Working Group Exercise Scenario A: Rice Noodles

You have been called in to provide technical assistance to a small-scale entrepreneur producing
fresh rice noodles. He presently sells his product only on the domestic market in two cities in a
small Asian country. However, he is interested in expanding to the regional market through large
supermarket chains. He knows that this will require that he establish effective hygiene and quality
controls throughout his operation and has requested your assistance in providing guidance on how
he can do this.

A description of the existing operation and facilities of the rice noodle processor is outlined below.

A.1 Background

This factory produces a brand of noodles that is very popular in the cities. The owner’s family has
been in the noodle business for a long time. The factory has 8 staff apart form the owner/manager..

He notes that the shelf life of his product is presently 3 days and he would like to extend this to 5
days.

He reports having problems with pest control – particularly rodents.

A.2 Raw materials, ingredients and packaging materials used

The raw materials used in the process are the following: rice, iodized salt, powdered gelatin and
ground nut oil. The owner is aware that some noodle manufacturers use borax as a preservative
and texturizing agent, but he denies using it.

Polyethylene sheets are used for packaging the product.

A.3 Sources/ selection of raw material, ingredients and packaging materials

He buys rice directly from rice millers. The other raw materials/ ingredients are purchased from
regularly from the same traders.

He buys labeled poly-ethylene sheets from a local packaging manufacturer.

A.4 Process description

The purchased materials are accepted in storage without undergoing any checks. The raw material
is held in storage for no more than 1 week.

He uses the following steps in noodle production:

- Soaking rice in tap water for about one hour

- Wet milling of the rice

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 - Passing the milled rice through a sieve to retain the solids while the starch suspension and
the dissolved solids pass through the sieve.
- Mixing the rice starch suspension with gelatin ( 2g per 100 kg of rice)
- Applying the starch suspension to a belt
- Steaming / gelatinization of the suspension to form noodles
- Application of groundnut oil to the noodle
- Drying the noodle sheet at 100 °C for 10 minutes.
- Addition of groundnut oil (on the opposite side of the earlier application)
- Cutting and stacking of sheets
- Transportation of noodle sheets to owner’ s home
- Cutting the sheets finely to get the noodles
- Packaging of noodles by hand
- Temporary storage until transported to place of sale.

Picture 1: Wet milling of rice

Note: the slurry flows out of the mill and falls into the
conical container below, incorporating air, which later
appears as bubbles in the noodle sheets

Picture 2: Application of starch slurry onto the belt.

The start of the steaming process is seen on the left.

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 bags of riceTo
ile
t

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A.5 Environment of the processing facility and plant layout

- The processing unit is in a residential area with much free space around the factory. Much of
the area is flooded at some times of the year.
- The surroundings of the factory are generally clean, vegetation is kept short.
- The front gate to the factory is kept open

Picture 3: Entry to processing hall

Picture 4: Fan at the entry of the processing area

Picture 5: Storage of rice in processing hall

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 Picture 6: Storage of miscellaneous materials in the
processing hall

. Picture 7: Steaming tunnel in

front of the picture. Toilets are
seen in the background

Picture 8: Trough with groundnut oil and wicks. The

oil is applied from there onto the noodle sheet as it is
conveyed along the belt. The oil is left inside the
trough after production has ended and the trough is
re-filled as required during future production batches

A.6 Cleaning and disinfection

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The owner reports that cleaning is done regularly but there is no documented cleaning or sanitation
programme and no routine pest control programme.

Picture 9: Belt conveying noodles

Picture 10:: Residues of noodles

from the previous production
left under the belt

A.7 Personnel

Protective clothing is not worn. People are seen smoking inside the factory (when production had
shut down).

A.8 Packaging

The cut noodles are placed in unlabelled polyethylene bags (2 kg, 3kg and 5kg) for sale on retail
market.

A. 9 Transport of finished product

He supplies noodles to retailers and fresh markets in neighbouring cities. The final products are
distributed to the markets on the day of production and the remaining is stored at home waiting for
order.

The rice noodles are transported to the markets by motorcycles and by van.

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