Good morning all!
I recently started a position with a company that makes gluten-free protein bars and bites . In our production area is storage of raw ingredients, production (mixing of ingredients and putting into extrusion machine to form bars and bites) and packaging (of individual bars, of bars into sleeves and sleeves into master cases and of bites into bags and bags into master cases).
I have a background in operations and internal auditing for ISO/API/A2LA but no food safety experience so I'm hoping you all can help me out here. We are finishing up our written HACCP program and also plan to pursue SQF Level 2 certification and we are stuck on the frequency we should be cleaning/sanitizing our ceilings.
I know that if we document a specific time frame, we open ourselves up to an auditor/inspector asking for the proof we've done it on the specified schedule. I found an FDA guideline for RF RTE foods that the ceilings should be cleaned once a month but neither our food nor our ingredients are refrigerated or frozen; our final product is simply RTE.
Does anyone know if we are required to specify a time frame for said cleaning/sanitation? I've been told that our internal preference would be to put it as "on an as-needed basis" but I can see an auditor/inspector then asking who decides when it's needed and by what parameters.
I appreciate any suggestions/guidance from the users out here!
Thank you!!
~Emily~