To limit or reduce common microbial contamination occurrence in dairy products in general and in soft cheese in particular, produced in locally plants, this study was performed to demonstrate the possibility of implementing HACCP in one of dairy plants in Baghdad city
HACCP plan was proposed in soft cheese production line. A pre-evaluation was performed in soft cheese line production, HACCP Pre-requisites programs was evaluated from its presence and effectiveness. The evaluation was demonstrated risk in each of: Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) program, evaluated as microbial and physical risk and considered as critical risk., In the calibration and maintenance program, the risk was appointed as microbial mainly in a pasteurization of milk and evaluated as critical. About training and rehabilitation workers program and pest resistance program, risk has identified in both of them as microbial and physical and evaluated as critical.
Before starting of implementing HACCP, two samples were withdrawn from the final product of soft cheese for microbial tests and the results showed a complete failure, where all samples were exceed microbial limits.
When starting the implementation of HACCP plan, a three-month period set to monitor soft cheese manufacturing processes for taking corrective decisions in pre-requisites programs. Samples of raw milk, pasteurized milk with varying temperatures 68. 72, 85 °C and pasteurized milk chilled to 40 °C (paid to the cheese basin) and whey were withdrawn for microbial tests, to determine numbers of (total bacterial count, Coliform, Staphylococcus bacteria and number of molds and yeasts), all results showed exceeded an microbial limits.
Two samples of soft cheese manufactured from pasteurized milk at 72 and 85 °C were taken for microbial tests, no difference was noticed in the numbers of microorganisms tested. The study proved the inability to implement HACCP system in soft cheese production line until the completion of the effective application of HACCP Pre-requisites program. Operations of receiving raw milk, pasteurization and transferring coagulated milk (cheese) to molds were identified as critical points in the processes of manufacturing soft cheese. The study has not been able to reduce consumer complaints to local dairy plants.