Allergen Risk Analysis and Matrix

Hello All,

Does any understand the risk analysis of "those raw materials, ingredients and processing aids, including food grade lubricants, that contain allergens."  I have added the risk analysis into my haccp plan and i have created a list of ingredients that contain allergens and identified each allergen.

Can anyone provide an example of a allergen changeover matrix. I am confused.

An allergen changeover matrix is a run order of products based on it's allergenic components.

For instance you make 8 products

#1 has shellfish

#2 has peanuts

#3 has shellfish and peanuts

#4 has shellfish, peanuts, and milk

#5 has eggs

#6 has milk

.... and so on.

When you create your run order, while of course you are going to clean between products, you can set your run order up so that it reduces the risk of contamination if something happens.  Run things back to back, if possible so that you are using the same allergen as before.

If you have 2 products that use egg and 4 that use milk your going to, of course, not run milk egg milk milk egg... you would want to try to run all your egg before or after all of your milk.

It's one more method to assist in protecting against cross contamination

I'm 99% sure on this.

Do I have to create a matrix? and does the matrix have to be a flow chart or just a statement. For example this is what I have came up with.

Muffin Changeover Matrix

Production scheduling shall take all steps possible to minimize allergen impact by reducing allergen changeover through longer runs and allergens last. **However, since all muffins contain allergens Elements Food Group, Inc. will process and pack all allergen(s) and sensitive ingredients last.

Muffins—All muffins have the same base ingredients for production.  What changes in the muffin formulation is the flavor.

The allergens associated with the muffins are as follows:

Ingredient                                                                                                                                                                 Allergen

-Vegetable Oil------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Soy

-Liquid Whole Eggs------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Egg

-Tendertone Egg Replacer---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Egg

-Cream Cake Mix---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Dairy

-White Whole Wheat Flour--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Wheat

-All Purpose Flour---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Wheat

The following Muffins with allergens and sensitive ingredients will be processed separately and  last-

Banana Muffin---Banana Emulsion which contains sensitive ingredient “ Sulfites”

Harvest Choc Chip---  Flavor Choc chip which contain allergen “ Soy and Milk”

Mocha Choc Chip--- 32 to 1 Butter Vanilla and Flavor Choc Chip “ Soy and Milk”

Sunbutter Choc Chip--- Flavor Choc Chip which contains allergen “ Soy and Milk”

Rugulah Changeover Matrix:

Production scheduling shall take all steps possible to minimize allergen impact by reducing allergen changeover through longer runs and allergens last. **However, since all Rugulahs contain allergens Elements Food Group, Inc. will process and pack all allergen(s) and sensitive ingredients last

Rugulah—All Rugulahs have the same base ingredients for production.  What changes in the Rugulah formulation is the flavor.

The Allergens associated with the Rugulah are as follows.

Ingredient                                                                                                                                                   Allergen

-Salted Butter------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Dairy

- Palm Margarine--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Dairy

-Cream Cheese-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Dairy

-Polar Bear Flour---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Wheat

-32 to 1 Butter Vanilla-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dairy

The following Rugulah with allergens and sensitive ingredients will be processed separately and last-

Apricot Rugulah---Apricot Color which contains sensitive ingredient “Sulfites”

Chocolate Rugulah ---Chocolate flavor and Caramel color which contains sensitive ingredient “Sulfites”

Apricot Pecan Rugulah--- Apricot color and pecan which contains allergens and sensitive ingredients “Pecans and Sulfites”

Chocolate Almond Rugulah---Contains allergens and sensitive ingredients  “Sulfites” and “Treenuts”

Raspberry Walnut Rugulah--- Walnuts which contain allergens “Treenuts”

Danish and Cinnamon Roll Changeover Matrix

Production scheduling shall take all steps possible to minimize allergen impact by reducing allergen changeover through longer runs and allergens last. **However, since Cinnamon and Danish contain allergens Elements Food Group, Inc. will process and pack all allergen(s) and sensitive ingredients last

The Allergens associated  with the  Danishes and Cinnamon Roll are as follows.

Ingredient                                                                                                                                                   Allergen

-Super Danish B15--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Wheat, Soy and Dairy

-Egg Whole Powder-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Egg

-Butter lemon orange vanilla---------------------------------------------------------------------------Dairy

-Vegetable Oil ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Soy

-Polar Bear Flour-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Wheat

White Whole Wheat Flour-------------------------------------------------------------------------------Wheat

The following Danishes and Cinnamon rolls with allergens and sensitive ingredients will be processed separately and last-

***There is no cross contamination risk of allergens that are associated with the production of Cinnamon Rolls  and Danish.

Dear MBrown,

Seems to be a discussion on allergen changeover matrix in 2 threads at the same time.

http://www.ifsqn.com...rix/#entry61821

This can be confusing and ultimately counter-productive.

Hopefully the "matrix" donated in above link will answer yr requirements, presumably for SQF.

Rgds / Charles.C

PS - one definition of a matrix, no doubt there are numerous, less mathematical,  interpretations also -

As I understand it the Matrix is a plan for running allergens to minimize cross contamination of products by running products that have similar allergens back to back rather than jumping around without a plan as to what you should run.

As with everything with SQF they tell you what to do but not how to do it.

You could do it with a flow chart or your could do it with a word document.  List your products and your allergens and the order that is the safest to run them.  Safest being not running milk then eggs then milk.  That example would not be safe putting eggs between two milk products because if there is a failure of your allergen cleaning program then the 2nd milk run will have undeclared egg in it.  Rather you would want to run milk, milk, egg.  Obviously you need to have a good cleaning system however, this helps to reduce risk more like a general HACCP system.  Create programs that help in reducing risk so that you are not at a higher risk level while you are producing.

I don't think you really have to make it so big. It could be like this:

Order      Product                                            Allergens 

   1         Rugulah                                           Milk, Wheat

   2         Muffins                                            Milk, Wheat, Egg, Soy

   2         Danish / C. Roll                                Milk, Wheat, Egg, Soy

(Make sure you have your normal document control stuff like a header or footer etc.)

Now if Danish had shellfish then it would be 3 because it would have a different allergen associated.  With your example the Muffins and the C. Roll have the same allergens so there is no allergenic risk of cross contamination... of course you may not want some of the things that go in your muffins in your danish or C. Roll but they won't kill anyone.  The Rugulah has 2 allergens and they are in the other 2 products.  So you would always want to run that first for food safety.

The file that has been shown in the other thread is a record of your allergen runs.  That is not the same as a run matrix.  The run matrix is a plan for how to run your allergens to reduce the risk of cross contamination. 

Also if you are in the united states it would behoove you to use the terminology prescribed in the laws:

1. Milk
2. Eggs
3. Fish (e.g., bass, flounder, cod)
4. Crustacean shellfish (e.g. crab, lobster, shrimp)
5. Tree nuts (e.g., almonds, walnuts, pecans)
6. Peanuts
7. Wheat
8. Soybeans

That way your not putting down Dairy in your plans.  That chart is from the FDA website: http://www.fda.gov/f...s/ucm079311.htm .   I highly suggest you use those terms if your food is being sold in USA packaging.  If it's being sent to other countries, of course, you will need to have their allergen list used.  

I hope this helps.  And yes please stick to one thread when you ask a question it does tend to lend to confusion if a question is posted in multiple places.

Dear MBrown,

Here are 2 examples of "allergen changeover matrix"  -

allergen matrix 1.png   115.59KB   39 downloads

Allergen Changeover Matrix 2b.xls   15KB   982 downloads

Rgds / Charles.C

Yeah those would probably work pretty good.

Thank you everyone,

That is really helpful.

Much appreciated.

This online chat is awsome, FYI, my company has spent over $30,000 on a consultant, and believe me when i say this forum has been equally as helpful.

Thanks again,

Marvis Brown

This online chat is awesome, FYI, my company has spent over $30,000 on a consultant, and believe me when i say this forum has been equally as helpful.

 $30k on a consultant Marvis....wow!I   :uhm:

Your comments demonstrate the value of the support provided by members who have been there and done that and importantly are willing to share their knowledge. What's even better you won't be getting a bill.

Regards,

Simon

Thank you everyone,

 

That is really helpful.

 

Much appreciated.

 

This online chat is awsome, FYI, my company has spent over $30,000 on a consultant, and believe me when i say this forum has been equally as helpful.

 

Thanks again,

 

Marvis Brown

The Consultant was a great deal of help, however, he charged 160/hr, and he stuck to it, he would clock every minute rather an email or a phone call. We no longer have a consultant anymore, so I am sure this online chat will be hearing a lot more from me.

Thanks again,

The Consultant was a great deal of help, however, he charged 160/hr, and he stuck to it, he would clock every minute rather an email or a phone call. We no longer have a consultant anymore, so I am sure this online chat will be hearing a lot more from me.

 

Thanks again,

Ps.. for the documentation alone he charged $4,000.... but i passed the desk audit with 3 minors

Thanks for sharing this risk analysis tool, and the business risk experience.

Like all of you, I am glad that this resource was created and that we can share some valuable knowledge.

Hello All,

Could someone please review my Allergen Changeover Matrix for Rugalah and Muffins.

I get confused everytime I go to edit it.

Thanks for your review,

Marvis Brown

does it look okay or not okay

does it even make sense.

Dear MBrown,

Why C(A) where the allergens are identical (see column D in both sheets) ?

Why do fruits have dairy allergens?. Just curious, i believe you. :smile:

Cell (i10) in 1st sheet could be blank if same chocolate but i guess one more "C" wont hurt. :smile:

Mostly looks Ok IMO from a matrix POV :thumbup: . Whether it makes "process" sense is a different question. I note that some of the components allergens seem different to yr earlier post. Actually i hv no idea what a Rugalah is, sounds like a wooly throat but I'm sure it's delicious.

Maybe other people will have useful opinions. :smile:

Rgds / Charles.C

PS -  I combined yr new topic with running one, seemed no need to start a 3rd thread

Hello Charles,

Thank you for your input.

The C(A) in the D column is what I have been confused as well, would you suggest to have that column be C's on the Muffin Matrix tab since none of the allergens change, and C(A) only on the Chocolate Almond, Apricot Pecan, and Raspberry Walnut becase those are where different allergens are introduced?

The only reason the fruits have allergens is because in both ingredients for Muffins and Rugalahs there is a cream cake mix which has dairy.

Thanks

Hello Charles,

 

Thank you for your input.

 

The C(A) in the D column is what I have been confused as well, would you suggest to have that column be C's on the Muffin Matrix tab since none of the allergens change, and C(A) only on the Chocolate Almond, Apricot Pecan, and Raspberry Walnut becase those are where different allergens are introduced?

 

The only reason the fruits have allergens is because in both ingredients for Muffins and Rugalahs there is a cream cake mix which has dairy.

 

Thanks

Dear MBrown,

The principle is that if changeover introduces  no change in allergens, there is no risk of (allergenic) cross contamination..

So Yes.

However you might be interested to know that some fruits also possess their own allergens, even if not required to be declared on the label.

http://www.foodaller...oods/Fruit.html

Rgds / Charles.C