0.1 Food safety: introduction to water quality

Welcome

Welcome to Introduction to Water Quality .

This learning module is part of the Food Safety Knowledge Network Basic Level Program.

The Basic Level and Intermediate Level Programs were developed through a partnership between the Global Food Safety Initiative and Michigan State University to enhance the technical knowledge of individuals responsible for food safety, especially those working for small or less-developed businesses.

To learn more about the Food Safety Knowledge Network, please visit www.foodsafetyknowledgenetwork.org .

Module overview

A person responsible for food safety must know the necessary requirements for constructing water systems within the factory. Identifying possible points of contamination or reduction in the quality of the water is essential to maintain the safety of a product.

Having poor water quality or using contaminated water in food processing can affect the safety of products and potentially cause illness to many people. A good water quality management system will reduce this risk.

The following topics will be discussed:

• system development
• importance of water quality
• legal requirements and regulations
• Codex requirements
• proper construction of wells and plumbing systems
• monitoring and management

Module objectives

Upon completion of this module, you should be able to

• describe reasons for ensuring water quality
• explain the regulations and customer requirements associated with water quality, ice, and steam
• explain the characteristics of properly-constructed water wells (where applicable) and plumbing systems necessary for delivery of potable water, ice, and steam
• design a system to ensure the quality of water, ice, and steam
• operate a system to ensure the quality of water, ice, and steam.

System development

As the person responsible for food safety within the factory, you must develop systems that

• ensure that the staff is aware that they must use safe water during the food production process
• monitor the staff’s use of safe water during the food production process
• ensure that the staff is aware of their responsibility to identify maintenance issues for water systems
• monitor the staff in identifying maintenance issues for water systems
• ensure that the staff is aware of hazard prevention practices
• monitor and review the risk analysis used in identifying all possible hazards concerned with water used within the factory.

Any system will have to be clearly and concisely documented and communicated effectively to appropriate staff within the company.

You must work closely with key company staff to ensure they clearly understand the importance of such systems and the ways they can influence effective compliance.