The Australian Meat Processor Corporation (AMPC) invested in research to inform the revision of the Meat Hygiene Assessment (MHA) Process Monitoring system in 2024.
Process monitoring involves the routine examination of procedures used in each process across all production areas to ensure the efficiency of sanitation and hygiene programs.
The current system of MHA process monitoring requires sizable resources, is high cost, and does not necessarily align resources with risks.
AMPC Program Manager Ann McDonald said, “The Meat Hygiene Assessment for Product Monitoring 3 (MHA 3) was successfully revised and implemented in July 2023. This research looked at “process monitoring” as the final step in modernising food safety monitoring for the Australian red meat processing industry.
“We worked closely with the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), industry participants, and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry to better understand how processing facilities undertake process monitoring to inform the development of a revised MHA 3 processor monitoring system, as well as to produce discussion papers, a principles and guidelines document, and a draft MHA 3 Processing Monitoring Protocol.
“The revised MHA processing monitoring system takes a risk-based approach which is a more efficient and effective way of monitoring visual contamination resulting from processes like bunging, hide-on operations, hock removal, and carcase trimming.
“Processors will now assess the risk of contamination during each of the processing steps that the carcase has its hide on to understand where the risk is, the risk levels and to ensure resources are allocated to the high-risk areas.
“Managing the risk in those areas will produce a safer and cleaner product along with helping processors with allocating resources appropriately,” Ann said.
The next stage of this research will involve conducting further trials with the five processing facilities that were involved in this project. These trials will be performed by SARDI and will show the facilities what steps they need to take to adopt the new risk-based approach for processing monitoring.
For more information about this research, visit the AMPC website at: https://www.ampc.com.au/research-development/product-process-integrity/review-of-meat-hygiene-assessment-(process-monitoring) or contact AMPC Program Manager Ann McDonald at a.mcdonald@ampc.com.au