8 replies to this topic

[zechzplz]

We are starting to designate certain knives, scales, and cutting boards for organic use only. How do or would you label these, especially since they get wet and go through washing/cleaning many times throughout the day? 

[RMAV]

I prefer color-coded utensils if possible.  Another trick is heavy-laminated placard connected to the utensil with a ziptie.

[RG3]

Your best bet is to make a color coded utensil chart and designate one color for organic and another color for non-organic and train the people. Make sure your chart is posted and documented controlled where people from the processing line can see it. We also do this with our containers i.e. yellow for chemical, black for trash, etc.

[zechzplz]

Ahh okay, that makes sense. Everything is currently white right now (white cutting boards, knives with white handles)... hopefully I can convince senior management that we need to buy these items! If not, I'll go with the ziptie idea!

 

Thank you! 

[RG3]

I would be careful with the ziptie idea because you're throwing in another possible foreign material. It may not be user friendly either. Some auditors may argue that zipties are not easy to clean and you have it tied on a critical utensil that comes in contact with food.

 

However, if you do decide to take the ziptie idea, may I suggest you get metal detectable zipties if you have a metal detector at the end of your process.

 

If management says too expensive steer clear of clear zipties. If not metal detectable get colored ones.

[Setanta]

Don't you have different colors for meat, fish, chicken?

[fgjuadi]

Managing colors for organic, non-GMO, allergens, and food contact / non food contact ended up being too many colors for me -

We ended up with a simpler color coding list that didn't have organic, but defined our organic clean outs between product as including utensils & record their cleaning between runs.

 

Of course, we'll only do a clean out /change over once or twice per shift, and we record and swab everything regardless.  Sounds like y'all are cleaning more frequently than that

[RMAV]

I agree with RG3's very important considerations on the zip ties.

[zechzplz]

My company luckily doesn't work with meat. We work with produce (we don't process items much, we just trim!). 

We clean between lines and although we have an organic sanitizer for the tables, I realized we've been sanitizing the cutting boards and knives in a bleach solution which is a no-no since we're supposed to sanitize with the organic sanitizer (right?!)! I've since designated areas for organic utensils, but I know it'll be easier if things were labeled or color coded. The facility is open almost 24/7 and I only work 40 hours so I'm not always here to make sure they're using our organic sanitizer!

 

And RG3, I didn't even think of that! Thanks for bringing that up.

Hopefully that information will sway to buying color coded items!!!