Quality management manual for research by-products of CSIR-Food Research Institute, Accra, Ghana

Abstract

The food industry has a legal and moral responsibility to produce and prepare food that will not harm the consumer. Food processors therefore rely on modern quality management systems to ensure the quality and safety of the products they produce. The three key systems in use are: (a) Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP); these entail the processing conditions and procedures that have been proven to deliver consistent quality and safety based on long experience, (b) Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP); this is a proactive technique which focuses on identifying potential problems/hazards and controlling them during the production process and (c) Quality Assurance Standards; these are standards established by the International Standards Organization (ISO 9000) and the European Standard (ES 29000) which entreats food processing, catering and other food-related industries to conform to prescribed and well-documented procedures. This quality management manual is the guide for safe and wholesome production of twelve (12) research by-products of CSIR-FRI. The manual contains instructions/illustrations on good manufacturing practices, HACCP systems, the processing methods and equipment management/handling for the products. The products covered under the manual are Yam fufu flour, Plantain fufu flour, Cocoyam fufu flour, Fermented maize flour, Agbelima flour, Banku mix flour, Groundnut paste, Maize grits, Kokonte, Gari, High Quality Cassava Flour (HQCF) and Cassava Starch