Application of failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA) and cause and effect analysis for industrial processing of common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) - Part II

Failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA) model was applied in conjunction with cause-and-effect analysis for the risk assessment of octopus processing (Octopus vulgaris). Critical control points were identified and implemented in the cause-and-effect diagram (also known as Ishikawa, tree diagram and fishbone diagram). The main emphasis was put on the quantification of risk assessment by determining the risk priority numbers (RPN) per identified processing hazard. Chemically contaminated product, decomposed raw materials, scombrotoxin presence in the final product, incorrectly labelled product, storage in cans (foreign matter) and defective products, were identified as those with the highest RPN (378, 294, 280, 252, 245 and 144 respectively) and corrective actions were undertaken. Following the application of corrective actions, a second calculation of RPN values was carried out, leading to considerably lower values (below the upper acceptable limit of 130). It is concluded that the incorporation of FMEA analysis within the ISO2200 system of an octopus-processing industry is imperative.