RTE Overview
When you see the RTE Seal, you have peace of mind that your product is:
- Safe to use or eat straight out of the bag
- Thermally treated for pathogens without chemicals or radiation
- Tasty, aromatic, and retains quality of unprocessed product
- Lab tested by a third party
- Documented from seed to sale
Not All organic products are made the same
Compared to traditional methods of processing and preparation, our specialized Thermal Treatment process yields the highest-quality Ready-To-Eat product while keeping the concerns of both supplier and end consumer in mind.
Our treatment method preserves the distinguishing qualities of the ingredient (aroma, taste, color, nutrients), yielding a superior Ready-to-Eat organic product.
Assurance during every step of the process
The HQO RTE process goes above & beyond the stars.
Here at HQO we have implemented The Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP), a food safety protocol that was first developed as part of humans outer space exploration program!
This program is defined as the process of collecting and interpreting information on hazards and conditions leading to their presence to decide which are significant for food safety. The idea is to prioritize hazards, biological, chemical or physical and monitor and control them during the production of our products.
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1. Pathogen control
We use thermal treatments a method that uses steam and heat to kill the pathogens, while maintaining the quality of the product.
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2. Color, flavor & quality
While other pasteurization processes destroy a plant’s integrity, our unique process is able to treat the product while also maintaining its flavor compound and visual aspect.
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3. Facility maintainence
Our sanitation program consists of ATP test environmental monitoring, which is a rapid test method used to quickly access the cleanliness of surfaces. Or facility is swabbed daily, testing random areas of our facility like doorknobs, doorways, walls, forklift, etc., where during the normal course of the day our operators come to contact with.
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4. Airtight chain of custody
HQO doesn’t operate any treatment facilities, so we rely on supply chain controls. This means that we analyze anything that comes into our facility – and make sure the proper documentation matches with the product. HQO does not accept any material without proper treatment documentation.
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5. 3rd-party lab testing
Once treated, we still do a full microbial scan where we submit it to a 3rd party lab and test microbes to confirm the treatment was successful. If our suppliers don’t have access or resources to get these treatments done, we take care of it for them and send it to a lab ourselves.
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6. Training & standards
Aside from these practices, HQO conducts annual training on FSMA Compliance. HQO Team Members in all areas of our manufacturing process are trained on what regulations are in place, and the actual procedures we conduct.
We spare no expense when it comes to your reputation. That’s why we only work with the nation’s most reputable and labs and facilities.
“As RTE foods gain popularity in the food industry, customers need to be able to trust the safety of these products. Through rigorous testing and documentation, we ensure that our customers receive high-quality products while prioritizing safety and cleanliness.”