Is a sieve required for dry ingredients?
Is a sieve required for dry ingredients?
When I originally developed our HACCP plan I consulted with our food scientist who has years of experience in the industry and this was my first HACCP plan. According to him we did not need to do a hazard analysis on our raw ingredients since we have a supplier quality assurance program and all ingredients will be cooked in the final product. He also said we don't need a sieve for our dry ingredients because the supplier already sifted it. I see according to clause 3.5.1.1 we need to a hazrds anylasis on our raw ingredients. If I'm actually doing a hazard analysis the food scientist's reasoning is circular. All dry ingredients have a risk of foreign objects, I can eliminate the risk with a sieve or by getting a quality supplier. Wouldn't I want first to try to eliminate the risk myself and not trust the supplier? Would the BRC auditor expect us to have a sieve?
Hi,
As long as you have a system to verify your supplier quality assurance (supplier audit program, food safety certification and sampling at your site)
Avila
Is a sieve required for dry ingredients?
When I originally developed our HACCP plan I consulted with our food scientist who has years of experience in the industry and this was my first HACCP plan. According to him we did not need to do a hazard analysis on our raw ingredients since we have a supplier quality assurance program and all ingredients will be cooked in the final product. He also said we don't need a sieve for our dry ingredients because the supplier already sifted it. I see according to clause 3.5.1.1 we need to a hazrds anylasis on our raw ingredients. If I'm actually doing a hazard analysis the food scientist's reasoning is circular. All dry ingredients have a risk of foreign objects, I can eliminate the risk with a sieve or by getting a quality supplier. Wouldn't I want first to try to eliminate the risk myself and not trust the supplier? Would the BRC auditor expect us to have a sieve?
A HACCP plan is a requirement for any food safety management system; apparently in your system quality management are not included the dangers inherent in the product, but rather you're considering only the characteristics of functionality. Although you have a cooking process, the dangers of chemical and physical nature will not be deleted, as for many spore-forming bacteria. Although most of the solid ingredients require a sieve, whether or not to include will depend on your HACCP plan. All you need is a Plan HACCP
Is a sieve required for dry ingredients?
\ All dry ingredients have a risk of foreign objects, I can eliminate the risk with a sieve or by getting a quality supplier. Wouldn't I want first to try to eliminate the risk myself and not trust the supplier? Would the BRC auditor expect us to have a sieve?
Well, it's easier to put the onus on the supplier - Somethign I learned when I was going for AIB is that suppliers of powders etc can send you a statement that says the ingredient is sifted and that will work see Steanta, Pizza, wingut, Tony's reply for this thread - http://www.ifsqn.com...on-of-bulk-113/
We ended up requesting the docs & using a seive because, as Tony suggested, we are already dumping the powder, so it was a pretty easy fix.
It's my understanding from BRC classes and multiple consultants/auditors that you must conduct a documented hazard analysis of raw materials ( including packaging) based on 3.5.1.1 and 2.7.1. Failure to have that as part of your HACCP plan would result in some level of NC's...potentially a Major. I think having a sieve is a great idea.....but it won't fulfill the need for a documented raw material hazard analysis. Hope that helps. Best of luck! :cool:
It's my understanding from BRC classes and multiple consultants/auditors that you must conduct a documented hazard analysis of raw materials ( including packaging) based on 3.5.1.1 and 2.7.1. Failure to have that as part of your HACCP plan would result in some level of NC's...potentially a Major. I think having a sieve is a great idea.....but it won't fulfill the need for a documented raw material hazard analysis. Hope that helps. Best of luck! :cool:
We spoke to all our suppliers to understand what hazards they have and how they control them, from that you can look at your HACCP to see if anything else is needed. We sieve our dry ingredients but class it as a CP rather than a CCP. With the information from the sieve you can prove that your suppliers are in control.
In Easter 2013 a major UK ingredient supplier had a fault with a sieve, where pieces of it were found in some material in sieves at customers sites, they were not aware until they got the complaints back. In this case a precautionary on site sieve may have been useful but it also demonstrates that they can become hazards in themselves.
Thanks for the advice!
In my experience we also had a sieve even though our supplier sieved the materials.
If in your process there is opportunity to introduce more FB a sieve would be a good idea. If however you process is enclosed from delivery tanker to your process it my be that you can justify not having a sieve. Our sieve was in place to catch FB that we could have potentially added when opening the sacks etc. Bits if string or paper packaging etc. We also had a sieve inspection every batch (recorded as a CCP) to ensure our sieve was not damage or did not contain any unusual items which may lead up to doubt the integrity of our supplier. We also had magnets in the throat of the vessel after the sieve. This was inspected to see if it had any metal FB from the sieve .
Regards
Sharon