INSIGHT FOR INDUSTRY
A factsheet series giving insight to the food industry from the ZERO2FIVE Food Industry Centre
FACTSHEET NO: 18
AVERAGE WEIGHT CONTROL
ANALYSIS
BACKGROUND
With the food industry being a fast paced work
environment, it is not always possible for manufacturers to
check every product weight, within a whole batch, before
being despatched to customers. Under UK law
manufacturers complying with the average weight
legislation often factor in a % giveaway to ensure legal
compliance. Average weight legislation states that “the
actual contents of the packages must not be less, on
average, than the nominal quantity”. This prompted the
question: Do manufacturers give away more product than
they think when packing final product? and if so, how
much?
During the manufacturing of Welsh cakes all product
deposit weights were correct pre bake. On analysis of post
baked weights it was found that the product was 18% over
weight and was attributed to the product not achieving the
correct bake loss during baking. This resulted in a giveaway
of one full packet per five packs produced.
Data gathered from a cake manufacturer was found to be
giving away an average of 34% this was attributed to
incorrect batter deposit weight. For every 3 cakes
produced the company were giving away 1 whole cake.
OBJECTIVE
To explore real time giveaway percentages from a bakery
manufacturer to average weight.
METHOD
Initial research was carried out at 2 SME Bakery
Manufacturers both predominantly using batch production
and non-automated methods of recipe weighing. Real time
data capture gathered through observation and check
weighing of final packed product on a number of
production runs was reviewed and analysed to determine
the percentage of giveaway typically generated in the
manufacture process. Where the product was found to be
overweight i.e. showing a larger giveaway than needed for
compliance to the average weight legislation, an audit of
the manufacturing process was conducted to ascertain
potential reasons for the giveaway.
RESOLUTIONS
Greater control and use of recipe specifications throughout
the production process is required ensuring that the
correct parameters are adhered to when producing a
product.
Ensuring correct bake times and consistent oven settings
are applied during manufacturing
Ensuring the correct deposit weight are adhered to
FINDINGS
Analysis of the data has identified give away in final
product ranging from 18% to 34%. Further analysis of the
processes found that specifications were not adhered to
when producing the product. Examples found where
incorrect baking times, and incorrect deposit weights were
also observed, these were factors contributing to
unnecessary give away in final product packing.
Monitoring final pack weights and using the data to look
for trends and deviations will allow manufacturers to take
corrective action if the process starts to deviate
Having incorrect deposit weights and baking times can
have a major effect on the final product weight causing
unnecessary give away.
For more information, please contact:
[email protected] │ 029 2041 6306 │ cardiffmet.ac.uk/health/zero2five