Investigation of quality assurance and halal practices of food industries

A study on the quality control (QC) management and halal assurance systems implemented in different food industries in Penang, Malaysia was conducted using a
mixed method approach (qualitative and quantitative). A total of 200 respondents from three food manufacturers were approached to investigate their satisfactory level
towards the QC management system implemented in their companies, their understanding towards the concept of halal and attitude towards halal food products. Swabbing tests were conducted to determine the cleanliness of working environment and workers’ hygiene. Moreover, the microbiological quality of finished goods from the companies was analyzed for total bacterial count. The swabbing tests of food contact surfaces (tabletops) revealed that only Company C (manufactures oat) and
Company D (manufactures coffee powder) passed the Adencsine Triphosphate (ATP) hygiene test (≤ 10 RLU). The ATP swabbing tests conducted on all workers’ hands and aprons from all three manufacturing plants indicated a fall result (> 30 RLU). No ATP was detected on the packaging materials from all companies. The findings
indicated that the QC management implemented in each company is capable of ensuring the safety and quality of the end products and verified by the microbiological
tests conducted on the food samples. Besides, from the interview sessions conducted with the Quality Assurance (QA) staff in each manufacturing site, one generic Halal Critical Control Points (HCCPs) plan and four specific HCCP plans were developed for the manufacturing process of halal food products for each food company.