Allergen Assessment

Hello,

Would like to seek some help from you guys on allergens.

As you people are aware that the new standard (Issue3) requires to assess/consider allergens as chemical hazard in Hazard Analysis.

I would like you all to throw some light on this issue, as i am confused a bit as to which allergens to be considered for the assessment, searched on the net & could find that only 8 ingredients are identified as the food allergens by FDA & some more for e.g. sulphites by Australian Food & Grocery Council

I would like to know as for BRC, have they identified any list of allergens to be considered?

Please help me on this part

Regards,

Kaushik

Hello speedspoils,

a good overview over EU allergen legislation can be found here:

http://www.fsai.ie/faq.asp#allergens

This includes a list of substances that must be indicated on the food label (allergen warning) and gives all necessary links to EU legislation re: allergen labelling. This might help you in your quest.

Good luck

Matt

You must take into account any country to which you may be exporting. demographic regions have differing allergen concerns and regulations. Canada differs from the U.S. and the U.S. differs from the EU. You need to address intended use / destination.

Thank you guys,

But Matt i am concerned about the paperboard cartons wherein these listed allergens are not used as ingredients or as part of any of the raw materials used in processing, except sulpher dioxide which is used for bleaching in paper manufacturing, which is not carried over in final product i.e. paperboard

My final product is printed paperboard cartons, do i have to consider the same allergens listed above for my assessment on carton manufacturing process?
In that case then, allergen labeling won't be applicable to my product

Awaiting Replies from members...

I think there is a bit of confusion in this thread. Sppedspoils is talking about the BRC Packaging Standard and the product is Printed Paperboard Cartons. I actually asked the same question a few months back and did not get much repsonse.

How could a direct contact packaging manaufacturer asseess the risk of food allergens?

I concluded that the risk is mainly from cross contamination of food allergens such as nuts from operators clothing or hands to the packaging, probably via workwear if they are allowed to eat in canteens with workwear on. To minimise this you could make people change clothing prior to eating, wash hands, and / or ban all foodstuffs that contain known allergens from being brought in. Easier said than done. Whatever the risk is quite minimal already.

Regards,
Simon

I think there is a bit of confusion in this thread. Sppedspoils is talking about the BRC Packaging Standard and the product is Printed Paperboard Cartons. I actually asked the same question a few months back and did not get much repsonse.

How could a direct contact packaging manaufacturer asseess the risk of food allergens?

I concluded that the risk is mainly from cross contamination of food allergens such as nuts from operators clothing or hands to the packaging, probably via workwear if they are allowed to eat in canteens with workwear on. To minimise this you could make people change clothing prior to eating, wash hands, and / or ban all foodstuffs that contain known allergens from being brought in. Easier said than done. Whatever the risk is quite minimal already.

Regards,
Simon

i had a similar discussion with a packaging supplier i recently audited.

next door to their site was a chicken slaughtering facility. i asked them if they had risk assessed the potential contamination from both salmonella or avian flu. they thought i was mad! but after explain drain directional flow etc they understood where i was coming from, and they now have a "statement" that says they have looked at the potential risk from any environmental contamination from the chicken factory and there is no preceived risk. which i agree with. but they needed to demonstrate that they had assessed the risk.

you could do something similar and have a statement saying that you have no allergens on site (assuming you dont) and therefore there is no perceivable risk. you could even do a 3 x 3 risk assessment matrix with a likeliehood of 1 and a severity of 3, but still have the outcome as a low risk.

i have risk assessed everything, practically, where i work (even my tea making skills!) but their more food orientated.

c xx

i had a similar discussion with a packaging supplier i recently audited.

next door to their site was a chicken slaughtering facility. i asked them if they had risk assessed the potential contamination from both salmonella or avian flu. they thought i was mad! but after explain drain directional flow etc they understood where i was coming from, and they now have a "statement" that says they have looked at the potential risk from any environmental contamination from the chicken factory and there is no preceived risk. which i agree with. but they needed to demonstrate that they had assessed the risk.

you could do something similar and have a statement saying that you have no allergens on site (assuming you dont) and therefore there is no perceivable risk. you could even do a 3 x 3 risk assessment matrix with a likeliehood of 1 and a severity of 3, but still have the outcome as a low risk.

i have risk assessed everything, practically, where i work (even my tea making skills!) but their more food orientated.

c xx

Hey Caz, I totaly agree. A documented risk assessment is evidence you have carefully considered the potential hazard even if you kinda know the answer before you do it. That's where I think the BRC standards have got it right.

Regards,
Simon

Thank You All

for your valuable inputs,

In a nutshell i have to document allergen assessment considering these 8 food allergens, environmental factors etc. & show that allergens are not confronted & allergen labelling does not apply to the product.

Regards,

Kaushik