Verificação de boas práticas de fabricação em uma queijaria: um relato de caso

Abstract

The Southwest region of Paraná is on the list of top 10 mesoregions with the highest milk production in the country, characterized by small rural establishments, family-based management, and small and medium-sized properties. In this scenario, artisanal cheese production is crucial for generating income for farms. However, these products require hygienic and sanitary care to ensure their safety. One way to mitigate the risk of chemical, physical, or biological contamination and ensure food safety for consumers is to implement quality programs, such as Good Manufacturing Practices. Observational analysis using a checklist is one of the techniques used to assess GMP. In this context, this study aimed to evaluate the GMP adequacy in an artisanal cheese factory located in a municipality in the southwest region of Paraná, through the application of the checklist form, which was prepared according to the requirements set forth in Ordinance No. 368/1997, IN 16/2015 and IN 5/2017. This study was divided into three phases: 1) on-site data collection and analysis of the establishment; 2) tabulation and treatment of data; and 3) analysis of the data obtained. The checklist was divided into five classes: 01) buildings and facilities; 02) equipment, furniture, and utensils; 03) handling; 04) food production and transportation; and 05) documentation. A total of 149 items were evaluated, divided into these five classes and classified as compliant or non-compliant according to current legislation. The assessment conducted at the cheese factory revealed that it was not in compliance with the legislation, with a compliance rate of 28%, while the legislation classifies indicators equal to or greater than 75% as compliant. It was observed that all evaluated classes had compliance rates well below the recommended levels. The physical structure and facilities; equipment, furniture, and utensils; food handlers; and food production and transportation classes presented 36.07%; 35%; 35.71%; and 25.81% compliance, respectively, while the fully non-compliant documentation class had 100% non-compliance. Given these observations, the cheese factory's adoption of corrective actions regarding the physical environment, GMP, and handler training are essential to ensure improvements in the observed conditions, increasing product quality and consumer safety.