Requirements for outside tanks storing vinegar

Hi all,

I am shopping around for a GFSI scheme and am looking at SQF since most of the Facilities in our area use it. I am trying to explain to my boss all the changes we will have to make to comply and am not finding any information in the scheme on outside tank requirements. We make vinegar (pretty much the bane of all bacteria) and have most of our tanks outside. So my question is does SQF allow this and if so what are the requirements for the tanks.

Same requirements as any piece of equipment.

1. Is it maintained in a sanitary manner that precludes contamination from dust, condensation, weather, pests..

2. Is it cleaned at a frequency necessary so that it does not become a source of contamination.

3. Is it protected from intentional adulteration.

General GMP's: "The plant and facilities shall take the proper precautions to protect food in outdoor storage or processes such as receiving, initial product washing or bulk fermentation tanks."

I would reach out to a brewery or dairy under the scheme and see if they can help you with what their auditors have required in the past. You can use the public supplier search: https://www.ac.parkc...lcares?id=40825 and search for companies under category 10 and reach out to see if their QA person is willing to chat about how they maintain outside raw milk tanks (if they have them) while under the scheme.

The PMO and dairy GMP's may have specific guidance in general that you can use to validate your setup.

G'Day Kelly_21,

I am the QA of a Vinegar plant in Australia, & we are SQF Level 3 certified. All of our external tanks are fully sealed; cleaned with water once a year & we have no problem.

PW.