June 16, 2020
Pradip Chakraborty
Former Director, FSSAI
Email: pradipchakraborty91@ yahoo.com
Preface
All of us know the importance of milk in our daily life. We are the largest producer of milk in the world. At the same time, we are also largest consumer of milk. In spite of our different food habits, almost all Indians consume milk. However, our production of processed milk products are insignificant compared to other countries. In fact, we process only 6.9% of our agricultural produce which is much below than most of the countries.
With the Government of India announcing nationwide lockdown on March 24, 2020, due to outbreak of COVID-19, most of the FMCG company in India like AMUL was in a major fix. The pandemic situation was extremely critical since milk supply is an essential service. Automation in Dairy sector has played an important role.
Big companies like AMUL had signed a 10 year partnership with IBM back in 2009 which has been renewed for another 10 years. This has enabled end to end visibility of supply chain.
Unlike other dairy units, AMUL has a very complex supply chain. It does not start from a factory or a supplier. It starts from the source of the milk production . A complete Disaster Recovery Solution is a must. The IT initiatives were designed to enhance visibility and transparency across the value chain.
With IBM’s help, AMUL is integrating new technologies with farmers and retailers. While AMUL with its scale and distribution may have benefited during the lockdown, there is a massive dip in procurement and sale of dairy products in other small dairy units. With demand dipping, procurement has also reduced. In West Bengal, huge quantities of milk is used for preparation of sweet meats. During lock down, when sweetmeat shops were also closed, small dairy units were compelled to throw milk as there was no demand. However, Government of West Bengal allowed sweet meat shops to remain open for a limited period which saved the small dairy units from utter disaster .
COVID -19 Pandemic situation
COVID -19 Pandemic has changed the world altogether. Now the focus of the industry has been shifted from Reactive role to Proactive role. In view of the Coronavirus outbreak, food business operators will have to take some preventive measures to ensure safety of the food and health of the workers. So compliance of the Food safety and Standards Regulations is not the only job now for the food industry.
In view of the COVID -19 Pandemic, importance of hygiene and sanitation in food processing facilities has once again emphasized by World Health Organisation ( WHO ). In its interim guidance dated April 7, 2020 for food businesses, WHO emphasizes the need of FSMS ( Food Safety and Management System ) based on HACCP ( Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point ).
Even FSSAI has also issued guidelines to prevent and control COVID -19 to ensure safe food. Hygiene and Sanitation requirements of all working personnel and food packaging handlers in the Establishment is equally important. Schedule IV of the Food Safety and Standards ( Licensing and Registration of Food Business ) Amendment Regulations, 2018 elaborately explains guidelines relating to general requirements on Hygienic and Sanitary Practices to be followed by all Food Business Operators applying for licence. These requirements facilitate the industry to implement strong Good Manufacturing Practices ( GMP ) and Good Hygienic Practices ( GHP ).
There is no evidence to date of the COVID -19 virus being transmitted via food or food packaging. Corona virus can not multiply in food. It needs a human host to multiply.
Hygiene and Sanitation Requirement
Hand washing play an important role. Adequate quantity, size and means of hygienic washing, drying and sanitising hand facility (including wash basins, supply of potable water at suitable temperature , liquid hand soap, single use disposable paper towels, wall mounted hand dryer and sanitiser with 70% alcohol ( if soap and water are not available ) shall be provided in the establishment . Workers should change out their street clothing and wear clear company issued PPE ( Personal Protective Equipment ) daily before entering food processing areas. Even the Supervisory staff shall not enter without changing into clean company PPE. Proper hand washing is a great protective barrier to infection than wearing disposable gloves or using hand sanitizer.
For the immediate COVID -19 Pandemic situation , only essential visitor will be allowed entry to the food facility and they shall be medically screened before being allowed in the food processing areas.
Unhygienic practices such as smoking. Chewing, eating, sneezing or coughing over unprotected food, food packaging and food contact surfaces, and spitting ( even into a processing trash bin ) shall be prohibited in the food facility including processing areas, distribution, storage, receiving and delivery areas, break areas, hand wash areas and parking lots.
Wellness Reporting
Wellness Reporting should be conducted as soon as employees or other essential workers like vendors, delivery drivers, maintenance workers arrive at the establishment . If an employee believes that he/ she developed COVID -19 symptoms during the shift, he/ she can take a self assessment at the break time. Employee shall inform the Project- in – Charge of symptoms of illness and injuries before start of work each day, at break time and start of shift.
Preventive Measures
If an employee is confirmed to have COVID -19, first it is necessary to exclude this individual from others in the workplace and remove this individual from the processing areas, call workers emergency contacts and local emergency health services and send home immediately. It is important to notify all close contacts of the infected employee at workplace and request them to leave for isolation for a minimum period of 14 days to minimise the risk of possible transmission to others. Persons who had contact with the ill employee during the time the employee had symptoms and 2 days prior to symptoms shall be informed and they should go for quarantine for 14 days. Others at the facility with close contacts within 6 feet of the employee during this time would be considered exposed.
Employees and other essential workers can not return until they have had two consecutive negative test reports collected a minimum of 2 days apart. Once these things are accomplished , employees will be able to work without the risk of spreading a COVID -19 to customers and colleagues.
Importantly, worker must disclose to manager, if any infected household member is a COVID -19 patient or displaying symptoms. Maintaining physical distance of at least 6 feet (2 meters ) anywhere in the facility is critical for reducing risk of COVID -19 transmission. Workers must practice these preventive measures in their daily life away from work to maintain good health.
For the immediate COVID -19 Pandemic situation , enhanced routine and frequent cleaning and sanitation shall be conducted particularly in high touch areas such as toilet rooms, changing rooms and break rooms.
The primary focus of additional enhanced hygiene and sanitation measures is to keep COVID -19 out of their business. The virus can enter only when infected persons enter or contaminated products are brought into the premises.
Wellness Reporting
Anyone coming into the facility will be screened and screening process will include taking their temperature and asking the following questions :
1) Within the last 14 days, have you experienced a new cough that you can not attribute to another health condition ? Yes/ No.
2) Within the last 14 days, have you experienced new shortness of breath that you can not attribute to another health condition ? Yes/ No.
3) Within the last 14 days, have you experienced new sore throat that you can not attribute to another health condition ? Yes/ No.
4) Within the last 14 days, have you experienced new muscle aches that you can not attribute to another health condition ? Yes/ No.
5) Within the last 14 days, have you had a temperature at or above 100.4°F ( 38°C ) or the sense of having a fever ? Yes/ No.
6) Within the last 14 days, have you had close contact, without the use of appropriate PPE, with someone who is currently sick with suspected or confirmed COVID -19 ? ( Close contact is defined as within a 6 feet for more than 10 consecutive minutes )? Yes/ No.
7) Within the last 28 days, have you travelled anywhere ? Yes/ No.
If yes, please state travel history.
So these are the 7 questions in Wellness check. If the individual answers YES to any of the questions, they will not be allowed into the facility unless determined otherwise by a designated Doctor.
All these things should be documented for verification and identify subsequently. It is advised to develop software to include all these documents.
Conclusion
Hence automation includes not only for supply chain and distribution network but also for Wellness check of the workers. Safety means not only safety of the food products but also safety of the workers. It’s new job for the food processing industry for the unwarranted situation due to Pandemic situation and automation plays a significant role to get the work done with minimum human touch.