STUDY REGARDING APPLICATION OF THE FMEA METHOD WITHIN A FOOD SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Cecilia Pop, Gabriela Frunză, M.M. Ciobanu

Abstract
   The paper aims the study of application of FMEA (Failure modes and effects analysis) method in a food safety management system for the manufacturing of an assortment of raw-dried salami. The working methodology consisted in the collection and processing of information based on practical experience and provided by food industry specialists, as well as those from the literature related to similar studies. Among the steps and activities required to apply the FMEA method is distinguished, as specificity, the calculation of Risk Priority Number (RPN) depending on the probability of occurrence of a potential hazard for food safety, the severity (seriousness) of consequences of its manifestation to the consumer and the probability of its detection. RPN was determined for each category of identified potential hazards (physical, chemical and biological) at all stages of the technological flow. The highest RPN values (over 100 points) were determined for the cold smoking (288), drying-ripening (252), reception (252), shredding (189), storage of raw materials (180) and for leakage, strengthening of the meat (162). Through RPN, a quantitative assessment can be made of the potential food safety problems in a system, and respectively a prioritization of implementation of preventive and corrective actions. The results obtained led to the formulation of some conclusions and recommendations for improvement and enlargement FMEA applying within food safety management systems.

Key words: failure modes and effects analysis, food safety, salami