A trial for Application of Food Safety Tool (HACCP) on Small Cheese Processing Unit for Reduction of Microbiological and Chemical Contamination

Abstract

THE study was to apply the (HACCP) system guidelines for the first time in a small processing unit of soft cheese production in a small-scale cheese plant in the Agriculture secondary school, Kafr El-sheikh governorate, Egypt, to obtain safe natural produced soft cheese. The (PRPs) were primarily executed. The detection of CCPs and OPRPs was made by applying a decision tree. The HACCP plan was investigated for microbial and chemical hazards. The results reflected that, raw milk was the most hazardous and important control point as a raw material that contains high levels of total bacterial, total coliform, total fungi, and Staph. aureus count (3×106103×2.3±CFU/ml, 0.72×103± 0.2×10 CFU /ml, 1.08×10410×0.9±, and 2×10310×1.5± CFU/ml), as a microbial hazard, respectively. The greatest serious chemical hazard AflatoxinM1 was in all of the examined milk samples by(100%), 10% out of them exceeded PL. (50ppt), subsequently, cheese samples contained AflatoxinM1 by (100%), 30% of them exceeded the PL. Swab test results reflected heavy microbial contamination. Staph. aureus was detected from tables, food handlers, and hand washing basins with mean results of 1×1020.3± x10, 2.8×1041.1± x102, and 3x1062.3± x103 CFU/cm2, respectively. After HACCP application, the total bacterial and fungi count in the cheese product reduced to 0.6×10±0.2×10 and 1×10 CFU/gm respectively, while coliform and Staph. aureus were not detected. Heavy metals (Cadmium, Lead, and Arsenic) were not detected. With PRPs application, HACCP system could be applied on small processing units.