Many managers of SMEs in developing countries are not aware of the economic benefits of the HACCP system. For instance, reduction of waste and re-work, improved productivity, safety of the product and increased local and international competitiveness are some of the major benefits of the HACCP.
Given that SMEs in developing countries are often organized into associations, these associations will have to play a key role in leadership, initiative and communication to facilitate HACCP implementation in the small- and medium-scale enterprises.
Awareness through seminars will have to be created not only among the management of SMEs but also amongst suppliers, retailers and transport companies. The esource speakers should be able to demonstrate the benefits of HACCP implementation with adequate relevant and reliable data to motivate the management. The outcome of such seminars will have to lead to the preparation of sound project proposals on training on Hygiene, GMP and/or HACCP depending on the requirements of the respective countries.
Low levels of awareness among consumers should be discussed among consumer associations and WHO in order to prepare appropriate programs. Standards of education at universities and vocational institutes should be upgraded through the assistance of the IHRD program of UNIDO and other relevant agencies.
With regards to the legal aspect, SME associations should seek the assistance of the concerned ministries to reduce the gap between companies, national and international standards and adoption of the necessary legislation. Eventually the governments should provide the legal framework and platform to facilitate the implementation of HACCP. The knowledge of Food Inspectors must be updated to enable them to carry out their assignments effectively, according to modern inspection techniques, and to provide advisory service to the industry.
The establishment of a service, documentation, training and information center on business enterprise is the need of the hour.
Lack of financial resources to upgrade the factories, equipment and facilities to comply with the necessary legal requirements will have to be considered and assistance in the form of loans, tax deductions and/or subsidies should be extended to the SMEs.
Adoption of modern quality assurance systems/concepts such as HACCP by the small- and medium-sized food processing enterprises would be inevitable in order for them to be competitive in the international market, especially in view of trade liberalization under initiatives of the WTO. Besides, implementation of such quality assurance systems would enable the SMEs to further contribute to improving the public health and strengthening the national economies in the region. For this purpose, however, concerted efforts on the part of all the stakeholders such as relevant government institutes, NGOs, SMEs, SME organizations, consumer organizations and international organizations (FAO, UNIDO, APO, etc.) would be required to alleviate the above mentioned as well as other constraints/problems in adoption of quality assurance systems like HACCP by the small- and medium-sized food processing enterprises in the region.
Reference: Quality Enhancement in Food Processing Through HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) ©APO 2004, ISBN: 92-833-7041-4
Sunshine Energy’s instant cooling machine in the context of food safety in local tea beverage shops:
Everybody would like a cup of ice tea in the summer, but it’s not easy to have a nice and health tea in summer time. This is because summer is hot and humid, and this is the environment that the bacteria like the most. So, the owners of bubble tea shops have to pay more attention to the food safety of tea drinks, and this will help a lot on the business growth.
The point of view of the shops:
There will not be any affection, if the speed of cooling is not fast enough. If we chill slowly, the tea will become bitter and bad mouth feel. But chilling fast costs much higher.
So, the owner wants to chill fast, and have fluent process. They invent a process of ice cube to melt with hot tea; they put ice cubes directly into the hot tea or put hot tea directly into a pot of ice cubes.
This method is just like you don’t have cell phone and you have to make a phone call immediately. All you can do is to find a pay telephone, after that a B.B. call came out. Nowadays, everybody has a cell phone; no one wants to use B.B. call.
Actually, bacteria exist friendly with human kind, it will not affect to us in the permission range. If there are much more over the range, there will be some bad affection to human body. And this is the main definition of food safety
The forming of ice needs time and energy, but the density between every ice cube is different. This will become the unstable of the cooling temperature.
The difference of density ==> the difference of calorie of each ice cube ==> different cooling temperature ==> the rate between water and tea are different.
Some of us will have bad temper because of the hot summer, by this time we can cool ourselves by cup of ice tea. And tea with ice will be the best choice.
Instant cooling machine would cool the tea down in 15 minutes, this can preserve the original flavor of tea, and the tea maker can preserve the tea in 4 degree refrigerator to wait for the customers. And all you have to do is add 20% of ice into tea drinks; customers will have a cup of tea which would be cool for 3 to 4 hours. This cup of ice tea will cool your heart and with good flavor, if you are the customer, will you come back frequently?
The word FRESH not only represents the just made when ordered, it has a further meaning of heat up fast, instant cooling and low temperature preserving.
The tea with fries, mosquitoes, dusts, bacteria, and it’s just made in 2 hours. Is this cup of tea fresh?
The point of view of customers:
The difference between water and tea:
If the tea drinks need a lot of ice cube to chill and what’s the difference between drink water and drink tea. The flavor of tea is quite different to water. If a cup of tea with a lot of ice cube and a few quantity of tea, the clients are so clever, they would know that the quality of your bubble tea shop is no good. This also means the decrease of business and the earning instability.
If people don’t use cell phone, this doesn’t mean there is no need of cell phone. The main reason is that no one knows this product. This is also a metaphor of instant cooling machine. The hardworking, good heart and making food with conscious, customers will finally know which shop is good and which is bad. Nowadays, the opening kitchen is arise, this is because the restaurants wants to show to the clients about the good material, clean environment, the technological equipments that they are pay attention to.
Using overdose antiseptic to let the food to preserving for a longer time, is that right?
If a cup of tea with good flavor, you will have a diarrhea. Is this worth to taste?
Instant cooling machine of Sunshine Energy will improve the situation that the bubble tea shops meet in the present. Please check the report of FOOD INDUSTRY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE OF TAIWAN.