by the food industry must consider the control of temperatures and contamination during the transport of foods. A food business operator may require an HACCP plan as a condition of doing business with a particular transportation firm.

Properly designed good transportation practices for the transportation and distribution sector may be a more appropriate approach than HACCP plans. General education programmes are needed to alert food transporters to the potential hazards that can be associated with the transportation and distribution (including storage) of food products. Requirements for handling and distribution of food products or ingredients must be developed by food manufacturers, and these requirements must be communicated to transportation and distribution businesses. Transporters or storage facilities should be required to take proper hygienic measures to protect the food and should be required to keep and retain records that will document their adherence to food safety plans.

Specific GMP requirements for Transportation of Food:

This module outlines basic procedures that are necessary to ensure that all food reaching the consumer is kept free of contamination during transportation. The safe transportation of food is a key step in ensuring that the food that ultimately reaches the consumer is safe to eat and of highest quality, as improper and unhygienic transportation could lead to breaking the food safety circle. Many studies have indicated that improper food transportation could lead to food poisoning or food spoilage.

Food must be adequately protected during transport. The type of conveyances or containers required depends on the nature of the food and the conditions under which it has to be transported.

Good communication between shipper/manufacturer, transporter and receiver of foodstuffs is essential. They share responsibility for food safety on this part of the food chain. Food manufacturers or receivers are responsible for communicating to transporters specific food safety control procedures required during transportation.

Requirements

Where necessary, conveyances and bulk containers should be designed and constructed so that they:

• do not contaminate foods or packaging;
• can be effectively cleaned and, where necessary, disinfected;
• permit effective separation of different foods or foods from non-food items where necessary during transport;
• provide effective protection from contamination, including dust and fumes;
• can effectively maintain the temperature, humidity, atmosphere and other conditions necessary to protect food from harmful or undesirable microbial growth and deterioration likely to render it unsuitable for consumption; and
• allow any necessary temperature, humidity and other conditions to be checked.

Responsibilities of the Establishments that own the food Transportation Units:

• Bringing all of their food transportation vehicles to the Food Control for inspection.
• Establishing and following a regular maintenance program for the vehicle, especially for the cooling units.
• A regular cleaning and maintenance program shall be provided. Documents of such programs shall be available upon request.
• Personnel in charge in cleaning and disinfecting the food transportation unit must be properly trained in handling chemicals and in carrying out the cleaning and disinfecting process.
• Conducting an annual calibration for the cooling units.
• In case of any breakdown for the vehicle or its cooling units, an alternative vehicle conforming to the stipulated standards shall be provided promptly to transport the foods to ensure their safety and hygiene.
• If a vehicle is changed from transporting non-food products to transporting food products, they establishment has to ensure that proper and thorough cleaning is conducted to avoid food contamination, and records shall be kept.
• Foods shall be loaded and unloaded from and at the designated areas and away from physical, biological, or chemical contaminants.
• The establishment has to ensure that the driver or the food transporter does not turn off the cooling units while transporting the foodstuff.
• Complete temperature logs shall be kept for chilled or frozen vehicles. These logs shall be available upon request.
• Ensuring that proper air circulation is secured throughout the whole shipment within the required time. In this regard the foods shall be organized in such a manner that guarantees chilling or freezing the foods as required.
• The food establishment has to provide training for the food transporters in order to be aware about their responsibilities regarding following up proper transportation practices. Hence, the food transporters should have basic training about the food safety during loading, transportation, and delivery of foods. Training should be focused on the type of food being handled and the necessary corrective action to implement in case of non-conformances in good distribution/transportation practices
• The foods which become unfit during transportation have to be identified and shall be disposed of properly. In this regard the following information has to be recorded and submitted to the food control authority upon request: - Number or vehicle or container. - Last transported consignment. - Temperature record during the transportation. - Maintenance and cleaning records.
• If a transportation spill occur involving a food shipment, the food transporter has to ensure that: All potentially hazardous foods that have been subjected to temperature abuse (i.e. have remained within the danger zone of 5oC to 65o C for more than 4 hours) are identified and discarded in such a fashion that precludes the food from being utilized for human consumption.
• Canned or packaged goods that have been subjected to unintentional freezing, which has compromised the integrity of the package (e.g. burst can seams) should be itemized and discarded in such a fashion that precludes the food from being utilized for human consumption.
• Procedures for product recall must be available which could permit fast, accurate and efficient recall/segregation and disposal of the affected food items.
• Contact information of buyers, delivery personnel and each personnel involve in the food chain must be readily available upon request to facilitate product recall implementation.

Usage and Maintenance:

1. Vehicles and transportation equipment: The design and maintenance of vehicles and transportation equipment to ensure that it does not cause the food that it transports to become unsafe. For example, they must be suitable and adequately cleanable for their intended use and capable of maintaining temperatures necessary for the safe transport of food
2. Transportation operations: The measures taken during transportation to ensure food safety, such as adequate temperature controls, preventing contamination of ready to eat food from touching raw food, protection of food from contamination by non-food items in the same load or previous load, and protection of food from cross-contact, i.e., the unintentional incorporation of a food allergen.
3. Conveyances and containers for transporting food should be kept in an appropriate state of cleanliness, repair and condition. Where the same conveyance or container is used for transporting different foods, or non-foods, effective cleaning and, where necessary, disinfection should take place between loads.
4. Where appropriate, particularly in bulk transport, containers and conveyances should be designated and marked for food use only and be used only for that purpose.
5. Conveyances and/or containers used for transporting foodstuffs are to be kept clean and maintained in good repair and condition to protect foodstuffs from contamination and are, where necessary, to be designed and constructed to permit adequate cleaning and/or disinfection.
6. Persons engaged in food transport should concentrate their efforts on the following broadly applicable preventive controls:

• Appropriate temperature control during transport;
• Sanitation, including:

1. Monitoring and ensuring the sanitation and condition of transportation vehicles as appropriate;
2. Pest control; and
3. Sanitation associated with loading/unloading procedures;

• Appropriate packaging/packing of food products and transportation units (e.g., good quality pallets, correct use of packing materials);
• There should be good communications between shipper, transporter and receiver; and
• Vehicles and/or containers used to transport food must be kept clean and maintained in good repair and condition, to protect food from contamination.
• Where necessary, they must be designed and constructed to allow adequate cleaning and/or disinfection.
• Items used to hold food (e.g. boxes) in vehicles and/or containers must not be used for transporting anything other than food where this may cause contamination.
• Where vehicles and/or containers are used for transporting anything other than food, or for transporting different types of food at the same time, the products must be separated effectively as necessary.
• Where necessary, vehicles and/or containers used for transporting food must be capable of keeping food at appropriate temperatures and allow those temperatures to be monitored.
• Bulk foodstuffs in liquid, granulate or powder form are to be transported in receptacles and/or containers/tankers reserved for the transport of foodstuffs. Such containers are to be marked in a clearly visible and indelible fashion, in one or more locally spoken languages or are to be marked ‘for foodstuffs only’.
• Where conveyances and/or containers have been used for transporting anything other than foodstuffs or for transporting different foodstuffs, there has to be effective cleaning between loads to avoid the risk of contamination.