Food Technology

Your Contact

Andrea Mulraine-Ash

Section Head

Food Technology

 

Contact Me

(868) 299-0209 ext: 2127 | 2122

foodtechnology@cariri.com

amash@cariri.com


Food Technology Services

 

From Field to Fork: Elevating Your Food with CARIRI’s Expertise!

For over 50 years, CARIRI has been working with players throughout the food chain, assisting them in improving their practices so that they provide safer foods to consumers. The Unit works with other agencies locally, regionally and internationally in a collaborative effort to improve the food industry and align the Caribbean region to the competitive international arena.

 

Why Choose CARIRI’s Food Technology Services ?

1. Premier Regional Food Safety Authority: CARIRI stands as a leading authority in food safety in the Caribbean region. With over 50 years of experience, they offer unparalleled expertise in helping businesses across the entire food chain improve their practices. This ensures the provision of safer, higher-quality food to consumers and aligns regional practices with stringent international standards.

2. Comprehensive Support and Services: From educating various stakeholders about good food safety practices to assisting in the development and implementation of food safety management systems, CARIRI offers a wide range of services. They provide everything from product and process development, standardization, training, and audits, to support in meeting regional and international export requirements. This extensive support makes them an indispensable resource for any entity in the food and beverage industry.

3. Influence and Collaboration for Industry Improvement: CARIRI actively works to foster collaboration and influence changes in legislation, aiming to improve food safety management both locally and regionally. They coordinate with various stakeholders, including farmers, food manufacturers, distributors, and regulatory bodies, promoting a unified effort to enhance food safety standards. This collaborative approach not only elevates industry practices but also contributes to improved food security and competitiveness in the global market.

 

Food Technology Services

From Field to Fork: Elevating Your Food with CARIRI’s Expertise!

For over 50 years, CARIRI has been working with players throughout the food chain, assisting them in improving their practices so that they provide safer foods to consumers. The Unit works with other agencies locally, regionally and internationally in a collaborative effort to improve the food industry and align the Caribbean region to the competitive international arena.

 

Why Choose CARIRI’s Food Technology Services ?

1. Premier Regional Food Safety Authority: CARIRI stands as a leading authority in food safety in the Caribbean region. With over 50 years of experience, they offer unparalleled expertise in helping businesses across the entire food chain improve their practices. This ensures the provision of safer, higher-quality food to consumers and aligns regional practices with stringent international standards.

2. Comprehensive Support and Services: From educating various stakeholders about good food safety practices to assisting in the development and implementation of food safety management systems, CARIRI offers a wide range of services. They provide everything from product and process development, standardization, training, and audits, to support in meeting regional and international export requirements. This extensive support makes them an indispensable resource for any entity in the food and beverage industry.

3. Influence and Collaboration for Industry Improvement: CARIRI actively works to foster collaboration and influence changes in legislation, aiming to improve food safety management both locally and regionally. They coordinate with various stakeholders, including farmers, food manufacturers, distributors, and regulatory bodies, promoting a unified effort to enhance food safety standards. This collaborative approach not only elevates industry practices but also contributes to improved food security and competitiveness in the global market.

 

Your Contact

Andrea Mulraine-Ash

Section Head

Food Technology

Contact Me

Telephone 2990209 ext 2127 | 2122

Email: foodtechnology@cariri.com | amash@cariri.com

Our Services

Data analytics is the art of gaining a competitive edge. It empowers us with invaluable insights grounded in scientific rigour, guiding us towards optimal decision-making. Whether your data infrastructure requires a makeover or you aim to extract more value from your current systems, we specialize in crafting tailored analytics solutions utilizing your existing data and systems. Our core mission revolves around delivering personalized business analytics, showcasing dynamic and interactive dashboards highlighting your key performance indicators (KPIs), and infusing data science to introduce predictive elements. Allow us to harness the expertise of our dedicated team and construct an intelligent solution that transforms your data into a valuable asset, working tirelessly for your success!

Are you looking to facilitate communication with your customers or engage with internal and external stakeholders? Perhaps you require an application to streamline these interactions. But what kind of app do you need? A mobile app? A web app? A front-end application? Or even a database? Understanding the distinctions is key.

Let us leverage our diverse expertise across domains to meticulously design, construct, test, and deploy a tailored solution that precisely meets your needs, using the most suitable technical approach. Our development process incorporates a variety of frameworks to create apps that deliver immersive user experiences. We employ a comprehensive testing regimen, which includes both community and in-house testing, and possess the know-how to launch your app on both Android and app stores, ensuring a seamless user experience across platforms.

Are you in need of a straightforward website? Look no further! Whether you have your content prepared or not, our skilled professionals can swiftly establish a web presence for your business in just one efficient sprint. However, if your requirements lean towards something more sophisticated, we’ve got you covered as well.

Our dedicated team is adept at harnessing the full potential of e-commerce web development to provide a robust e-commerce solution tailored to your business needs. Web applications can serve diverse purposes – whether it’s a front-end application for data collection or a promotional app aimed at engaging your online audience, we have the expertise to deliver the right solution for your specific requirements.

Testing is an integral part of our process, deeply ingrained in every aspect of our work. Our team of skilled test and quality engineers seamlessly integrate smart software testing throughout the entire development cycle.

To ensure comprehensive coverage, we employ collaborative mind-maps that assist our team in executing test cases right from the development phase. This proactive approach allows us to identify and rectify any potential gaps before the completion of a development sprint.

Furthermore, we prioritize usability and functionality testing, involving both your stakeholders and ours. These tests are conducted rigorously before any of our solutions are deployed, ensuring that the end product meets the highest standards and aligns perfectly with your requirements.

Our Services

Contract Processing/Facility Rental

Food Safety Management Systems

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Food Safety Management Systems

We assist companies in developing and implementing the following food safety management systems. Worldwide, countries are becoming more stringent in their surveillance and regulation of the food industry in an effort to protect consumers. The establishment of recognized quality and food safety programs in food processing or food service establishments enables them to successfully compete locally, regionally and internationally.

  • Good Agricultural Practices (GAP)
  • Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)
  • Good Distribution Practices (GDP)
  • Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP)
  • International Standards Organization ISO 22000:2005.
  • Food Safety System Certification 22000 (FSSC 22000) YUM! Private Standards
  • FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) requirements

Food Safety is a priority as food-borne illnesses can cause the following effects on national economies:

  • Loss of productive work time;
  • Increasing cost of health care;
  • Costly surveillance programmes;
  • Loss of life;
  • Impact on vulnerable segments of the population, including children, the aged and low-income groups;
  • Impact on trade; and
  • Reduced food security.

 

Food Quality and Safety Audits

Audits of Food Processing and Food Service Establishments can assist food establishments wishing to upgrade or improve their quality and/or operating efficiency. e.g. GMP Audits, HACCP audits, Infrastructural Audits, FSSC 22000 audits, YUM! Audits, etc.

Plant and Equipment Layout, Recommendation, Sourcing, Commissioning and Optimization.

Scenario: Client wants to optimize their current location or build or outfit a new facility to meet GMP requirements.

Response: Food processors are supplied with information and expert assistance, related to the equipment they will require to perform or improve their production process. CARIRI can assess the intended location and existing infrastructure for food production or food service suitability.

CARIRI can also design a layout and food processors are assisted in determining, documenting and implementing a layout that abides by the requirements of good manufacturing practices and sound food safety practices.

Training

Scenario: Client has no formal food safety training.

Response: Practical and theoretical training and workshops to provide participants with practical and theoretical knowledge and skills in areas related to food processing.  Topics are tailored to suit the interests of clients and participants in the food processing and food service industry. Training can be conducted at the client’s facility, hosted at CARIRI, offsite or even virtually.

Workshops are conducted on a wide range of product types (e.g. sauces, beverages, cured meats, dried products etc) and principles such as food spoilage and preservation, food additives, Labeling and Packaging, Safety and Quality systems, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), HACCP, Food Safety Risk Assessment, etc.

Troubleshooting Food Processing and Product-related Problems

We work quickly to analyze and resolve problems and make recommendations concerning any product/processing issue/requirement you may have.  Our goal is to have you operating at optimum efficiency and quality in the shortest possible time with minimum disruption to ongoing operations.

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Contract Processing/Facility Rental

 

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

To develop a region sensitized to food safety and improve the implementation of good food safety practices, thereby improving our quality of life, food security and competitiveness.

  • Educate farmers, food manufacturers, food service providers, food distributors, food regulatory bodies, consumers and school children on good food safety practices.
  • Foster, and assist in, the implementation of good food safety management practices among food manufacturers, food distributors and food service providers.
  • Influence changes in legislation and offer support for food safety management locally and regionally.
  • Address critical issues in food safety management and develop the most relevant, applicable and workable solutions.
  • Promote co-ordination among stakeholders in the Food and Beverage Industry locally, regionally and internationally.
  • Disseminate information on key food safety issues locally and throughout the region.
  • Provide the technical assistance necessary to ensure good food safety management practices among food handlers in the region.
  • Assist local and regional exporters in the Food and Beverage sector to meet the requirements of international markets.
  • Assisting stakeholders in becoming compliant with internationally recognized systems and standards, inclusive of GAP, GMP, HACCP, ISO 22000:2005, FSSC 22000 and other food safety standards
  • Offering food safety training programmes, inclusive of GMP, HACCP and ISO 22000:2005
  • Conducting food safety audits and assistance to organizations in developing good food safety management systems
  • Creating and disseminating information via radio and television programmes, newspaper and newsletter articles, workshops and other fora, to encourage improved food safety management practices throughout the food chain
  • Conducting research aimed at improving food safety management
  • Hosting food safety conferences
  • Offering export consultancies
  • Staging outreach programmes (e.g. exhibitions and displays)

The Food Technology Department at CARIRI can assist you with almost any type of issue, from solving food safety problems to developing formulations to guiding you with commercializing your product and meeting local and export requirements.

  • Product and Process Development
  • Product and Process Standardisation
  • Contract Processing/Facility Rental
  • Development of Food Safety Management Systems
  • Implementation of Food Safety Management Systems , Private Food Quality and Food Safety Standards
  • Troubleshooting Food Processing and Product-related problems
  • Equipment Recommendations, Sourcing, Commissioning and Optimization
  • Facility and Equipment Layout – to meet good manufacturing and sound food safety practices
  • Support in meeting regional and international market requirements for export
  • Food Safety Audits
  • Training in Food Processing Principles and Practical Skills

Scenario: I have an idea for a product but no formulation

Response:

We have successfully developed Alcoholic and Non-alcoholic Beverages, Condiments, Confectionery, Drink mixes, Yogurt, Popsicles, Sorbets, Cereals, Dry Mixes, Soy Products, Snacks and a range of other products.

Scenario :Client is ready to scale up production but does not have a documented formulation or process. Optimisation needed or inclusion of automation.

 

Response: Standardisation involves the documentation and conversion of the client’s existing formulation and process to a format that can be scaled to increase production capacity. Volumetric measurements (cups, teaspoons) are converted to weight measurements (kg), raw material specifications are documented, processing parameters are documented (time, temperature, etc.), food safe steps are recommended and/or final product specifications are developed. 

Scenario: Product quality varies in each production which may result in customer complaints, spoilage or loss.



Response: Improvement involves modifications of an existing product. This may include the addition (e.g. use of preservative) or change in type or quantity of a raw material (eg. use of citric acid instead of lime juice) and processing methodology (e.g., introduction of a heat treatment step) to improve or enhance product characteristics.


Food Technology Training Calendar 2024

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