4 replies to this topic

[Buddy]

I work in a baking facility where we use culinary steam that comes into direct contact with the product. Clause 4.5.4 states that such steam must be monitored to ensure that it doesn't pose a contamination risk. Is anyone else in this situation that could advise what type of monitoring is needed?

[heartastack]

What temperature is the steam in contact with food?

[Buddy]

115 F. For clarity, it is applied prior to the oven, which has been validated to be a kill step.

[SQFconsultant]

I work in a baking facility where we use culinary steam that comes into direct contact with the product. Clause 4.5.4 states that such steam must be monitored to ensure that it doesn't pose a contamination risk. Is anyone else in this situation that could advise what type of monitoring is needed?

Culinary steam is normally used in food processing in or not in contact with the food product.

Culinary steam that is used for food contact is normally streamed through filtration systems prior to contact with the food product.

Normally the possibility for contamination is within the the distribution system (i.e. piping systems). Many times the steam can be contaminated due to build-up of contaminents in the small orifices and/or nozzles that can be easily fouled.

It is essential that culinary steam is filtered to avoid product contamination as un-filtered steam is subject to contamination by such things as rust, scale, sediments, dirt, etc that are carried in from the actual water source.

You'll need to conduct an investigation starting from the water source, through all filtering stages, etc and develop effective procedures for ensuring that contamination is prevented from happening and this will include keeping logs and records of fitler and line checks.

[Charles.C]

Dear GOC,

I think this general query has appeared before on the forum, notably in respect to boiler practices.

Must admit i hv never heard of culinary steam although i hv used it for cooking.

Haven't checked the standard for minutiae but offhand yr suggestion does look like a rather large overkill within the usual nature of BRC's random (?) requirements.

In respect to the BRC's FS objective, i would hv expected that "Contamination" probably refers primarily to safety related aspects even though their glossary is totally ambiguous (as usual ). Boiler Chemicals ?

Perhaps i hv misunderstood the OP's question.

Rgds / Charles.C