Scenario: SMEs in the food and beverage industry are faced with several challenges as it relates to developing their product and maintaining a safe and reliable supply to satisfy their customers’ demands. Client is producing in small batches in their home kitchen but now has an increased customer requests and the demand exceeds their current capability. The client may also be entering into the local market. The local market requires use of a facility approved by the Public Health. 

Response: CARIRI houses production facilities with food processing equipment for a wide range of products. Locations: Pilot Plant Processing Area, UWI Campus, St Augustine and Food Processing Centre, Innovation Avenue, Freeport.

CARIRI’s Food Processing Centre is a physical facility with a range of processing bays outfitted with food processing equipment as well as quality control equipment to accommodate semi-automated production activities for food and beverage products

Food processing equipment– The equipment can be used to develop, scale-up, and test product formulations and food processes and manufacture products for commercial sale.

    • Pasteurisers
    • Baking/ Drying ovens
    • Mixers
    • Chippers
    • Choppers
    • Graters
    • Pulpers
    • Blenders
    • Mills
    • Fillers
    • Sealers

Quality control/ testing equipment

    • Luminometer
    • pH Meter
    • Brix Refractometer
    • Moisture Analyser
    • Water Activity Meter
    • Viscometer

To access the facility, the client must:

    1. Undergo CARIRI’s HSE Orientation
    2. Attend CARIRI’s Introduction to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) Awareness Session/Have Food Safety Training
    3. Have valid food badges for all personnel
    4. Have a standardized product and process – Weights, Processing parameters and Raw Material, In process and Finished Product Specifications. This can be done by CARIRI or the client.
    5. Conduct a scale-up and equipment trial*

The objectives of the trial are to:

    1. Adapt the standardized process using the available equipment at CARIRI’s facilities
    2. Determine maximum production capacity and batch sizes
    3. Develop a batch sheet determine the personnel required (CARIRI staff and Client staff)

Users of the processing areas are responsible for supplying all raw materials, including packaging, and labour for the production activities.
Whilst users are allowed to use their own workers in the Food Processing Centre, Production/Processing is done under the supervision of a CARIRI representative. Based on the needs, CARIRI can assist in ensuring formulation is followed, process and product food safety protocols are observed and operating equipment

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