Preface During the last 40 years, consumer choice has been trans velopment in the production, distribution and retailing of food improvements in the design and equipment of the domestic kitchen have facilitated a major change in our lifestyle. Perhaps the most striking development is the marketing of a wide and
Organisations looking to develop their business operations through the current volatile economic climates need to establish clear objectives as to how the various elements of the business need to perform to ensure continuing growth and viability. In order to achieve these objectives it is further imperative to have mechanisms in place to monitor performance and also to provide a process by which change can be implemented in those areas of activity which need strengthening. Total Quality
The primary concern of chilled food manufacturers is to produce a product that is both wholesome, i.e. it has all the fresh, quality attributes associated with a chilled food, and safe, i.e. free from pathogenic microorganisms and chemical and foreign body contamination. This is particularly important in this product ector as, due to the nature and method of production, many chilled foods are classified as high-risk products
Many different ingredients and raw materials are processed to make chilled foods. At harvest or slaughter these materials may have a wide range of microbes in or on them. Some of them carry the micro-organisms that cause their eventual spoilage(e.g. bacilli or Lactic acid bacteria) whilst others pick them up during harvesting or processing
