Traceability: understand the importance in the production of probiotics

Ivan Lee, Biocamp’s Industrial and Commercial Director.

This speech by Biocamp’s Industrial and Commercial Director, Ivan Lee, highlights the importance of traceability in industrial production processes.

Monitoring the path taken by a raw material, from its origin to its arrival in the industry, knowing the processes and infrastructure involved in production and even mapping the details regarding its distribution are fundamental steps for the maintenance of quality standards and suitability to regulatory requirements.

But it is more than that: it shows that the company is in line with the current moment in which customers are increasingly demanding as to the origin of what they consume and use.

After all, traceability makes it possible to expand the level of delivery to the market, enabling higher quality of each manufactured product and meeting customer demands. And that goes for every industrial environment — including for the development of probiotics applied in the poultry industry.

In this content, we will show how traceability is applied in the universe of probiotic production and what are the differentials of Biocamp’s production process.

Which criteria to consider in the production process of probiotics

Probiotics are live microorganisms, of one or more species, that act in the poultry organism in order to promote the increase of beneficial bacteria and, at the same time, reduce the presence of pathogenic bacteria.

In order for them to fulfill their role and be really effective in increasing the performance, health and productivity of the flock, these microorganisms must have good adherence to the intestinal cells of birds, the ability to multiply and inhibit pathogens.

The quality of the raw materials used is also decisive, which requires attention from the planning of what will be produced, the quantification of what will be purchased and the qualifying of suppliers to the qualification of raw materials. And tracking all the inputs of the production process is the way to guarantee that this quality is maintained until the effective use of the product by companies in the broiler and commercial egg laying segments.

In practice, this happens with the dialog among some important sectors for process management, such as Quality Assurance, Purchasing and Quality Control. At Biocamp, they are the ones who take care of all the documentation, verification and tests carried out with the raw materials we use in our probiotics. The integration of this process is possible through a computerized system that starts with planning, goes through the intermediate processes and goes to the certificate of analysis that certifies that we are correctly classified.

But when we talk about traceability, there are still other items that are equally important to be monitored in the production chain and that do not only involve raw materials. We are talking about:

• Preventive and corrective maintenance of equipment used in the process;
• Cleanliness control of environments and instruments used;
• Calibration and validation of equipment;
• Registration of procedures performed in specific forms;
• Control of stored bacterial seeds, genetic sequencing, purity (absence of pathogens), titration, etc.
• Definition and monitoring of production parameters (chemical, physical and biological);
• Training and monitoring of professionals so that they are qualified to perform the function.

“Whoever does not control, does not measure. Having control over processes and products is essential to ensure traceability. That is, to have mapping and history from the arrival of the raw material to the final product, ensuring a standardization of processes and products and always aiming at the quality and safety of our products”, Ivan concludes.

Biocamp: differentials in its production chain

Considering the importance of traceability, Biocamp adopts a series of measures aimed at optimizing and improving its internal processes. We carry out document checks from the certification of suppliers, even in the planning of purchases, until the arrival of raw materials. This documentation records each process, step and parameters in order to control and evidence risk management and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).

We also carry out sampling and analysis of contaminants, as well as efficiency tests for some inputs. These microbiological, biochemical and molecular tests are carried out not only in all production stages, but also during the period of validity of the products, with the samples that are stored in controlled humidity and temperatures, which comply with current legislation.

It is one of Biocamp’s differentials to prove the quality of the batch and avoid eventual failures. And all this is carried out in modern facilities classified by Brazilian and international standards, with a biosecurity system that ensures the purity of our products.

Biocamp has been investing for years in cutting-edge technology to meet customer demands and deliver excellent solutions for the poultry market. All of our professionals are committed, trained and equipped to accompany the entire probiotic production chain — and ensure its efficiency.

This is why we are able to serve the most demanding markets, both in Brazil and abroad. Learn more about our state-of-the-art Research and Development (R&D) laboratory and  talk to one of our consultants to learn about Biocamp’s probiotic portfolio!

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