Page 45 - FoodFocusThailand No.247 November_December 2026

STRONG QC & QA

In addition, specific requirements apply to certain as practical tools for identifying weaknesses in the production
categories of food products involving specialized system and implementing corrective actions before problems
manufacturing processes or high levels of risk (MOPH, lead to losses.
2021). Assessing these requirements from a risk Food sanitation should not be treated as a cost that must
management perspective should therefore go beyond be minimized at all costs. Instead, it should be regarded as an
simply verifying whether a factory has fully complied with all investment that must be allocated appropriately according
applicable requirements. Instead, it should encompass the to the level of risk. What a factory is ultimately investing in
identification of potential risks in each part of the production is its ability to prevent problems before they affect products,
system, the analysis of their underlying causes and consumers, corporate reputation, and the business’s capacity
contributing factors, and the establishment of appropriate to maintain operational continuity.
and effective control measures. This approach enables food
manufacturers to use established standards as a structured
framework for systematically assessing and managing risks More Information Service Info C005
throughout their operations.

Prevent Today, or Pay More Tomorrow เอกสารอ้างอิง / References
• FAO, & WHO. (2023). General principles of food hygiene (Codex
The costs associated with cleaning, laboratory testing, Alimentarius Code of Practice, No. CXC 1-1969). Codex Alimentarius
maintenance, pest control, improvements to water supply Commission. https://doi.org/10.4060/cc6125en
and drainage systems, and employee training are all • U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2022). Requirements for
preventive costs that food manufacturing facilities can additional traceability records for certain foods: Final rule
plan for and manage. In contrast, if contamination occurs regulatory impact analysis. U.S. Department of Health and Human
in products that have already been distributed to the market, Services. https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/economic-impact-analy
ses-fda-regulations/requirements-additional-traceability-records-cer
the resulting costs can increase substantially. These may tain-foods-final-rule-regulatory-impact-analysis
include expenses related to product quarantine and disposal, • กระทรวงสาธารณสุข. (2564). ประกาศกระทรวงสาธารณสุข (ฉบัับัท่� 420)
product recalls, storage and transportation, as well as losses
resulting from production shutdowns. Furthermore, such พ.ศ. 2563 เร่�อง วิธ่การผลิิต เคร่�องมื่อเคร่�องใช้้ในการผลิิต แลิะการเก็บัรักษา
incidents may have long-term consequences for customer อาหาร. ราชกิจจานุุเบกษา, 138(31 ง), 24–46. https://exfood.fda.moph.
confidence, business operations, and the organization’s go.th/law/data/announ_moph/P420.PDF
reputation.
In this context, traceability systems play a critical role
in limiting the scope of potential impacts. The U.S. Food
and Drug Administration (FDA) states that traceability
enables the sources and distribution pathways of potentially
contaminated products to be identified more quickly and
accurately. This allows product recalls to be conducted
more precisely and reduces the need to withdraw unaffected
products from the market on a broader scale than necessary
(U.S. FDA, 2022).
Therefore, investment in sanitation and preventive
measures should not be viewed merely as an operating
expense, but as a form of risk management that helps
reduce the likelihood of future losses. The costs of
addressing problems after they have occurred can
be substantially higher than those of prevention, with
consequences extending across multiple areas, including
products, production processes, customers, and the
business’s overall competitiveness.

Sanitation: An Issue Business Leaders Must
Not Overlook
Sanitation management in food manufacturing facilities
should not be the sole responsibility of the Quality Assurance
and Quality Control (QA/QC) or production departments.
Many factors affecting food safety are closely linked to
management decisions, ranging from building design
and factory layout to water supply and drainage systems,
maintenance, and the allocation of budgets and personnel.
Although a factory may not be able to eliminate all risks,
it can identify where significant risks exist, understand
how they may arise, and determine how they should be
managed. Standards should therefore serve not merely as
requirements that factories must meet to pass an audit, but
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