INTRODUCTION OF NEW FOOD PRODUCTION SYSTEM

Introduction of New Food Production System



Introduction of New Food Production System

The developments in food service equipment and packaging offer a wide range of options for a production line approach (Jones, 1988). Traditionally, cook-hot-hold (conventional), cook-freeze, short shelf-life (SSL) and long shelf-life (LSL) cook-chill systems have been applied to increase profitability through bulk buying power, higher productivity, better equipment utilisation and process control. A system usually consists of a central production unit (CPU) and a number of satellite kitchens situated at the same site (stadiums, convention centres, casinos) or physically distant (chains of restaurants, resorts, hotels, hospitals, retirement villages, schools, etc.).

Conventional Food Production System

The development and application of programs needs to be considered from a systems perspective, analyzing an operation for critical control points. Ultimately, the

menu will drive all decisions about implementation. The National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (1998) identified application guidelines for . The committee identified prerequisite programs that must be in place to ensure food safety. programs build on these prerequisites: facilities; supplier control; specifications; production equipment; cleaning and sanitation; personal hygiene;

training; chemical control; receiving, storage, and shipping; traceability and recall; and pest control. Quality assurance procedures, standard operating procedures, and standardized recipes also are important prerequisites for food safety. Complete prerequisite programs are necessary to implement programs in central kitchens.

Without them, programs will not succeed.

This process would ideally begin when new or renovated facilities are planned. Some school foodservice directors may find that they are centralizing food production in an existing facility and do not have the resources to make substantive changes. If this is the case, it is imperative that analysis be done to ensure that time and temperature controls can be achieved to ensure the safety of food served to children.

Flow of Food. In planning a new or renovated central kitchen, it is important for the planning team to determine the flow of food through the operation. The food flow diagram is an important component of the program. In existing operations, the foodservice director or quality assurance supervisor needs to analyze the operation to determine the flow of food, and develop programs related to that flow. The steps in the flow of food vary slightly by system, and directors need to develop their own food flow diagrams for their specific operation. One example of product flow in a centralized cook/chill system is depicted in Figure

For the centralized foodservice systems that are hot bulk, there would not be a cooling and storing step in the process. Once the flow of food is determined, the general layout of the foodservice operation can be developed.

This Figure shows how the food flow may be evaluated from an operational perspective.

What is cheaper, cooking in a microwave or in a traditional oven or hob? Research has been carried out into the costs of the different cooking methods for various different meals*. The research compared microwave cooking with cooking with an electric oven and hob and identified that savings can be made by making ...