Aiming to better monitor and control food safety standards, Pritipaul Singh Investments Inc (PSI) has had eight of its employees certified by the Guyana National Bureau of Standards in the area of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP).
HACCP plans provide detailed instructions to companies on how they can properly preserve food. Failure to correctly follow these guidelines increases the chances of a major foodborne illness outbreak.
The certification paves the way for the seafood processing company to establish an HACCP, committee which is integral in order for the company to maintain the highest standards and quality in seafood processing.
The committee will be able to craft a detailed plan, identifying steps that could present hazards and how they should be controlled and monitored.
“We are edifying our staff and looking to form a multi-disciplinary HACCP team with not only persons from quality control department but different departments. When combined we will be able to deliberate and make the best decision,” Sorojinie Rai, Head of Shipping and Logistics, explained.
Rai stated further that the training now enables them to identify food safety hazards in the company. She added that with staff equipped with the skills, this will enable them to systematically manage food safety in the company’s operations.
The Shipping and Logistics head explained that with more persons HACCP certified, employees are now in a position to review procedures and ensure their implementation, while giving customers the guarantee that their end products are safe for consumption.
Finance Controller Jasodra Boodhoo pointed out that with a team of HACCP certified employees, they are at all times able to identify hazardous issues and work to eliminate them from the processing line.
She explained that seafood when caught in the wild or a controlled environment has many health hazards and implications that can render it unfit for consumption.
However, with a team of certified personnel on HACCP regulations, the company is better equipped to identify and overlook the processing system.
“We can identify hazards not only at the beginning of the processing line but during the process. This makes our products the safest because it minimizes the risk to consumers. Also it helps us to assure our customers that they are getting quality products because we are compliant with HACCP regulations,” Boodhoo said.
She added that PSI, which is an export oriented company, has been at all times operating on par with international standards to ensure their fish processing is done to the highest standards.
During the training, employees were exposed to lessons in Hazard Analysis and preliminary steps, different types of hazards, preparation of a HACCP plan, Principles of HACCP and History of HACCP.
Deputy Managing Director and Company Secretary, Vishnu Panday, explained that while the PSI has always been HACCP compliant, the company has been regularly training staff to ensure they remain knowledgeable of changes in the industry.
PSI is Guyana’s largest processor and export of seafood products. The company exports involves mainly the production of shrimp and fish products; particularly, seabob, prawns, tuna and other variety of fishes. The company has distributes its products worldwide with its main markets in North America, Europe, Asia, and the Caribbean.
