Food is an integral part of everyone's daily life. Without food, you won't survive long, neither will your neighbor nor the global population. This will lead to a significant reduction in human labor and the collapse of institutions.
Likewise, if populations are fed poor quality food, they can easily be wiped off the face of the earth, which will have similar effects to those discussed above. This is why hygiene and food safety are at the core of any food processing company. From the beginning of the company, that is, in the construction of the food processing unit, the company must align all its plans to meet the required food safety standards.
This article will look further into food safety as a consideration for building a small-scale food processing facility. It will also discuss other planning considerations such as location and zoning regulations. Keep reading to learn more.
Food Hygiene and Safety
The federal government, a specific city, state, and county govern how a food processing company operates. Regulations differ from state to state. These regulations also affect the construction of food facilities. For example, zoning regulations may allow or restrict the operation of a food business on a certain property in accordance with building codes.
That said, the federal government's biggest concern is food hygiene and safety . The government created the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), which ensures that each processing company meets food safety conditions. Under the administration are laws such as Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), which detail the procedures to be followed to minimize food contamination and the occurrence of biological, chemical and physical hazards.
Another law is the Food Safety Modernization Act, which requires that food safety be met through preventative measures. In this case, the company must avoid certain ingredients, storage methods, or distribution to avoid compromising food safety.
Although this law can be applied to the final product, its implementation begins with the way the food facility is designed. For example, if the facility has a compliant warehouse, food awaiting processing is less likely to be contaminated. Additionally, if the facility is damp, for example an older house that has been renovated, there is a possibility that the moisture could cause food contamination through microorganisms such as mold.
When food is contaminated, the processing facility is at risk of being shut down and you, the owner, being arrested and banned from handling the food for commercial consumption again. Therefore, you want to make sure you build a quality food processing facility to eliminate the risk of food contamination that can harm food safety performance as you begin your business operations.
If you want to ensure compliance with the laws discussed above, you can check out the TDI Packsys website for their automated inspection services.
Location
When choosing the location where you will install the installation, there are several aspects that you must consider. They include:
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The Facility's Neighborhood: Look at the property that will surround your future food processing business. If the facility is in a rural area, consider neighboring farms, if any. Will pesticides used on farms compromise food safety in any way? If yes, present mitigation measures to resolve such issues. For example, you can ensure that the installation is properly sealed. Alternatively, you can change the location to an area where irrigation and spraying methods will not significantly affect the company's operations.
The same strategy applies if the location is in an urban area. Always be aware of external factors that may impact the company's operations. Once you identify the factors, develop mitigation measures and test to see if the measures are working. - Access roads: Consider the ease of moving raw materials into the facility, finished products out of the facility, and personnel. It is advisable that you choose an area of the website that is easily accessible. Furthermore, the area should preferably have a year-round access road. In other words, the quality of the road is not affected by the seasons. However, if you will be transporting food in glass containers, a paved access road will work best. With a smooth paved road, you will avoid broken goods that would otherwise mean additional cost for a small facility. Remember, the higher the expenses, the lower the profits; therefore, the slower the installation growth will be.
- Proximity to raw materials and the market: One of the surest ways to maintain the sustainability of your small business is to cut costs as much as possible. It will work in your favor if you establish your facility close to the source of raw material and the market. This will help you reduce transportation costs, which promotes more profits and growth in small facilities.
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Water availability: Water is essential to ensure that the hygiene conditions of the facilities are met. It is also an ingredient for food processing, depending on the type of food. Therefore, if you are able to obtain water as a free resource on site, this will go a long way in reducing the cost of operation, as your only cost will be cleaning the water. However, if there is no water, you may need to purchase a regular water supply and storage.
In addition to water availability, check for possible water contaminants upstream. If your water is polluted, you can clean it on a small scale using chemicals such as hypochlorite, heating, ultraviolet light, and filtration. - Electricity: Electricity is the backbone of all your operations. Without power, you won't be able to process your food or package it for delivery. Therefore, when selecting a location for installation, always check power availability. The area must be well connected with electricity and have some cases of blackouts. However, it is always recommended that you have a backup generator in case of a power outage.
Local Zoning Regulations
The last thing you want is to start your construction and find out that zoning regulations don't allow food processing businesses in that area. To avoid such problems, check zoning regulations after identifying the location of your choice. Rules will determine the size of your food processing plan while observing building codes. For example, can the area's drainage system support the volume of activities of a small food processing facility?
In addition to building codes, zoning determines the number of employees you can have. In this case, since your premises will be small, you won't necessarily need to worry about this. Additionally, depending on your state, zoning regulations may determine the design of your food facility. For example, some states may allow you to build your facility out of an existing kitchen, build a new facility, or rehabilitate an old home.
In short!
Although you must consider many other factors when planning your power facility, the three factors discussed are the core of your plans. With all three out of the way, you are in a better position to begin construction of your facility.
