Allergen Handling in Test Kitchen/R&D Lab
Hi Everyone,
We have a small test kitchen in our facility where we experiment with new products. I was wondering how we should handle allergens. Do we have to seperate everything in there like we do for the rest of production? Or can the test kitchen itself be exempt as long as the people working in there change their uniforms before going into production? What happens if they experiment with an allergen that is currently not in our Allergen program?
Any insight into this matter is greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Dear AA NN FF,
Do you have a lunchroom within the production arena ? Probably not so (control) different from an allergen POV.
Rgds / Charles.C
The test kitchen/ lab is different from the lunchroom. It is not in production but samples of our products are made there.
I would say it is always best to have an allergen program in your R&D Kitchen especially if the Kitchen is connected to your processing plant. My R&D facility is in a separate building and they still follow our allergen program. That being said our R&D kitchen is not part of our BRC audit because it is in a separate building.
I would say it is always best to have an allergen program in your R&D Kitchen especially if the Kitchen is connected to your processing plant. My R&D facility is in a separate building and they still follow our allergen program. That being said our R&D kitchen is not part of our BRC audit because it is in a separate building.
Dear SMaddux,
I would have thought that the last sentence does not automatically (from anyone's POV) void the possibility of "cross-contamination" ? Unless it's a completely different location of course ?
Rgds / Charles.C
The test kitchen/ lab is different from the lunchroom. It is not in production but samples of our products are made there.
Dear AANNFF,
It all comes down to the dreaded RA acronym. And validation of such.
Rgds / Charles.C
The problem with the test kitchen/R&D lab is that from time to time they will try a new ingredient that isn't in our allergen program. How do you get around that?
What about storage? They only have so much storage and want to store things in groups of what it is used for rather then the type of allergen. Ex: Storing all the flavours together in one cupboard, or all the oils together in one cupboard.
The problem with the test kitchen/R&D lab is that from time to time they will try a new ingredient that isn't in our allergen program. How do you get around that?
What about storage? They only have so much storage and want to store things in groups of what it is used for rather then the type of allergen. Ex: Storing all the flavours together in one cupboard, or all the oils together in one cupboard.
Dear AA NNFF,
It's known as the "Law Unto Themselves Syndrome" and is the bane of the QA department. Typically includes Engineers and Production.
I know of one person who entered it within "Management Commitment" as an exception. A rare smile crossed the Auditor's face.
The solution ? You document and complain. Strongly. QA is a difficult function for nice guys, it's not part of the Job Description. :smile:
Rgds / Charles.C