HACCP IN SMALL BAKERIES

Introducing HACCP to small bakeries is particularly difficult as many products are involved and staff familiar with HACCP are lacking. Befor e making an HACCP concept, hygienic weak links must be removed by ensu ring Good Manufacturing Practice. Bakery goods with unbaked cream fill ing are particularly sensitive. Dirty equipment and lack of cooking ar e the hygienic weak points in these products. Methods to reduce the le vels of microorganisms on equipment are described Adding acetic or cit ric acid to sensitive creams delays the growth of pathogenic microorga nisms by lowering pH levels. Cream products with fruit are more stable because of lower pH levels and should be preferred in summer Cooling is still the most important measure to prevent microbiological growth. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.