The production lines at most industrial bakeries move relentlessly each day to meet rigorous output demands. As dough balls, buns, and slices of bread pass through various forming, proofing, and baking stages, it can be easy to lose sight of each process’s vital importance in ensuring food safety. However, under the Food Safety Modernization Act, bakeries now face increased scrutiny and compliance requirements to validate that their “kill steps” adequately reduce or eliminate potential pathogens that could put consumers at risk.
Within this high-pressure environment, properly validating the kill step may seem like an obstacle. Still, it is crucial to understand its significance in upholding regulations and its long-term benefits. Fundamentally, you must ensure that your bakery achieves validation of the kill-step in industrial baking for FSMA compliance with all of your baked goods.
Reading Thermal has spent decades developing, honing, and producing industry-leading technologies designed to give bakeries the clearest understanding of their oven environments. Knowing that the kill step is a critical component in FSMA compliance, Reading Thermal has focused on providing highly accurate and detailed data to assist companies in achieving validation. By investing in our products, you are investing in your bakery’s future success and the health and safety of your consumers.
The Importance of Validating the Kill-Step
The kill step is a crucial food safety control measure that bakers must implement to mitigate potential hazards. During industrial baking, this process typically occurs during the final stages of baking when high temperatures destroy any harmful bacteria or pathogens present in the product. Proper validation ensures that this step has been conducted effectively and that all foodborne pathogens have been eliminated or sufficiently reduced to safe levels. In short, it is the final line of defense against potential contamination.
The Impact on FSMA Compliance
With the implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act, bakers are now required to validate their kill steps as part of their preventative controls plan. This means ensuring that the kill step is scientifically supported and that appropriate controls are in place to achieve its intended result consistently. Failure to validate the kill step can result in serious consequences, including fines, recalls, and damage to your bakery’s reputation.
Leveraging Software to Validate the Kill-Step
Validating the kill step can be a complex and time-consuming process, but with the help of SCORPION® Software Version 8 (SV8), it becomes much more manageable. This powerful software is designed explicitly for industrial baking environments and allows you to easily monitor, track, and analyze your oven performance data in real time. With the added feature of the Food Safety Module, you can easily collect and interpret the necessary data to validate your kill step and ensure FSMA compliance.
Investing in Your Bakery’s Future
While validating the kill step may seem daunting, it is crucial to ensure your consumers’ safety and protect your bakery’s reputation. By investing in Reading Thermal’s SCORPION® Software Version 8 and utilizing the Food Safety Module, validating the kill-step in industrial baking for FSMA compliance has never been easier. If you’re interested in our services, call (610) 678-5890 Ext. 2 or contact us online for more details about our innovative products.