Good health is not only a result of great mind but also an access to quality, safe and hygienic food. Consumers worldwide increasingly pay attention to an access to safe food and are vying for the best products available. Like us, being a leader in the agricultural and food industry, Charoen Pokphand Foods Plc (CPF) has given the top priority to quality and safety in every step of our production process. Our pork production process, in particular, is strictly controlled from the very first till the end when it reaches consumers’ hands.
“Research and development is at the heart of our food and agricultural business. We have adopted the latest production technology and ensured that our products are high quality, fresh, medication-free, safe, hygienic and environmentally friendly. Consumers can be assured of our food safety and hygiene. Our policy makes sure that the product must come from a reliable source with a reliable standard, is sold under a trusted brand and guaranteed for a high food safety level,” said Damnoen Chaturavittawong, Senoir vice president .
A clear consumer-centric goal definitely leads to an effective production process. CPF has developed quality swine breeding that is healthy, disease-resistant and ideal to be raised in a hot and humid country like Thailand. CPF has spent more than 30 years developing its swine breeding that produces great meat without using antibiotics or beta-agonist. In addition, it has paid attention not only to livestock feed made from high-quality raw materials in an advanced production process to contain appropriate nutritional values as required by swine at different stages of life, but also to the way pigs are raised without medication or chemical. The Evaporative Cooling System (EVAP) has ensured that the swine is kept in a right environment with the right temperature, humidity, ventilation and lighting. The system also prevents swine from external epidemic and infection while providing an area large enough for swine to move freely. As the pigs are not stressful and can grow healthily, there is no need to use antibiotics or hormone. Swine at different ages are segregated and subject to the all in-all out moving system with veterinarians standing by 24/7 to provide assistance.
“We use an advanced computerized farm management system to manage the raising of swine. The system controls all other automated systems within a pig pen, which means human contact with pigs is kept minimal, resulting in lesser contact with any disease carrier. Strict disease prevention and control have always been our top priority because we are committed to produce hygienic pork for consumers. This is evidenced from the fact that all our swine farms are certified by the Department of Livestock Development and passed regular check conducted by the Department of Livestock Development. All our farms are closed farm with strict access. Any person or vehicle wishing to enter the farm has to pass a disinfectant area to prevent bacteria or virus from being brought inside. This is a very strict rule to be respected by all visitors and farm workers. Aside from the disinfectant, farm workers have to have a shower, wash their hair and change into a provided uniform before entering the farm. They are also subject to an annual health check-up to prevent and reduce any risk according to our stringent disease preventions procedures. With these measures, pigs in CPF farms are healthy and disease-free,” said Damnoen.
CPF has committed to what has so far been described not only for the sake of its business but also for the country’s entire farming sector. The firm has transferred knowledge, learning and experience to farmers participating in its pig farming development project in order to help them increase their productivity and enjoy a better quality of life.
Mr. Anan Wongcharoen, Vice president who also oversees the plant, said that aside from selecting good swine breeding coupled with an efficient pig-farming management system which also involves disease prevention and high quality animal feed, packing and processing are also very critical.
Pork from CPF farms is processed at its state-of-the-art processing plants made to conform to international standards. Processed pork are cleaned and certified by Division of Veterinary Public Health before being kept at 4 degree Celsius and cut in a temperature-controlled room during which pork is kept out of the floor and without direct contact with human hands. Once it is packed, the pork is chilled at 0-4 degree Celsius or frozen between -40 and -20 degree Celsius in order to keep its core deeply frozen at -18 degree Celsius. When ready, the packaged pork is transported in a temperature-controlled vehicle to ensure that the CP-branded fresh pork remains fresh, hygienic and contamination-free until it reaches consumers.
CP’s dedication to the development of pork products throughout the supply chain has largely contributed to Thailand’s better pork production industrial standards. Consumers can be assured that its premium-quality pork is safe, chemical-free, disease-free and anti-biotic free. People can trace back to where the pork comes from in every step of its production. An established trust in quality like this is not only the beginning of health security for local consumers but should also increase an opportunity for the Thai swine farming industry to represent a safe and hygienic food product for consumers around the world.
