Quality management model for perishable food in a fishing industry
Authors: Paladini Edson P. , Avilés Bismayda G. , Schumacher Luisa , Lorenz Mike , Urquiza Yoislan R. 
Published: July 2019

As in other developing countries, the fishing industry has a great social and economic impact in Cuba. In fact, this sector generates income in foreign currency, provides for its own investments, and finances priority economic and social programs of the country. In the last 5 years, Cuba covered 100% of the domestic market demand of the sector as well as the needs of the tourism and export sectors. This article presents a study in the Cuban food sector, specifically in the fish processing industry, with a goal of reducing losses with the implementation of improvements, according to the technological‐organizational base. The Knowledge‐level model, based on the comprehension of the process, establishes guidelines to manage quality. It is developed in the shrimp industry, which contributes 80% of the exportable products in the analyzed industry. The causes of the most frequent defects were associated with ineffectiveness in relations with suppliers and with temperature regulation in the reception tank. The Taguchi Loss Function quantified an improvement potential by the effect “temperature.” In a defect depending on this parameter, in values around the upper limit of specification (2°C), the losses presented were 4.5 times higher than those in the interval 1.3–1.4°C, thus proving to be the most effective for its regulation. The Variation Mode and Effect Analysis assessed the incidence of variability in the export capacity. It was obtained in order of priority: environment, equipment, and employees. The most important noise factor was equipment. Related to this, the ice plant presented the most representative failure modes, 66% of which can be resolved by maintenance. This improvement alternative improves the process by attenuating the ambient temperature effect. The technical availability has been increased, the process was properly documented, and these actions have strengthened the motivation of the personnel integral to the study, based on the organization of the quality department and the productive area.

Practical applications

This study shows a practical model designed to reduce losses in the industrial sector of fish production and processing. The model uses Quality Management tools and its development follows a simple and well‐defined roadmap. The technical support of the model derives from well‐accepted statistical methods. The model was directed and focused on industrial activities related to fish processing in general, with an emphasis on the analysis of shrimp production; it takes into account the typical characteristics of highly perishable products. The results obtained demonstrate significant financial gains with the minimization of losses that generally occur in the processing of perishable products. This article presents a study in the fish processing industry with a goal of reducing losses with the implementation of improvements, according to the technological‐organizational base. The knowledge‐level model described here is based on the comprehension of the process and it establishes guidelines to manage quality. The causes of the most frequent defects were associated with ineffectiveness in relations with suppliers and with inadequate control of important actions and variables of the process.