Design and Facilities for Establishment

In order to obtain safe flour from a flour mill, inputs such as wheat, operations such as cleaning, storage, and milling, and final products such as flour need all be evaluated for food safety. The raw material and process conditions, as well as the risks encountered during the processing steps, should all be determined.

Location

The flour mill must be positioned distant from anything that could cause contamination, such as a water source.

- Dust, smoke, standing water, and so on

- Contamination of the environment, industrial operations

- Landfills, incinerators, junkyards, and service depots are all examples of sanitary landfills.

- Rodent entry points and pest infestations

- Contaminated regions caused by trucks, cars, forklifts, or pedestrians

- Locations where dogs and cats are allowed to access an institution

- Locations prone to flooding

Containers and Equipment

All pieces of the equipment should be correctly developed, maintained, and calibrated, and they should not transmit harmful substances, odours, or tastes, nor should they create colour changes. Stainless steel, for example, must be non-corrosive and non-toxic.

Self-draining equipment with interior surfaces in direct touch with the product should be used. Checking and maintaining the sieves, filters, and gaskets should be done on a regular basis. Covers for storage, food conveyors, and blending bins should be suitable and close-fitting.

Sieves, carter discs, truer cylinders, de stoners, separators, combinators, scourers, magnets, and metal detectors should be used to limit foreign body contamination and safeguard the end product by cleaning the entering wheat.

Sifters, purifiers, roller stands, and other equipment should be constructed to allow both examination and cleaning at the same time.

Equipment canopies, air vents, air vent covers and screens, and air vent covers and screens should all be maintained clean and dust-free.

Brooms, brushes, dust mops, and vacuum cleaning systems used in manufacturing areas should be made of metal or plastic and color-coded to prevent contamination.

To avoid unintentional food contamination, chemical compounds, insecticides, and cleaning agents must be identified and stored separately.

Availability of water

- For operating and cleaning purposes, potable water that meets the requirements of the BIS standard on drinking water, i.e. Is 10500, shall be used.

- At least once a year, water must be tested for compliance.

- Water used for food handling, washing, and other purposes must not pose a hazard or cause contamination in the completed food product.

- Storage tanks and water pipes must be made of non-toxic, corrosion-resistant materials and must be covered to prevent animals, birds, and vermin from getting into them.

- Non-potable water pipes must be differentiated from potable water pipes and used solely for non-food purposes.

Utensils and Equipment Cleaning

- Ample facilities for cleaning and disinfecting utensils and equipment, including hot and cold water, if necessary, must be supplied.

- CIP (clean-in-place) and COP (clean-out-of-place) systems must be employed.

- To eliminate cross-contamination, clear segregation of cleaned utensils and equipment must be given.

Waste disposal

Adequate drainage and waste disposal systems and facilities must be designed and built to avoid polluting food or drinkable water supply equipment, buildings, and roadways on the grounds, as well as the environment in general. All garbage cans and bins must be covered.