Types of food control and application of seven basic quality tools in certified food companies in Serbia

Abstract

Types of control and application of basic quality tools in the food industry have been analysed in 49 certified food companies in Serbia. The results showed that all sampled companies have some type of incoming and final control, while a third of the sampled companies do not have any process control. Analysis of control also showed that there was an independent control sector in 34.7% of the sampled companies while 40.8% of the companies have their own plant laboratories. One or two quality tools are being used by 63.27% of sampled companies while less than 13% use more than 4 tools. Companies mostly use flow charts (98.0%), followed by check sheets (75.5%) and histograms (32.7%). Other quality tools are used in below 10% of sampled companies, with the average number of 2.5 quality tools used per company. The strongest business drivers are the customers, confirmed by correlation analysis showing high correlation between companies having control as a sector and the ones performing external analysis beyond legal requirements (r=0.729), or being an exporter of food (r=0.639). Results confirmed that there is a correlation between the maturity of quality management system and control as an independent sector (r=0.486) or the number of quality tools (r=0.350).