EASTERN ACADEMIC FORUM
Research on Influencing Factors of the Quality of Raw Materials in
Food Processing Enterprises
WEI Guochen, WANG Haipeng
Beijing Wuzi University, Beijing, China, 101149
[email protected]
Abstract: This paper applies 5M1E analysis to carry out a research on the influencing elements of the
quality of raw materials in food processing enterprises. And it uses fishbone diagram to point out the
existing problems in the quality management of raw materials, then analyzes the causes, use fishbone
diagram to conclude. Finally, it advances six measures about how to improve the quality management of
raw materials in food processing enterprises. This paper would have guiding significance to improve
quality management level of raw materials in food processing enterprises.
Keywords: Quality problems, Raw material, Food processing enterprises, 5M1E, Fishbone diagram
1 Introduction
Food safety is an eternal topic, related to people’s livelihood, influencing every family. For the past
several years, food safety incidents occurred frequently in China, such as the melamine-tainted milk
powder, acrylamide in the fried food, chloramphenicol residues in the aquatic products, etc. Most of
these food safety incidents are caused by the quality problems of the raw materials. It not only seriously
harms to the health of our customers, but also results in incalculable damage to the reputation of food
processing enterprises. The raw materials are the basis of food processing enterprises, determining the
quality of its product. Without safe raw materials, the food processing enterprises cannot produce
qualified products, even though there are advanced producing equipments, rich experience in production
management, advanced producing technology [1].
As the public pay more attention to the food safety, the number of research about food safety and raw
materials purchasing is becoming larger. Su Wei and Mu Yingchun (2008) said that the food safety rely
on the safety control in the producing process of the raw materials. They emphasize the importance of
the planting and breeding process. However, Li Mingrong (2008) and Zhan Xiaojun, Yu Qingfeng
(2012) pointed out the importance of purchasing safety of raw materials and they said that the
purchasing of high quality materials is the premise of high quality products.
All of these researches have important guiding significance for improving the quality of raw materials,
but the researches about the influencing factor of the purchasing quality are not comprehensive enough.
This paper carries out a research on the effecting elements of quality in the food processing enterprises
and formulates solving measures. It is good for improving the quality management level and can ensure
the raw materials safety in food processing enterprises.
2 The Influencing Elements of the Raw Materials’ Quality
The causes of the raw materials’ quality problems are manifold, this paper analyzes the affecting
elements of the purchasing’ quality from six aspects, using 5M1E analyzing method.
2.1 Materials
The materials factor of the quality of raw materials in food processing enterprises mainly refers to the
natural toxins in agricultural raw materials.
Characteristic of raw materials is varied. Some raw materials are toxic, not suitable to be used or
directly used as raw materials of food processing. For example, some plant such as peanut, nut and its
185
EASTERN ACADEMIC FORUM
products may contain aflatoxin and kidney beans contain lectin and saponin of red blood cells. In
addition, some animal also contain toxins, such as shellfish poison, tetrodo toxin, mackerel toxin. It
must be removed by appropriate way, such as heating, refrigerating, removing toxic organs or avoiding
using the product as raw materials unless without toxin. Because the natural toxins in the raw materials
are not removed, or natural toxins in the raw materials are not removed in right method, the raw
materials may carry harmful toxins, it is not suitable to be used as raw materials for processing. If this
product is used as raw materials for processing, the finished product will do harm to the health of
people.
2.2 Manpower
The raw materials of food processing enterprises mostly are farm produce, during the planting and
breeding, many reasons can lead to the purchasing problem, such as the lack of food quality knowledge,
the weakness of quality awareness, etc.
In order to reduce insects and diseases, they use pesticides extensively. To increase production, they use
fertilizers excessively. The survey indicates that the residue of organ chlorine pesticides in our food is
much higher than developed countries. Due to the stable properties of organ chlorine pesticides, a great
number of organ chlorine pesticides remain in agricultural product [2].
Our annual consumption of nitrogenous fertilizer is more than 25,000,000 tons and the pesticides are
over 1,300,000 tons. The amount of unit area is far beyond the average level of world. In the poultry
breeding, they usually add some antibiotics in feed to prevent poultry from diseases. A substantial
portion of antibiotics may be transported to its byproduct or remained in poultry organism. In order to
increase the growth speed and production of byproduct, they, generally, add hormone into feed or inject
hormone into body directly. All of this may have a bad effect on the quality of poultry product [3].
2.3 Method
The factor of method in raw materials quality management of food processing enterprises mainly refer
to the method of packaging and handling in the shipping and handling process.
Currently, in China, the phenomenon of nonstandard packaging in preservation and transportation
of fresh agricultural products is serious. The choice of packaging box is so arbitrary and, generally,
packaging can’t be done according to the packaging specification. Sometimes, in order to cut cost, the
ordinary packaging box even may be not used in transportation of fresh agricultural products. It makes
fresh agricultural products easy to be hurt, losing large amounts of water, decreasing the fresh degree.
Once fresh agricultural product is hurt, its quality may be damaged at a different degree and it is
difficult to be stored.
Before it is transported to processing enterprise, the loading and unloading process of farm produce is
low-tech and substandard. Violent handling is common, damaging the quality of farm produce. In most
cases, respiratory intensity of plant tissues maybe increase sharply after being harmed externally. Tests
show that rolling selection of fruit, packing, compression and small trauma can immediately cause the
increase of respiration rate of fruits and vegetables. And the injury of raw materials may result in
increased respiration intensity, accompanied by changes in chemical composition, directly influencing
the quality of raw materials [4].
2.4 Machine
Machine factor in food processing enterprises means transportation equipment, packaging materials in
the process of raw materials transportation. If the transportation equipment and packaging materials
cannot meet the requirements, it may cause damage and poor quality of raw materials during the
transportation.
The number of annual breakage of farm products, due to poor transport apparatus and protective
packaging, is so amazing. Apart from the accidents during transportation and rough handing, the main
reason is that the design and use of transportation equipment and packaging materials may be
186
EASTERN ACADEMIC FORUM
unreasonable. During transportation, the protection of traditional transportation equipment, such as
sacks, bamboo basket, is too weak to prevent farm products from damaging. What is more, the
traditional transportation equipment and packaging materials is easy to be damaged and difficult to load
and unload. After being damaged, farm products, respiration intensity increase and its sugar, acid and
other organic matter is consumed, producing unsaturated aldehydes, ketones and other substances. It
makes the fresh fruit and vegetable lose the original flavor and rot. Then the abnormal odor emanate
from it, influencing the quality of the raw materials.
2.5 Measurement
The factors of measurement of raw materials quality management in food processing enterprises mainly
refer to testing standards, techniques and means.
2.5.1 Imperfection of drug standard system, lack of detection method
Pesticide and animal medicine residues limit indicators in the testing standards of our country are not
only less than international standards and foreign advanced standards, but also not scientific and can’t be
in line with international standards. The application of advanced analysis techniques, such as ion
chromatography, ion trap mass spectrometry, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and other
advanced technologies and methods in our country is basically blank. The accurate monitoring and
inspection methods of enzymes, protein complexes, preparation and transgenic products are not
enough[5].
2.5.2 Not enough in the detection proportion of raw materials
The inspection of raw materials is the basis to ensure the safety. Since the detection requires a certain
amount of time, shelf life is short and preservation condition is strict, so the enterprise may conduct
sampling inspection according to a certain proportion of raw materials.
In 2011, Sina announced agricultural department’s survey report, which points out that, before
clenbuterol event, according to regulations promulgated by ministry of agriculture, the detection of
clenbuterol on pork is widely used, 3% - 10% for sampling ratio, and the sampling ratio in Shuanghui
group is 4.5%, that is to say, only 1/20 of raw materials can be inspected, the sampling ratio in small
enterprises may be less [6]. Lack of detection method and imperfection of drug standard system make
causes of quality problems difficult to be tested. The low sampling ratio may lead to the escape of
some unqualified raw materials. All of this may result in serious consequences.
2.6 Environment
The factors of environment of raw materials quality management in food processing enterprises mainly
refer to temperature and humidity.
The preservation of fresh agricultural products in transportation is shorter than long-term storage.
However, in China, the transportation of raw materials is usually at room temperature. In case of no heat
preservation, the quality of raw materials may be affected by temperature changes. Because the external
environment often changes, during transportation, low temperature interruption or temperature variation
will cause the destruction of the quality of agricultural raw materials.
Humidity control, in a certain range, of agricultural products in transport process is an important factor
to guarantee the quality of fresh agricultural products. Because the proportion of cold chain
transportation in China is relatively low, humidity of agricultural products in the transportation process
is difficult to govern. If the humidity does not accord with the standard, fresh agricultural products
will decay or wilting, losing its value. The weight loss rate of most fruit and vegetable is 3%-5%, which
had significant influence on the biochemical metabolism and hardness, eventually the quality of fresh
agricultural products cannot meet the requirements [7].
According to the above six analyses, the influencing factors of raw materials are listed below. The lack
of quality knowledge and the weakness of quality awareness of practitioners result in residual pesticides
and antibiotics. The inconformity of transportation equipment and packaging materials, the wrong
packaging, handling methods lead to damage or deterioration of raw materials. Unremoval of natural
187
EASTERN ACADEMIC FORUM
toxins in raw materials or untreatment in accordance with the correct method caused quality problems of
raw materials. Imperfection of standard system and the low detection ratio make it difficult to recognize
the true problems, affecting the quality of raw materials. The inconformity of temperature and humidity
has bad effect on the quality. The specific is shown in Figure 1.
Machine
Manpower
Material
Untreatment of toxins
Shortcomings of traditional apparatus
Lack of promotion
Weakness of quality
Lack of knowledge
Wrong handling method
Inconformity of humidity
Weakness of
traditional
transportation
Low proportion
of cold-chain
transportatio
n
Environment
Low ratio of section
Inconformity of
temperature
Measurement
Disadvantages of policy
Nonstandard
packaging
Nonstandard implementation
The quality of raw material
Lack of training
Less acquaintance about raw
materials’ characteristic
Inconformity of transport
equipment and packaging
materials
Unregulated loading
and unloading
Imperfection
of standard
Method
Insufficient
promotion
Nonstandard implementation
Figure 1 Fishbone diagram of influencing factors of the quality of raw materials in food processing
enterprises
3 Improving Measures of Raw Materials’ Quality in Food Processing Enterprises
According to the above six influencing factors of the quality of food raw materials in food processing
enterprises, we can put forward some countermeasures to improve food processing enterprises’ quality
management.
3.1 Process the raw materials in right method
Proper processing can remove toxins or reduce the level of toxin in raw materials, such as bitter almonds,
before consumption, bitter almonds must be processed to remove the poison. In order to ensure the
method for processing raw materials being accurate, practitioners should have knowledge of the
characteristics of agricultural raw materials and have ability to process different raw materials in varied
method according to the characteristics of different raw materials. Only in this way, can they avoid
quality problems caused by processing method.
Practitioners should strictly test and screen the fungus raw materials. They distinguish materials with
toxins from those without toxins. They can use the thoroughly cooked method to remove enzyme
inhibitors and phytohemagglutinin in beans. The method of soaking in water or cooking raw materials
with boiling water can eliminate cyanide produced by raw materials. Removing gonads, skin and organs
of some kinds of fish, such as puffer fish can remove the toxins. Only through correct processing, can it
be used as food processing raw materials.
188
EASTERN ACADEMIC FORUM
3.2 Promote the quality awareness in the planting and breeding process
First of all, in order to strengthen the publicity and training, we should invite professional to explain the
safety problems in planting and breeding process. So it can promote the quality and safety awareness of
the cultivating personnel and enrich their knowledge about quality and safety. The use of pesticides and
chemicals in the process should be regular trained, reducing the contamination of raw materials
originally. For example, the professional should point out the adverse consequences of additives, over
dosage of antibiotics, illegal using of hormone. It can make employees realize the importance of quality
awareness.
Only when the cultivating personnel realize the importance of quality, can we reduce the phenomenon of
abuse of toxic, pesticides, veterinary drugs and hormones in the planting and breeding process [8]. Only
in this way, can we put an end to high toxic and high residue of pesticides.
3.3 Improve the detection system and promote the application of advanced detection technology
In order to improve the detection system, the relevant government departments should cooperate with
others and find the shortage of our country quality testing system. They should take use of the advanced
experiences of foreign countries to establish a better detection system of food processing enterprises.
Then they promote the application of advanced detecting technology in China [9]. For example, PCR is
an effective method to detect species and country of origin of raw materials. In some foreign countries,
this kind of technique has been successfully applied to test the genetically modified food, food
adulteration and other aspects. Using PCR technology to detect the species and country of origin of food
raw materials is still absent in our country. In order to ensure our country’s safety of raw materials, our
enterprises should actively promote the application of PCR technology [10].
3.4 Package and handle strictly according to the norms
In order to minimize transit vibration and physical damage and protect the agricultural products in the
process of procurement and transportation, packaging and marking of agricultural product should be
strictly in accordance with the “Administrative measures for the packaging and marking of agricultural
products”. At the same time, the packaging specification need to be further perfected, in order to achieve
the packaging standardization, the packaging, loading and unloading should be in strict accordance with
the norms, avoiding the violent handling, packaging and other phenomena.
Packaging and handling should strictly follow the provisions of enterprises, averting random and violent
handling and packaging phenomenon. What’s more, owing to the disadvantages of traditional apparatus,
we should actively develop new packaging and transport equipment. We can directly put it into new
agricultural products packaging equipment from the upstream suppliers in the process of transportation.
It can reduce the loss caused by turning box, packing of the fruit and vegetable to the maximum
extent[11].
3.5 Develop cold-chain logistics and improve transport conditions
Food processing enterprises should actively promote the development of cold-chain logistics. Capable
companies are encouraged to carry out the construction of cold storage. Food processing enterprises
should actively respond to the national call of developing cold-chain logistics, purchasing refrigerated
vehicles and related facilities, perfecting cold-chain infrastructure. What’s more, food processing
enterprise should take recruitment or internal training to get qualified technology personnel. Then we
can ensure the cold- chain infrastructures in food processing enterprises are best used.
In the transport process of agricultural products, enterprises should be in strict accordance with the
operation standard and guarantee the optimum temperature and humidity conditions of agricultural raw
materials from production to enterprises’ warehouse. Only in this way can we guarantee the quality of
raw materials. Enterprises can take use of cold-chain transportation to solve the tricky problems caused
by the long transportation distance [12].
189
EASTERN ACADEMIC FORUM
3.6 Establish the safety and traceability of raw materials
The establishment of perfect raw materials safety traceability system should start from two aspects:
sources of agricultural products; raw materials procurement process. Enterprises use bar code
technology, based on RFID Technology, to identify its agricultural raw materials. At the same time, they
conduct batch control of the raw materials. Enterprises employ two types of identification to identify
raw materials in the procurement process. Firstly, the enterprises mark the raw materials in accordance
with the batch. Secondly, they can identify the raw materials according to the minimum package, which
has a unique serial number. Both of them need to be filed, in order to avoid any mistake. All raw
materials need to be scanned when they are into and out of warehouse. Enterprises need carry out data
acquisition and tracking for raw materials. Meanwhile, the establishment of procurement safety
traceability system of raw materials can effectively punish illegal suppliers and ensure the safety of raw
materials in food processing enterprises.
4 Conclusions and Forecasts
This paper carries out a research on reasons for quality problems of food processing enterprises, which
includes manpower, machine, materials, method, measurement and environment. Based on the existed
problems in food processing enterprises’ materials, it proposes countermeasures to the problems.
In order to improve the quality of raw materials in food processing enterprises, they should promote
practitioners’ quality awareness in planting and breeding process. The practitioners should package and
handle strictly according to norms. What’s more, the practitioners should process raw materials in the
right method. Only through correct processing, can it be used as food processing raw materials. The
capable enterprises can develop cold-chain logistics and improve transport conditions. Also they should
improve the detection system and promote the application of advanced detection technology. In order to
guarantee the safety of raw materials in food processing enterprises, they can establish the safety
traceability system of raw materials. According to the above measures, we can guarantee the quality of
raw materials to a certain extent. This paper would have instructive significance to how to improve
quality management level of materials in food processing enterprises.
This paper mainly stays at the macro level and it is not profound enough. In addition, the article did not
use actual cases to illustrate how the six aspects of 5M1E have effect on the quality of raw materials in
food processing enterprises. It also did not use specific enterprises to illustrate how enterprises improve
the quality management from the six aspects.
Finally, the study is temporarily only to food processing enterprises, so it is certainly limited in practice.
The next step, we should extend the research, maybe it can be carried out on all types of agricultural
products circulation enterprises.
Acknowledgement:
Supported by scientific key projects in 2013 of Beijing board of education, Research on incentive
mechanism of food traceability information transmission.
References
[1]. Wang Shoucui. Research on the Reasons of Food Quality Management and the Concrete
Implementing Process [J]. Vocational Technology. 2007, 20: 59 (in Chinese)
[2]. Xu Shuntong. Current Situation and Development Strategy for Food Safety in China [J]. Popular
Science. 2011, 08: 175 (in Chinese)
[3]. Su Wei, Mu Yingchun. Current Situation of Safety Control on Food Raw Materials and its
Countermeasures [J]. Guizhou Agricultural Sciences. 2008, 04: 170-171 (in Chinese)
[4]. Wood, Marcia. Toward a Safer Food Supply. Agricultural Research. 1999, 47: 27
190
EASTERN ACADEMIC FORUM
[5]. Teng Wei, Liu Qi, Wang Lei. The Study of Status of Standard for Safety and Sanitation at Food in
World [J]. Food Research and Development. 2006, 27: 185 (in Chinese)
[6]. Taylor, Steve L. Safety Assessment of Foods Produced Through Agricultural Biotechnology.
Nutrition Reviews. 2003, 06: 35-38
[7]. Yang Hui. The Current Situation of Our Country’s Food Quality Security Management System and
the Reform Suggestion [J]. Chinese Health Quality Management. 2006, 02: 49-50 (in Chinese)
[8]. Zhan Xiaojun, Yu Qingfeng. Study on the Safety of Raw Materials Procurement of Food
Processing Enterprises [J]. China Market. 2012, 32: 13-15 (in Chinese)
[9]. Pancorbo M M, Castroa, Ferna, Ndez-Fema’ndezl, et al. Cytoehromeb for Identification of
Animals Species in Processed Food [J]. Interactional Congress Series. 2004, 1261: 592-593
[10]. Forte VT, Pinto AD, Martino C, et al. A General Multiplex-PCR Assay for the General Detection of
Genetically Modified Soya and Maize [J]. Food Control. 2005, 16: 535-538
[11]. Yang Weidong, Li Lixiu, Wang Wensheng. Problems and Countermeasures in Agricultural
Products Preservation Technology During Logistic Procedures [J]. Storage & Process. 2011, 03: 12
(in Chinese)
[12]. Zhao Jiaoyun. The Logistics Packaging of Agricultural Products Needs to be Improved [J].
Logistics & Materials Handling. 2012, 11: 64-65 (in Chinese)
191