Abstract:
Preventative maintenance is of the utmost importance in any type of manufacturing plant, but with food manufacturing this is true to an even higher extent. Equipment that is not properly maintained could break down during a run and contaminate food with foreign materials. Having a well-organized preventative maintenance program is not only vital to retain food safety, but it is a requirement of all auditing institutions. Food manufacturing is harsh on equipment and without proper upkeep they are bound to fail at the most inconvenient times. Working at JES for the two previous summers has shown how important it is for the equipment to be functioning at full capacity at all times. Using the KeepTrak program purchased by JES, I designed a simple, yet effective, program to manage the vast amount of equipment according to standards set by the Safe Quality Food Institute, United States Department of Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration, and the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point plan developed by JES.