Environmental Monitoring
Edition 8.0 of the SQF standard has added section 2.4.8 Environmental Monitoring.
We currently do extensive testing of our water supply, and we will be performing a risk assessment, but I am sure it will reveal that we may have to test compressed air quality and some microbiological testing. This is off the top of my head prior to performing the risk assessment.
I didn't know if any other companies were needing to perform additional testing and maybe you could share testing companies you've used and been happy with. Do I need to add this to our HACCP Plan (I'm thinking that's a yes)? How did you approach your risk assessment to determine what needed to be tested to maintain food safety?
We are just looking for some advice. I appreciate it in advance.
for Air testing I use Tri Air Testing out of Austin Texas, they send you the test kit, follow the included instructions (I let our maintenance people collect the samples) and return the kit to them then you'll receive the results via email.
Edition 8.0 of the SQF standard has added section 2.4.8 Environmental Monitoring.
We currently do extensive testing of our water supply, and we will be performing a risk assessment, but I am sure it will reveal that we may have to test compressed air quality and some microbiological testing. This is off the top of my head prior to performing the risk assessment.
I didn't know if any other companies were needing to perform additional testing and maybe you could share testing companies you've used and been happy with. Do I need to add this to our HACCP Plan (I'm thinking that's a yes)? How did you approach your risk assessment to determine what needed to be tested to maintain food safety?
We are just looking for some advice. I appreciate it in advance.
Hi Heidi,
Based on previous threads I was under the impression most SQF users were doing microbiological testing of compressed air already. ?
One example from several others -
http://www.ifsqn.com...ood-equipement/
Regarding EMP/SQF8 maybe see this recent thread -
Trace Analytics, LLC's owner, Ruby Ochoa, presented a Food Safety Friday webinar on performing a compressed air risk assessment in July of this year. Here's the link: http://www.ifsqn.com...ed-to-test-r140
Here's a link to a risk assessment checklist focused on compressed air: docsend.com/view/mb49v8z
Also, this is an article on the same topic by Trace's Lab Director, Dick Smith: https://docsend.com/view/zyar39b
If you have questions, feel free to reach out to Ruby.
If compressed air is blown onto your machines and/or your products, then you need to test your compressed air for bacteria, oil, etc.