Critical Control Point Research Articles

Prevalence Of Escherichia Coli and Staphylococcus Aureus in Raw Milk and its Products Sold for Human Consumption in Maiduguri, Northeastern Nigeria: A Potential Public Health Concern

Globally, milk represents an important human nutrition. However, it also serves as an important vehicle for transmission of foodborne pathogens some of which may be multidrug resistant. The current study was undertaken with the main aim of assessing the microbiological quality of raw milk and its products consumed in Maiduguri metropolis. Fresh milk was sampled from six different milk source outlets in the metropolis and the samples were subjected to standard microbiological procedures for the detection of Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). A cross-sectional study was conducted with a total of 120 milk samples collected and cultured on appropriate growth and differential media and further biochemical tests were carried out in order to determine the presence of E. coli and S. aureus. A total of 66 (55.0%) of the 120 samples were contaminated with bacteria, while 54 (45.0%) milk samples tested were negative for the contaminants. Contaminating bacteria comprised 51 (42.5%) and 43 (35.8%) of S. aureus and E. coli respectively. The mean pH of the milk samples ranges from 3.3 to 6.3 respectively in ―Kindirmo‖ and fresh milk with an overall mean pH of 3.9. A high prevalence of both pathogens was detected in ―Kindirmo‖ and ―Nono‖ fermented milk products. Overall, a statistically significant association was found between the detection of Escherichia coli (p = 0.046) and Staphylococcus aureus (p = 0.013) with the different types of milk samples examined. Our findings of the high prevalence of these pathogens in readily consumed fresh milk and its products in the study area raise public health concerns. Therefore, we recommended the application of strict quality control and good hygienic standards along the milk value chain by application of hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP). Public health awareness of the health risks associated with the consumption of contaminated milk or its products is also highly recommended.

Microbiological Safety and Quality of Meals and Work Surfaces in Collective Catering Systems in Central Italy: A Five-Year Monitoring Study.

Ready-to-eat (RTE) meals produced and served by the catering system still represent one of the major causes of foodborne outbreaks, especially for susceptible consumers. Despite the great progress in food hygiene and safety, the systematic monitoring of microbial contamination of foodstuff is the most effective tool to ensure food safety and protect consumers' health. The aim of this study was to perform a thorough assessment of the microbial safety and quality of meals and work surfaces of collective catering systems in central Italy, over a five-year period (2014-2018). In total 11,012 microbiological analytical determinations were performed in food matrices (80.1%) and environmental samples (19.9%). The results obtained show a low level of non-conformities ranging from 2.2% to 6.3% of total samples, concerning both hygiene and safety parameters. A decreasing trend of non-conformities during the years was also highlighted (p-value < 0.05), especially for environmental samples. This study suggests that the implementation of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and the proper definition of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plans, combined with a thorough evaluation of microbiological monitoring, are able to ensure high levels of food safety and hygiene.

Prioritizing metal detector for finished pharmaceutical formulation: Manufacturing safe, quality product

Background: The pharmaceutical metal detector is a device to detect metal as well as non-metal contaminants of large size in the pharmaceutical dosage form. The detection of unwanted metal (contaminant) is important to produce a high quality of the dosage form. Main body: Pharmaceutical dosage forms are highly sensitive to the environment to which they are surrounded. It is challenging to keep a product in its original form throughout its shelf life. These metals find entry in the pharmaceutical formulation during various phases of manufacturing while passing through pipelines, sieves, conveyors, wires, buds, error in mixing processes, through raw materials. The Food and Drug Administration Hazard Evaluation board has given that the length of 0.3 inches to 1 inch of metal is considered unacceptable. The article highlights source of the metal contamination in pharmaceutical formulation types of detectors used, FDA standard for the metal detector, the need for a metal detector with its ideal properties, effect, hazards of ingesting metal fragments through medicines, working principle, uses, separation of metal contamination, test for the metal detector go about when metal is detected. Monitoring of system in a metal detector at the Critical control points some case studies involve reputed pharmaceutical manufacturers, which were forced to recall the batches for metal fragments detected in finished product. Conclusion: The pharmaceutical companies are bounded to produce quality safe products. One adulteration may cause recalls of products, cost loss of millions of dollar or total disruption of business as well. The selection of suitable metal detector is much needed. As the metal detector inclusively controls the contamination maintains a tough control on the quality of products.

HACCP plan for microbiological hazards associated with fermented crab,Episesarma mederiH. Milne Edwards 1853

To develop a model HACCP plan related to the microbiological hazards for the traditional fermented crab. The microbiological and chemical characteristics of commercial products were surveyed. Microbiological hazard analysis was performed for raw materials and during processing. Critical control points (CCPs) were determined using a decision tree, with CCP1 as saturated salt preparation and CCP2 as fermentation. The critical limit (CL) of CCP1 was at 100°C for 20 min applied to brining and of CCP2 was at 25% NaCl for the brine applied to fermented crab. Isolated microbial hazards and type strains were used for the validation of the CLs. Monitoring and verification of the proposed HACCP plan were carried out, and an effective HACCP plan was established. The HACCP plan promoted the safe consumption of fermented crab with the provided CCPs at the saturated salt preparation and fermentation steps. The effective CLs to ensure microbiological hazards as safe at the CCPs provide the best support for an effective plan. The hazards were reduced significantly after the HACCP plan had been applied.

Credible pigeon permissioned blockchain traceability platform integrated with IoT based on HACCP

The pigeon food production industry from breeding to processing into food for market circulation involves many stages and people, which is prone to food safety issues and difficult to regulate. To address these problems, one possible solution is to establish a traceability system. However, in traditional traceability systems, a number of stages involved and each of them provides their own data accumulated in the database. Therefore, complex traceability data are compose of too many stages easily result in confusing information for customers. Besides, centralized data storage makes data vulnerable to be tampered with. To solve these problems, hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) principles have been utilized in our work which is a comprehensive traceability system. In this work, we analyze the pigeon food production industry through HACCP principles and determine some critical control points (CCPs), including incubation, breeding, transportation, slaughtering, processing, and logistics. With the help of these CCPs, we are able to build a traceability system with critical and abundant data but not too complicated for users. To further improve the system, there are different kinds of techniques integrated into it. Firstly, a permissioned blockchain, Hyperledger Fabric, is selected as blockchain module to enhance trustworthiness of data. Secondly, the system contains various IoT devices for automatically collecting environmental parameter data with the aim of reducing human interference. Besides, it is worth mentioning that the proposed information management device can decrease the data entry burden. Consequently, the implementation of the traceability system increase consumers’ confidence in pigeon food production. To summarize, it is a new application of modern agricultural information technique in food safety and a bold experiment in the field of poultry, particularly pigeons.

Monitoring of Pig Slaughter Stages and Correlation in the Prevalence of Pathogens and Levels of Microorganisms That Indicate Microbiological Quality and Hygiene Using a Predictive Model

Pig production is relevant to the Brazilian economy. Different stages of the raising and slaughtering process influence the microbiological quality of pig products and by-products. Microbiological analysis and hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCPs) are tools for monitoring microbiological quality indicator microorganisms. The construction of predictive models can assist the process of monitoring the microbiological quality of pig products. This study aimed to map the slaughter stages and develop a model to predict the absence or presence of Salmonella based on the process variables (distance from the farm to the slaughterhouse and aerobic mesophilic) and analyze their influence on contamination indicator microorganisms. A total of 810 samples were collected at nine stages of the slaughter process (bleeding, scalding, dehairing, singeing, washing, evisceration, inspection, final washing, and chilling). The binary class predictive model was used as a microbiological quality predictor at the slaughter stages. Salmonella was identified at all process stages, with lower contamination levels at the scalding and chilling stages, whereas the highest levels were found at the dehairing and bleeding stages. The predictive model revealed an accuracy of about 85% for Salmonella being a tool to monitor the microbiological quality of pig slaughter.

POSTHARVEST QUALITY IMPROVEMENT OF NUTMEG (Myristica fragrans)

Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) or fragrant nutmeg is an important commodity that has been used in the food and pharmaceutical industries, hence its quality should be monitored. The objectives of this study were to: 1) identify Critical Control Points (CCP) in nutmeg’s postharvest handling process and prepare nutmeg HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) System and 2) provide a recommendation on GHP (Good Handling Practices) of nutmeg in order to maintain its quality in relation to food safety issue which is very important for international trade. Ripe fruits of nutmeg were collected after the fruits had reached maturity and fallen from their trees. A paranet was placed under each nutmeg tree to prevent the ripe nutmeg fruits from falling on the ground. The subsequent processes were taking out the nutmeg seeds from the fruits and separating the nutmeg seeds from the pulps and maces. After that, the nutmeg seeds underwent the drying process by using the smoke- and oven-dried methods until the moisture content of the nutmeg seeds was reduced by 10%. Subsequently, the nutmeg seeds were divided into two parts, prior to the storing process. The first part was fumigated by using phosphine (2 g/m3) for eight days and the second part was not fumigated. The sampling of nutmeg seeds was conducted at the beginning of storage and after four months of storage. The parameters observed were moisture content, percentage of damaged kernels, the population of each fungal species, and aflatoxin content. The results showed that moisture content, fungal population, aflatoxin B1, and total aflatoxin contents of nutmeg kernels having been dried by using the smoke- and oven-dried methods with and without fumigation still complied with the requirements related to food safety, although the nutmegs were stored for four months. The results of this research could also determine the Critical Control Point (CCP) in the postharvest handling process of nutmegs, i.e., 1) choosing only ripe nutmeg fruits to be harvested; 2) harvesting method by preventing the ripe nutmeg fruits from falling on the ground; 3) drying process of nutmeg seeds should be conducted immediately after separating the nutmegs from the maces by using the smoke- or oven-dried methods; and 4) nutmeg seeds were stored with the shells.

Batten down the hatches: Opportunities to protect Alaska from biological invasions through watercraft trade and traffic

Invasive species are spreading into northern latitudes and threatening food and water security. Alaska’s aquatic environments support some of the world’s most productive wild salmon fisheries. Yet, the influx of invasive species increases the strain on the ecosystems, cultures, and economies that depend on these fisheries. Especially worrisome is the potential transmission of aquatic invasive species (AIS) such as zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha), quagga mussels (Dreissena bugensis), or Asian clams (Corbicula fluminea) through the trade and traffic of recreational watercraft from AIS-infested regions. Since neither invasive mussels nor clams have been found in Alaska waters, there is opportunity to prevent introductions of invasive molluscs and avoid catastrophic impacts to some of the world’s last intact ecosystems. To date little data are available to guide human response to reducing the risk of transmitting freshwater AIS that affect critical natal habitat for Alaska’s salmon fisheries. This study triangulated existing data on watercraft registrations and inspections with key informant interviews to establish a first estimate of introduction rates for watercraft-related AIS. Results show that at least 129 used and motorized watercraft are estimated to enter Alaska annually from dreissenid-infested regions with an estimated 47 reaching Alaska freshwater uninspected. These watercraft are entering Alaska through both land and marine pathways. The study points toward the need for a collaborative response among state, federal, tribal, and local agencies, and watercraft owners to devise effective prevention. Response opportunities include inspections and decontaminations at critical control points, and an increased outreach and education campaign for watercraft users. Policy implications for salmon fisheries are discussed should AIS become established in Alaska. Also, the costs, and the long-term sustainability of a prevention program are discussed.

The cryopreservation process induces alterations in proteins associated with bull sperm quality: The equilibration process could be a probable critical control point.

The present study quantitatively characterized the proteomic changes in bull spermatozoa induced by the cryopreservation process. We performed high-throughput comparative global proteomic profiling of freshly ejaculated (before cryopreservation), equilibrated (refrigerated storage; during cryopreservation), and frozen (ultralow temperature; after cryopreservation) bull spermatozoa. Using the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) technique, a total of 1,692, 1,415, and 1,286 proteins were identified in fresh, equilibrated, and cryopreserved spermatozoa, respectively. When the proteome of fresh spermatozoa was compared with equilibrated spermatozoa, we found that 166 proteins were differentially expressed. When equilibrated spermatozoa were compared with cryopreserved spermatozoa, we found that 147 proteins were differentially expressed between them. Similarly, we found that 156 proteins were differentially expressed between fresh and cryopreserved spermatozoa. Among these proteins, the abundance of 105 proteins was lowered during the equilibration process itself, while the abundance of 43 proteins was lowered during ultralow temperature preservation. Remarkably, the equilibration process lowered the abundance of sperm proteins involved in energy metabolism, structural integrity, and DNA repair and increased the abundance of proteins associated with proteolysis and protein degradation. The abundance of sperm proteins associated with metabolism, cGMP-PKG (cyclic guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate-dependent protein kinase G) signaling, and regulation of the actin cytoskeleton was also altered during the equilibration process. Collectively, the present study showed that the equilibration step in the bull sperm cryopreservation process was the critical point for sperm proteome, during which a majority of proteomic alterations in sperm occurred. These findings are valuable for developing efficient protocols to minimize protein damage and to improve the quality and fertility of cryopreserved bull spermatozoa.

Application of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) on The Production Process Line of Noni Juice Drink (Morinda Citrifolia L.)

Hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) is a preventive system to ensure food safety. This enables product protection and error correction, reduces costs due to quality defects and reduces overcontrol of the final product. Collecting data using in-depth interviews, field observations, and study of documents owned by the research object. The HACCP system is applied to the noni juice production line in UD Manjur Makmur Lumajang. this small industry is seeking marketing approval from the BPOM (Food and Drug Supervisory Agency). Therefore, in order to follow the HACCP concept and ensure the safety of the food produced, some changes are required in the production process. Determination of critical control points (CCP) has focused on activities that are considered critical to pose a hazard, critical limits at each critical control point have also been determined The main hazards found were in sorting, seal opening and pouring in a press. The application of the HACCP principle will enable more accurate control of the noni juice production process.

Isothermal inactivation of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in curd simulating the stretching phase in pasta-filata cheese process.

Raw milk and dairy products are usually considered the major sources of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) exposure for humans. During the production process of mozzarella cheese, as well as of other pasta-filata cheeses made with pasteurized or raw milk, curd is heated and stretched by addition of hot or boiling water. This step is the critical point for the inactivation of MAP during the production process, but, to our knowledge, no studies have been published about the thermal death time values of MAP in curd. The aim of this study was to determine the inactivation kinetics of MAP in curd used to produce pasta-filata cheese in six independent experiments. The milk was inoculated with a mix of MAP strains (field and registered strains) and, with the aim to simulate the thermal treatment of the curd during the stretching step, samples of 10 g of contaminated curd were vacuum packed and treated separately at six different temperatures from 60°C to 75°C in a water bath. MAP survival was then evaluated by plate count method and inactivation parameters were estimated for determining the thermal resistance of the pathogen directly in the curd. D-values increased from 0.15 min (D75-value) to 4.22 min (D60-value) and the calculated z-value was 10.2°C. These data aid: (i) to design food thermal process treatments defining acceptance limits of critical control points to ensure safety against MAP; (ii) to predict the time/temperature combinations needed to obtain a certain MAP log reduction during the curd stretching step; (iii) to optimize or validate pasta-filata cheese process.

Application of hazard analysis and critical control points concept for rural bottled drinking water production process

ABSTRACT Drinking water quality is one of the greatest factors affecting human health. The drinking water production process was investigated in 30 factories in Sakon Nakhon province, Thailand using hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) and water quality analysis. The results showed that the major hazards were pollution of the raw water source, final disinfection, personal hygiene of workers and drinking water quality. Overall, 28 samples contained total coliform bacteria, 23 samples were positive for fecal coliform bacteria and 16 samples contained Escherichia coli. These results suggested poor hygienic conditions in the water production process. To safeguard public health, more effort is required regarding a community program and strict regulation.

Microbiological contamination of commercial enteral feeding and blenderized tube feeding: A systematic review

Background: All types of enteral feeding (EF) formulations, whether blenderized tube feeding (BTF) at hospital kitchen, or commercial enteral feeding (CEF), contains nutrients. The nature of these foods (in terms of pH, nutrient contents, water activity, etc.) is so that if they become contaminated, would immediately grow pathogens inside and put the patient at the risk of infection. This systematic review aimed to investigate the microbial safety of BTF and CEF used in hospitals. Methods: Literature search was conducted in four English databases, including Scopus, PubMed, Science Direct, and Google Scholar, using multiple keywords, such as enteral nutrition, blenderized formulas, home enteral nutrition, enteral formula, EF, blenderized enteral formula, blended feeds, blenderized home-made food, CEF, microbial contamination, and bacterial contamination. Finally, 16 eligible studies were selected for the systematic review. Results: Out of 132 retrieved articles, 16 were selected and reviewed CEF was mostly exposed to contamination with total coliforms, Staphylococcus aureus, mesophilic bacteria, and Escherichia coli. In addition, contamination with gram-negative bacteria, Bacillus cereus, mold, and yeast was detected. Most BTF contamination was caused by total coliforms, mesophilic bacteria, Listeria spp., B. cereus, mold, and yeast. Conclusion: Due to the nonconformity of hygienic guidelines, the microbial safety of EF solutions in hospitals and homes are relatively low, which may lead to foodborne diseases. Therefore, a hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) system is essential in every hospital kitchen.

Emerging Roles of the Unique Molecular Chaperone Cosmc in the Regulation of Health and Disease.

The core-1 β1-3galactosyltransferase-specific chaperone 1 (Cosmc) is a unique molecular chaperone of core-1 β1-3galactosyltransferase(C1GALT1), which typically functions inside the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Cosmc helps C1GALT1 to fold correctly and maintain activity. It also participates in the synthesis of the T antigen, O-glycan, together with C1GALT1. Cosmc is a multifaceted molecule with a wide range of roles and functions. It involves platelet production and the regulation of immune cell function. Besides that, the loss of function of Cosmc also facilitates the development of several diseases, such as inflammation diseases, immune-mediated diseases, and cancer. It suggests that Cosmc is a critical control point in diseases and that it should be regarded as a potential target for oncotherapy. It is essential to fully comprehend Cosmc's roles, as they may provide critical information about its involvement in disease development and pathogenesis. In this review, we summarize the recent progress in understanding the role of Cosmc in normal development and diseases.

Survey of the biogenic amines in craft beer from the Chinese market and the analysis of the formation regularity during beer fermentation

This study evaluated the levels of eight biogenic amines in 59 craft beers of five styles and monitored the changes during beer fermentation, showing that putrescine and tryptamine were the most abundant at maximum values of 46.14 mg/L and 89.97 mg/L, respectively. This research indicated for the first time that dark beer, such as Stout/Porter, displayed the highest total biogenic amine content due to considerable tryptamine accumulation, with a maximum value of 116.95 mg/L. The total biogenic amine level increased gradually during the segmental saccharification and main fermentation stages, representing the two critical control points for their formation during beer fermentation. This study provides a theoretical basis and technical guidance for the safe and standardized production of craft beer and the formulation of biogenic amines limit standards, which is highly significant for protecting the health of consumers.

Gambaran Penerapan Hazard Analisys Critical Control Point (HACCP) Pada Pembuatan Tahu di Home Industri Tahu MD Kampung Sawah Kecamatan Lubuk Basung

Abstract
 Tofu is a food product in the form of soft solids made through the process of processing glycine-type soybeans by depositing protein, with or without the addition of other permitted ingredients. The problems found were during the soaking of soybeans, the water used was cloudy and workers smoked during the tofu printing process. The tofu making process requires the HACCP system to be implemented to be able to control the danger points in each tofu making process. This type of research is descriptive which was carried out at the Home Industri Tahu MD Kampung Sawah, Lubuk Basung District. This research was carried out in December 2021 – Juni 2022 with the research subjects including workers, materials and tools and the object of research includes the tofu making process. The data collection techniques carried out are observations and interviews and are analyzed univariately. The results showed that the hazard analysis in making tofu includes physical, chemical and biological hazards with the most risk categories, namely high contained in the process of cooking, filtering, clumping and printing tofu. Critical control points (TKK) are obtained in 3 tofu making processes, namely the filtering process, clumping and tofu printing. Critical Limits include the absence of sweat splash contamination by workers, workers no longer smoking which can cause the entry of cigarette ash into tofu juice and the use of vinegar acid (CaSO4) according to dosage and needs. Based on the results of the study, it is hoped that the management of the Home Industry knows MD to hold training on the application of HACCP to workers so that workers know and can minimize what dangers can arise during the tofu making process.
 Keyword : HACCP; Tofu Making; and Home Industry

Salmonella contamination and hazard analysis in a storage facility for feed materials in Japan.

To reduce Salmonella contamination of animal feeds, Salmonella contamination in a feed materials storage facility was investigated, and hazard analysis was performed to acquire the basic information necessary to establish a control method for Salmonella. The result is that managers of feed materials storage facilities will be able to introduce the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) systems to quickly and efficiently. A total of 472 samples, including deposits, adhesions, environment samples and materials, were investigated. The detection rate in the storage facility was 5.1% (24/472) over the three-year investigation period. The serovars of detected Salmonella were Agona, Anatum, Bron (or Agbeni), Chester, Infantis, Mbandaka, Minnesota, Muenster, Sinstorf, Typhimurium, O18:- and O1,3,19:-. As a result of hazard analysis after confirming the multiplication factors and detection rate, important hazards were judged to be the outdoor equipment and dust collector. The risk of Salmonella contamination in storage facilities was clarified. Important Salmonella hazards in storage facilities are Salmonella-contaminated feed materials, multiplication factors such as rainwater and dew condensation, and Salmonella-accumulated dust in dust collectors for fine-powder recovery. These results suggest that proper control of these hazards could reduce the risk of Salmonella in storage facilities. This is the first report describing actual Salmonella contamination conditions and risk assessment using the hazard analysis at a feed materials storage facility in Japan. This study will consider implications for the feed industry because the hazard analysis clarified the sites of Salmonella contamination, the tendency of contamination and the points for implementing control measures in the feed materials storage facility.

Application of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point on Processed Fish Nugget Products in CV Sakana Indo Prima, Depok, West Java

CV Sakana Indo Prima is a company that produces various frozen fish products, including fish nuggets, located in Depok, West Java. Fish nuggets are a perishable fishery product. Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point is a system that ensures food safety in Fish Nuggets. The purpose of this research is to identify and analyze the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point that has been applied to the processing of fish nuggets in CV Sakana Indo Prima. This research is descriptive with the method used is a case study. The application of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points at CV Sakana Indo Prima includes the formation of a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point team, product descriptions, identification of uses, preparation of process flow diagrams, an inspection of process flow diagrams, hazard analysis, determination of Critical Control Points (CCP), determination of critical limits, determination of monitoring procedures, corrective actions, verification actions, and determination and documentation have been implemented. The Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point result at CV Sakana Indo Prima shows that quality safety is maintained. Critical Control Points are at the stages of receiving raw materials, steaming, fast freezing, final storage, and distribution.

Compression Density as an Alternative to Identify an Optimal Moisture Content for High Shear Wet Granulation as an Initial Step for Spheronisation.

Pellet production is a multi-step manufacturing process comprising granulation, extrusion and spheronisation. The first step represents a critical control point, since the quality of the granule mass highly influences subsequent process steps and, consequently, the quality of final pellets. The most important parameter of wet granulation is the liquid requirement, which can often only be quantitatively evaluated after further process steps. To identify an alternative for optimal liquid requirements, experiments were conducted with a formulation based on lactose and microcrystalline cellulose. Granules were analyzed with a Powder Vertical Shear Rig. We identified the compression density (ρpress) as the said alternative, linking information from the powder material and the moisture content (R2 = 0.995). We used ρpress to successfully predict liquid requirements for unknown formulation compositions. By means of this prediction, pellets with high quality, regarding shape and size distribution, were produced by carrying out a multi-step manufacturing process. Furthermore, the applicability of ρpress as an alternative quality parameter to other placebo formulations and to formulations containing active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) was demonstrated.

Critical control point-based assessment and intervention of ochratoxin A risk in Angelicae Gigantis Radix production.

Improperly practiced postharvest procedures can pose mycotoxin-related risks during medicinal herb production. As a health food material with pharmacological activities, Angelicae Gigantis Radix (AGR) has been extensively used in oriental medicine or functional foods. Compared with the official protocol, conventional practices were investigated for provisional critical control points (CCPs) in terms of ochratoxin A (OTA) contamination. Conventional practices include field-drying, which was associated with increased fungal exposure. Compared with conventional methods, the washing process in the official protocol was not advantageous for reducing OTA contamination in final products. Instead, drying was examined to assess the fungal growth risk during AGR production. To reduce the energy cost, product overload and shortened drying time could lead to failure in controlling fungal overgrowth and subsequent OTA production. In particular, inner parts of the load contained a higher OTA content than outer parts close to the heat outlet of the dryer. Improper thermal drying of loads allowed the growth of ochratoxigenic species during AGR production. Collectively, non-field-drying and optimally loaded thermal drying are easy preventive actions in key CCPs that need to be well maintained to attenuate any further microbial risk. These assessments provide insights into good practice-based mycotoxin risk management in producing herbal medicinal crops and new cost-efficient appropriate interventions for small-scale farms.