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Diagnosing risks and controlling critical points in the production process of feeds and mineral supplements is an essential tool for improving factory operations. Through these controls, it becomes possible to develop techniques aimed at cost reduction without compromising product quality.

A well-structured manufacturing process is directly dependent on the study of the flowchart and layout of the factory, focusing on characteristics such as operational efficiency and flexibility, visibility, straightness in the production line, multifunctionality, speed and reliability, machinery control, and scale calibration. This ensures the preservation of raw material quality and accurately translates the formula into the final supplement.

Product quality not only depends on effective internal processes but also directly on the quality of the raw materials. In this context, proper sampling upon receipt is crucial for assessing standards in the laboratory, which is also essential for checking critical contamination points in the processes.

Defining these quality standards aids in selecting suppliers who consistently deliver raw materials with uniformity and standardization. In this regard, having the flexibility to receive, process, and store raw materials is desirable, allowing for the use of alternative sources in the overall production process.

In the pursuit of identifying critical points in manufacturing, it is important to create an inspection roadmap that moves from the Clean Area to the Dirty Area between production sectors or cells. This roadmap should be based on the objectives and significance of each critical point, emphasizing problem resolution. After the diagnosis, an action plan is established to control the critical points, with corrective measures exceeding the identified risks. Frequent audits in this context assist in identifying issues, allowing for continuous improvements to be implemented.

Regarding the training of work teams, it is essential to have Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) manuals that define aspects related to what, where, when, how, and who. Operation and cleaning manuals for machinery, calibration guidelines, organization protocols, disinfection procedures, and safety manuals are classic examples that should be readily available at all critical points where they are needed in the factory.

Critical Points in Feed Manufacturing

Paying attention to critical control points in the manufacturing process is key to ensuring quality production. Critical control points are stages where essential controls can be applied to prevent or eliminate contamination hazards to the product. These points can be found at all stages of production, including receiving, storage of grains and liquids, silage, dosing, grinding, mixing, cooling, crushing, and shipping/transport.

Considering the critical control points in the receiving/processing and storage of grains and liquids, several minimum conditions must be observed in the structure of the silos (designed to prevent the accumulation of raw materials on the walls). The receiving and processing capacity must be compatible with the factory’s overall capacity. With these aspects in mind, the critical points that affect quality in the factory are:

• Automation: Reduces human errors in the production process. A feed and supplement factory should invest in increasingly automated processes.
• Presence of impurities, rodents, insects, and microorganisms: This is vital to maintain product safety and quality.
• Moisture: There are tolerance limits for moisture content in grain storage to ensure its safety, as well as temperature limits during grain drying that must be adhered to.
• Silage: It is necessary to monitor the flow of raw materials to avoid contamination during the silage process.
• Temperature Control: This is especially important for fats and molasses. The temperature must be maintained to ensure that viscosity does not hinder spraying and does not rise high enough to cause nutritional losses.
• Storage: Storage must be compatible with the size and location of the factory. The shorter the storage time, the better. Additionally, it varies based on storage conditions and the quality of raw materials. Liquid storage tanks should be surrounded by containment walls (dikes) to prevent spillage into the environment in case of leaks. For bagged materials, they should be placed on ventilated pallets, clearly labeled, and at least 50 cm away from walls.
• Dosing Silos: These should be appropriate for the shape and size of particles, resting angle, moisture, density, flowability, and adhesiveness, among other factors, to ensure a continuous flow during discharge without accumulation in corners. They must also be of adequate size to meet the factory’s needs.
• Dosing: This is often a bottleneck in production. The effective time for dosing, the sizing of components, and automation must be carefully planned and calculated. Frequent dosing tests should be conducted for each dosing element.
• Scales: Calibration should be performed with standard weights at least once a week or once every six months by a specialized company. Scales must be cleaned and disinfected like any other equipment in the factory to minimize contamination risks.
• Grinding, Mixing Mills, Coolers, and Crushers: These are critical points that require extreme attention. Factors such as particle size, mill capacity and feed, exhaust, wear of hammers, and moisture content of raw materials can all determine the final product quality.
• Overall Organization and Cleaning: Maintaining cleanliness of equipment, machinery, and silos is crucial.
• Shipping: Poorly filled or swapped loading orders, misidentified silos or feed piles, and uncovered shipping silos are failures in control and team training that can compromise the final product’s quality.

Another extremely important point is the management of cross-contamination, which occurs when something intended for one batch inadvertently ends up in another. This can be particularly damaging, especially in cases involving toxic substances. To eliminate this possibility, the silage of macro and microelements must be tightly controlled, leaks in pipelines, boxes, and gates must be contained and avoided, and dosing must be calculated with utmost precision.

Lastly, but no less important, production must be capable of total traceability. This means that every ingredient must be traceable throughout the entire production process, from the purchase of ingredients to final consumption (during receiving, storage, mixing, shipping, and by the end consumer). This is essential for ensuring quality products for consumers.

Contact our experts for more information! Also read: Gains from the dosing of additives in liquid form and check out our Linkedin for updates.