Quality, like other operational terms in the beverage industry, has a broad scope of meanings and interpretations. For the consumer, quality generally means "an expectation for any beverage produced and available for sale." For the producers and sellers, quality refers to the packaged product. Webster's offers eight definitions. Is the proper meaning of quality an important issue?

Yes. In theory, a quality consensus usually relates to definitive attributes and variables for a packaged product. In reality, quality relates to variables and attributes, but over time "attachments" have tended to make true intent and meaning more complex.

The single term Quality has existed more than 300 years, the term Quality Control has prevailed for 70 years and the term Quality Assurance was born 24 years ago. Whatever label has been generated to describe quality, it is and has become a definitive functional entity.

Quality classifies product manufacturing according to specific desired standard levels. Quality Control, a broader functional scope, was initiated to identify an aggregation of inspection activities used for measuring and comparing actual results versus established standards. Constant and complex changes in beverage operating conditions necessitated extension of the Quality function. Quality Assurance, an even broader functional scope including programs for systematically monitoring and evaluating all aspects of products, projects and services, was the extension created to meet more complex conditions.

And finally, an extension of Quality, and all its attachments, matriculated into "Total Quality Management" intended to engender a philosophical quality approach to ALL management functions. However, management understanding and acceptance, development professionals and application technicians gave the concept a short life cycle. Though still in existence, TQM never seemed to reach anticipated "cure all" status.

In beverage operations, whether it's quality, control and assurance, or all of the above, the approaches and focus can be designated for three specific manufacturing areas: 1) ingredients, 2) product and 3) packaging. Ensuring ingredient quality is the important initial step for adhering to succeeding production standards and specifications. With assurance that all ingredients have met quality standards, product production is subjected to the next level of quality monitoring to ensure that proper mixing of components meets product quality standards.

With ingredient and product quality standards in control, inspection of packaging materials for specification adherence and production application completes the real time quality cycle. Measurement monitoring and application evaluation of quality activities in these major areas must be periodically updated. Quality must be Quality.

John Peter Koss, a beverage operations advisor, has more than 45 years of beverage business experience associated with General Cinema Beverages, Inc., Carling Brewing Company and Pepsi-Cola Company. He was an assistant professor of industrial engineering at Kent State University. Contact him at +1 305/829-3631. Fax: +1 305/829-2484. E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Beverage World September 15, 2006