Filters for compressed air

Hello

I have two questions about the requirement to have filters at the point of use for compressed air that is used on food contact surfaces.  We are a bakery so we have a raw dough area, then bake, then package.  Through a risk assessment, would I be able to support that we only need filters on the compressed air lines that are used after the bake process since this is the kill step?  Also, if we use unfiltered compressed air lines, if our program states that the area must be sanitized after use, would this be sufficient as well?  Thanks in advance for the feedback!

Sanitizing after use would be a no go- the issue is particulates that get through the line to the product. Filters catch them. As for filters prior to kill step- In my opinion a kill step wouldn't eliminate your risk of particulates from your compressor.

Thank you for the feedback - I was only considering the micro side of things not the particulate contamination.  Appreciate the input

I've seen a lot of oil get into air lines.  Filters and food grade oil help.

I thought you might be interested in our recent Food Safety Friday webinar Compressed Air Risk Assessment: Do I need to test? We discussed the potential compressed air contaminants, how to perform a hazard analysis, purity limits, and sampling plans. Here's the link: https://goo.gl If you have any specific questions, feel free to contact us at IFSQNanswers@AirCheckLab.com, 512-263-0000 x4.