Allergen Risk of Peanuts

The biggest allergen of concern is peanuts, insomuch as where it takes only 1/1,000th of a peanut to trigger a reaction; the other known allergens require somewhat greater levels of contamination to trigger a reaction.

So then for a packaging manufacturer who has strict hygiene controls such as operator hand washing and no food and drink allowed to be consumed in production or storage areas. Do we need to ban snickers and other food products with nuts from vending machines in canteens? Indeed do we go further and ban foods that may contain traces of nuts such as ready meals and Nutrigrain bars to prevent incidental contamination? Can anyone provide a pragmatic risk assessment on this?

Regards,
Simon

Well apart from making your factory a "nut-free" operating premise, you cannot really process out or reduce the presence of peanut contaminations if already in the product or p. materials.

You can destroy microbial down to an accpetable level but you cannot remove chemical hazards but allergy is not a chemical hazard (but may be classified as one) although it is rather an allergy.

This issue supports the importance of a Decision Tree for CCP Determination for ingredients and p. materials

Charles Chew

Well apart from making your factory a "nut-free" operating premise, you cannot really process out or reduce the presence of peanut contaminations if already in the product or p. materials.

You can destroy microbial down to an accpetable level but you cannot remove chemical hazards but allergy is not a chemical hazard (but may be classified as one) although it is rather an allergy.

This issue supports the importance of a Decision Tree for CCP Determination for ingredients and p. materials

Charles Chew

Hello

Would not be enough to indicate this risk on the label so that the final customer ( mainly the one with the allergic problem ) can buy safely for him ? Nobody but him can know how bad that allegernic component can affect his health.

Esther

Hi Esther,

I agree but in today's ever demanding food safety standards, you are expected to apply Good Labelling Management on allergenic issues anyway otherwise you will findyour product a subject of recall / withdrawal.

But then again thats a labelling issue. What about validation of safe quality food protection program against cross contamination by allergenic substances i.e. Peanuts on your process environment & equipment. You may have applied strict cleaning program but has validation been performed to confirm this as peanut-free (a must under ISO 22000)..............if not then your label may be flawed. Appropriately, it may read as "may contain traces of peanuts...." instead.

Charles Chew

The Food Standards Agency has just produced some guidance for the UK on controlling and labelling food allergens which you may find of interest. The draft guidance can be accessed directly at http://www.food.gov....lguidance05.pdf

The guidance is out for consultation at the moment (ends on 6th December) and information on that is available on the FSA site at
http://www.food.gov....allergenconsult

I'm currently putting together a response to the consultation so any opinions or comments from other forum members would be much appreciated.

Hi Esther,

I agree but in today's ever demanding food safety standards, you are expected to apply Good Labelling Management on allergenic issues anyway otherwise you will findyour product a subject of recall / withdrawal.

But then again thats a labelling issue. What about validation of safe quality food protection program against cross contamination by allergenic substances i.e. Peanuts on your process environment & equipment. You may have applied strict cleaning program but has validation been performed to confirm this as peanut-free (a must under ISO 22000)..............if not then your label may be flawed. Appropriately, it may read as "may contain traces of peanuts...." instead.

Charles Chew

HEllo Charles


I guess you are talking about a food company that is manufacturing a product that normally has peanuts as part of it but you want to manufacture it ' free of penauts'.
So, if you do not purchase that ingredient, how is it possible to have in you industry ?
Otherwise

When you talk about validation of cleaning procedure to avoid risk of cross contamination I guess you refer to a company which manufacture both products ' with ' and ' without ' peanuts, is that it ? Let us assume that you start the working day with the free of peanut product. What do you think about making a food analysis searching for peanuts residues in the very first lot of the day ?

Regards

When you talk about validation of cleaning procedure to avoid risk of cross contamination I guess you refer to a company which manufacture both products ' with ' and ' without ' peanuts, is that it

Yes and the opp. for c-contamination can be significant.

Let us assume that you start the working day with the free of peanut product. What do you think about making a food analysis searching for peanuts residues in the very first lot of the day ?

Well, it would be some what silly to do so since the ability to maintain a peanut free environment (i.e. peanut free process plant) may be sustainable under a peanut free program unless there is reasonable cause of concern that there is evident of c-contamination then I would go nuts in getting an analysis done. Won't you?