Kahiki Foods, Inc.

Mara Arellano

Quality Assurance Technician

I have been working at Kahiki for almost 3 years now. When I started working here, I was on the production lines, but now I work with the Quality Assurance team. I enjoy the variety of QA work and also like the family atmosphere here. My husband works on the second shift and my sister works on the first shift. I also serve as the primary translator. I translate signs and training materials into Spanish, communicate problems or instructions with Spanish speaking workers, and I go with injured or sick employees to the hospital to easily speak to doctors and nurses.

8:00 AM	Arrive at Kahiki
8:05	Change control charges to ensure proper temperature control.
8:15	File all the information that I just recorded.
8:30	Begin the rounds of the factory. I check the temperature of raw materials such as the fillings for our egg rolls and appetizers and the raw chicken. Then I check the packaging lines to ensure the correct temperature and weights of materials in the final product. After that, I check to make sure that the internal temperature hits 165 degrees at the fry station. In each room, I check the room temperatures and makes sure that the metal detectors are functioning properly. All of those temperatures that I recorded are required under HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) by the USDA to make sure that the food is sanitary.
10:30	Go through the rounds again.
11:30	Eat lunch with my sister and other employees.
12:30 PM	Go through the rounds again.
2:30	Go through the rounds again.
4:30	Go through the rounds again.
5:00	Input tracking information telling where goods were shipped so that if a problem arises with a product it will be easily identified to what date it was made and what line it was produced on.
5:15	Head home to take care of my three children: Griselda, 6 years, Eduardo, 5 years, and Brandon, 1 year.