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12.6.8.3 Product Temps

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MKortleever

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Posted 26 June 2018 - 07:29 PM

I work for a cold storage facility.  We are working on becoming SQF certified.  Under 12.6.8.3 the code states "Food transport vehicle's refrigerated unit shall maintain the food at required temperatures and the unit's temperature settings shall be set, checked and recorded before loading and product temperatures monitored at regular intervals during loading as appropriate".  We deal with a lot of sealed cardboard totes, sealed drums (both plastic and metal), and pails.  I'm wondering, what is the most effective way to measure the temp of the product in these instances?  We cannot open the tote/drum/pail to insert a probe thermometer as we do not own the product, we only store and ship.  I'm curious as to how others handle these types of containers.



Scampi

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Posted 26 June 2018 - 07:41 PM

You could put dataloggers (you can get them quite cheaply now) that can send you the data wirelessly or have your customer mail them back.

It also says "as appropriate" so unless you think you've had cold chain abuses, you may not find it "appropriate" to do this at all

Some carriers have dataloggers in every truck and for a $$ will send you the data download. While it doesn't give you your actual product temp, it will show the cold chain was not interrupted

 

My thinking is since you don't own the product, this should be up to the owners of the product and therefore not "appropriate" for you. Since you don't own it, would you actually hear about an issue?


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MKortleever

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Posted 26 June 2018 - 08:20 PM

You are correct, since we don't own the product we would not hear about an issue.

 

Our understanding is that we need to take temps of the product while it is on the dock in the process of being loaded.  Once it is on the truck, it becomes the trucking companies responsibility to ensure that the refer unit stays running and maintains the temp.  (We do not own the trucks either, just the storage warehouses.)

 

My question is how to take the temps while the product is sitting on the dock.  If we stated in our SOP that "product is moved from the freezer at 0 F and loaded onto a pre-cooled refer truck with a set point of 0 F within 30 minutes, therefore preventing the product from thawing to any significantly measureable amount", would that satisfy this requirement and we wouldn't need to take temps?  Or is there some sort of temp taking device (that would stay at our facility) that would accurately take the temp of sealed metal, plastic, and cardboard containers?



Scampi

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Posted 26 June 2018 - 08:43 PM

You would have to validate that statement (repeated worst case scenario tests, like a dock at 110F in July and then actually measure surface temps which means you might have to condemn some product if it gets away on you) and then, yes that would work

 

OR yes, a laser thermometer will give you SURFACE temperatures which for frozen or refrigerated product should suffice!  Fluke makes one that is super easy to use and have it calibrated


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