There is a higher demand for plant-based food and beverages all around the world at present. One of the Queensland-based beverage business has recently started to produce kale juice enriched novel almond milk drink for general population including teenagers. At the moment, the company has a HACCP plan in place, up and running. The brief production processes within the factory are given below. Harvested and pre-washed (normal tap water) organic curly kale bunches in clean plastic crates are delivered to the processing facility in refrigerated trucks. Then removed from the trucks and transported to the facility. Then further washed using normal tap water and cut into 2.5-5 mm pieces. These can be stored at 4 oC for 1-5 days before final processing (depending on customers requirement). The final processing involved the milling, pressing, addition of almond milk, pasteurization (Low Temperature Long Time (LTLT) method), addition of ascorbic acid and packaged in plastic bottles (300 ml). Before pasteurization, heat tolerance chemical stabilizers (0.001% w/v basis) are added as well. Almond milk processing line is maintained in the same flow. After receiving fresh almond milk from their neighbouring almond milk processing plant, almond milk is transported to the factory in refrigerated trucks at 5 oC, initial quality tests including pH are performed, and almond milk is stored in 4-5 oC for short period of time followed by UHT treatments (135 oC for 5 seconds). After cooling down, almond milk is stored at 5 oC and is included into the juice drink as appropriate. Then, 4 bottles of kale juice enriched novel kale-almond milk drink are placed in a cartoon and 12 such cartoons are placed in a cardboard box before storage at 5 oC. In order to maintain market demand and supply, these boxes with juice bottles will be stored here at least for 5 days. During the refrigerated storage, there are no physico-chemical, nutritional and microbiological changes of the product for 30 days. However, consumers should consume the product within 4 days of opening and for future uses should keep the remaining in the refrigerator. Customers are also requested to shake the bottle before consuming. In the final product, they try to maintain 2% fat, 3% protein, 3% carbohydrates and 40 mg of sodium (pH ~5.6).

Question 1

(1) In order to maintain their consumer safety and to strengthen their HACCP plan, outline a suitable pre-requisite program for this production process (45 min, 40 marks).

Question 2

(2) The company interested in performing a mock-recall and need your advice/ suggestions. Focussing on the final product, what are the main points that you would like to include in your advice to this company (45 min, 40 marks)?

Question 3

(3) Perform a risk assessment of potential allergen contamination for this product (30 min, 20 marks).