Auditing standard for HACCP Recent development work at CCFRA has provided the whole food chain with an industry-recognised HACCP Auditing Standard and Certification Protocol. Auditing and certification against the standard will provide food operations with the opportunity to improve, be more focussed about their food safety controls, and be able to demonstrate that their HACCP systems meet requirements. Other elements of the development work have produced revised and updated guidelines for the implementation of HACCP systems. HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) is now acknowledged by the food industry as the preferred method for assuring food safety. A need was identified by industry, however, for authoritative guidance on the auditing, control and certification of HACCP systems. The CCFRA HACCP Auditing Standard and Certification Protocol has been subject to widespread external review by personnel and organisations throughout the food industry. As an industry-recognised auditing standard it will allow the food industry to adopt a more pro-active and controlled approach to HACCP, with the potential for consistent third-party verification of HACCP systems. Companies in the existing CCFRA HACCP Certification scheme will soon be audited against the new Standard, and the Scheme and Standard will be submitted for accreditation by UKAS (the United Kingdom Accreditation Service) later in the year. Contact: Robert Gaze Better texture 
CCFRA is helping Members to improve the texture of a wide range of products, by means of instrumental testing. These techniques offer an objective means of assessing the effects of process changes and storage on product texture. One common application is picking up changes due to moisture movement in products that contain portions of differing moisture. The techniques are also applicable to process control for example, in monitoring dough consistency. Alan Hall, food technologist, comments: For most food products, the exact choice of test method is very important. Our research has emphasised the significance of the robustness of the tests, and their meaningful interpretation in sensory terms. The same practical approach underpins our "Principles of Texture Testing" training course, which aims to guide those setting up their own procedures through the relevant techniques. We also arrange courses for clients tailored to the testing of their specific products. Our service offers testing across the whole food industry, and covers a broad range of product types including fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, pet foods, snacks, bakery products, confectionery, desserts and composite products. Similar methods may be used for the tensile evaluation of packaging materials, while related tests cover the consistency of liquids, such as beverages and sauces. Contact: Alan Hall Process evaluation trials 
New, improved dataloggers give better information on in-pack processing, providing companies with essential data for the establishment of safe heat processing. CCFRA has been at the leading edge of thermal processing research for many years. A key service is the establishment of thermal processes for companies, either in factories or by using the process hall facilities at CCFRA. This involves the application of temperature logging equipment for in-pack processes together with knowledge of critical factors essential to thermal process establishment. Technological advances in the design and construction of wireless dataloggers have seen a new generation of logger entering the market in the form of the Ellab Tracksense Pro and the Datatrace Micropack III systems. These have been extensively redesigned from their predecessors and offer greater reliability and accuracy in the readings that are taken. Both systems have been recently acquired by CCFRA, providing greater flexibility for process evaluation trials. For more information on process evaluation or the equipment used for such work... Contact: Geoff Shaw Measurement techniques - website CCFRA is actively participating in a DTI-funded project on providing access for the food and drink industry to leading-edge measurement techniques. Access to more advanced measurement techniques will enable food companies to improve current operations, increase competitiveness and innovate for the future. A 'National Measurement Technical Exchange' has been established to put companies in touch with scientists within specialist measurement laboratories with the relevant measurement expertise to provide independent advice on measure-ment problems. The key benefits of registration are:
Using the National Measurement Technical Exchange is completely FREE. Registration of your Interest Profile on the site should take less than 5 minutes and a simple User Guide is available from the homepage. Contact: Philip Richardson OR Martin George Bioterrorism - the deliberate contamination of food Given the current threat of bio-terrorism and the potential for the deliberate contamination of food facing the UK food industry, leading authorities in the bioterrorism field were invited by Director-General Professor Colin Dennis to address a briefing meeting for representatives of CCFRA Members on 26 February 2003. Presentations offered a worldwide perspective from the USA, Europe and Australia/New Zealand. During the questions-and-answers session the speakers were joined by representatives from the Metropolitan Police based at New Scotland Yard who reinforced the key messages of the need for strategic and tactical planning and to rehearse plans. A further seminar is planned for 10 November 2003, with international speakers from the World Health Organisation, the USA, and UK government and enforcement authorities. Contact: Daphne Llewellyn Davies Pilot scale bakery - yours to use More and more clients are realising the cost-effectiveness of doing their own product development using the bakery facilities at CCFRA. Budgeting is easy, with fixed daily rates, and the wide range of equipment provides an ideal environment for different types of bakery processing. There is sufficient space to put together small production lines for novel products, together with access to enthusiastic technologists with the relevant knowledge, skills and experience. The comprehensive range of equipment includes:
For further information including a full list of all the process and testing equipment please ... Contact: Paul Catterall
New members Campden & Chorleywood is delighted to welcome the following new members who joined in February 2003: Alpine Foods Ltd. – a contract processing, freezing, grading and packing of vegetables based in Dundee, Scotland Bakers Choice – a manufacturer of cakes based in Selby, England Cereal Innovations Ltd – a manufacturer of cereal bars based in Peterborough, England D C Norris & Co (Eng) Ltd – a manufacturer of food processing equipment based in Great Gransden, England Euramax Coated Products Ltd – a coil coater, coating aluminium and steel for, amongst others, the building cladding industry based in Corby, England Eurostock Foods Hindley Ltd – a meat processor based in Wigan, England J Hodge – a cheese maker based in Stroud, England Laurens Patisseries Ltd – a manufacturer of chilled and frozen desserts including cakes and pastries based in Newark, England Millbo SpA – a producer of bakery ingredients based in Trecate, Italy MRJ UK Ltd – a prepared fresh produce business based in Goole, England Pasta Concepts Ltd – a manufacturer of filled and unfilled frozen pasta based in Naas, Co. Kildare, Ireland Public Health Laboratory – Microbiology – Edinburgh based in Edinburgh, Scotland Resonance Instruments Ltd – a developer and manufacturer of instruments for Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) based in Witney, England Royal Well – a manufacturer of condiments, preserves and sauces based in Dudley, England The Bidford Bakery Co – a French bakery based in Henley in Arden, England Contact: Bertrand Emond or Sally Easton Tel: (+44 (0)1386 842062) or
Please notify the Membership Department of any name or address changes with respect to our mailing list. New HACCP guides A new edition of CCFRA's best selling guide to HACCP will be published later this month, as will two new case studies on the use of HACCP in agriculture. HACCP: A Practical Guide, now in its third edition, is well established as a standard introduction to HACCP and its implementation for food manufacturers and processors. The new edition takes account of HACCP developments in the five years since the last edition, especially the emergence of prerequisite programmes. It is priced at £30.00 per copy for CCFRA members and £45.00 for non-members, with significant discounts for multiple copies. Meanwhile, with increasing use of HACCP in agriculture, the two new case study supplements to HACCP in Agriculture and Horticulture (CCFRA Guideline No. 10) cover crop generic safety issues (Supplement 4) and potatoes (Supplement 5). Previous supplements cover lettuce, apples and wheat while a forthcoming one covers organic crops. Each is priced at £10.00 per copy (if purchased with Guideline No. 10) or £20.00 (if purchased alone). Contact: HACCP in manufacturing and processing: Robert Gaze, CCFRA, HACCP in agriculture: Dr. Chris Knight, CCFRA, (Tel: +44(0)1386 842012),
Publication orders: Mrs. Carol Newman, CCFRA, (Tel. +44(0)1386 842048)
Active and intelligent packaging proceedings The latest developments and current trends with active and intelligent packaging are covered in the proceedings of CCFRA's second international conference on this theme (September 2002) which brought together experts from around the world. The proceedings contain a summary of each presentation with copies of the visual aids used, and cover the current status of active and intelligent packaging, radio-frequency tagging for traceability, oxygen emitters for fresh produce quality, technical and regulatory aspects of anti-microbial films, time-temperature indicators and moisture absorption for perishable products. The proceedings are priced at £60.00 per copy for CCFRA members and £80.00 per copy for non-members. Technical contact: Lynneric Brydon, CCFRA, Tel. (+44(0)1386 842237), Publication orders: Mrs. Carol Newman, CCFRA, Tel. (+44(0)1386 842048)
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