On the cover: Since its founding, Extru-Tech, Inc. and its equipment have been built on rock-solid technology, listening to our clients and designing solutions that exceed their expectations.

Cross-contamination/
production quality

Questions regarding cross-contamination and feed quality (both raw and value-added) topped the list of most frequently requested topics. The importance of this issue is obvious when contemplating the number of product recalls over the past several years.

Simply put, cross-contamination represents the mixing of two separate products/ingredients that by formulation or specification is not desirable or allowed. Also, our readers’ issues with production quality often involve maintaining a given value-added product per labeling and/or an advertised guarantee (i.e., moisture, freshness, nutritional value).

Both issues are closely related and can be managed simultaneously with the use of enterprise resource planning (ERP) software applications. If this type of solution is available, then why does cross-contamination and the tracking of production quality remain one of the top issues in the market today?

The most likely answer is cost. Many years of development and research by the software provider were required to create this simple

solution for the end users; thus ERP management level solutions are not inexpensive.

Begin with raw materials

With the software available today, the process of managing cross-contamination and production quality can be simplified to fit most business/ production models. The solution begins with identifying and data-logging the receipt and handling of raw materials. A procedural system to handle this task is crucial, ensuring production of quality value-added products.

As raw materials are received at a facility they are checked and crosschecked to verify:

■ The correct material is received;

■ Quality specifications are met;

■ The material is free (or reasonably so as defined by your specific

protocol) of foreign material or contaminates; and

■ It is inventoried appropriately (as defined by specification).

Through the appropriate ERP solution, data from each of these steps is collected and centrally data-logged to support concise labeling, record-keeping and traceability.

Preparing raw materials

The next consideration is the mixing and grinding step of value-added production. For each product on the market, there exists a specific and most cost-effective manner to prepare raw material for processing.

Mixing and grinding may or may not be mutually exclusive. The most cost-effective preparation method may not be the correct method per specification and vice versa. A mutually beneficial process must be designed that supports both sides of the spectrum while meeting specification protocols.

September 2008 Extru-Technician 4