Air Filtration Requirements for RTE Leafy Greens - New Facility

We are in the process of building a new packing facility with a value added room for RTE products ie; leafy greens.

I am having a difficult time locating information regarding requirements for micron filtration.

We have been Primus, but will be SQF.

Any ideas please on where I can find information, much appreciated!  :shades: 

We are in the process of building a new packing facility with a value added room for RTE products ie; leafy greens.

I am having a difficult time locating information regarding requirements for micron filtration.

We have been Primus, but will be SQF.

Any ideas please on where I can find information, much appreciated!  :shades: 

Hi farm Mom,

Afai can recall, SQF/7.2 only discuss this for compressed air. Or is there a specific mention for general air now ?

I presume this is some kind of Packinghouse.

Not my product area but some basic principles of choice of air filtration are discussed in this document -

ECFF_Recommendations_2nd_ed_18_12_06.pdf   402.26KB   48 downloads

(pg 84-6)

That's correct, it is for a vale added room inside a packinghouse for leafy greens...and true,  SQF only shows compressed air requirements, but the contractor needs to know the filtration requirements. The only information I see on SQF is for compressed air, but we want environmental information...

Is there somewhere on the FDA FSMA that I am not seeing, that specifically provides that information?

Thank  you for your help!

That's correct, it is for a vale added room inside a packinghouse for leafy greens...and true,  SQF only shows compressed air requirements, but the contractor needs to know the filtration requirements. The only information I see on SQF is for compressed air, but we want environmental information...

Is there somewhere on the FDA FSMA that I am not seeing, that specifically provides that information?

 

Thank  you for your help!

IMHO the contractor should be advising you.

Hopefully there's a leafy green processor here reading this.

I think, the general opinion is, that since I am the Food Quality lady that I should know everything:-)

Thanks!

No FDA or FSMA requirement.

I would discuss with the contractor what they have used in previous construction for similar type of application.  I would think for environmental (not clean room I'm assuming?) a 99% filtration device is sufficient.

This is our first build out, and the contactor has been told that the new FSMA requirements are strict for RTE produce?, I have searched..reviewed any documentation I can find with regard to RTE processing requirements,  and also spoken to a main preferred supplier,  I can't get a definitive answer. Your advice on 99% filtration is excellent and helpful. 

I will forward this on today at our weekly meeting.

As far as I understand there are no specifics laid out in SQF or FSMA for air quality.  I've been told stuff like this would fall under your environmental monitoring program.  If an auditor thinks the air is unfit for your RTE food then the filtering systems would be your control.  Prove that your filters are effective if air quality is assessed as a risk.  

This is our first build out, and the contactor has been told that the new FSMA requirements are strict for RTE produce?, I have searched..reviewed any documentation I can find with regard to RTE processing requirements,  and also spoken to a main preferred supplier,  I can't get a definitive answer. Your advice on 99% filtration is excellent and helpful. 

I will forward this on today at our weekly meeting.

Hi farm Mom,

I predict the first meeting question (and possibly from the Contractor also) will be 99% of what ?

I deduce you assess yr intended process area to be required to be sort of "High Care" capable in European Lingo.

Based on the few snippets attached below the consensus seems to be filter of grade F7 - H11 (hopefully intelligible to yr Contractor)

Post6  suggests a rather more efficient system than above but if cost permits, why not ?

PS - the detailed meaning of F7-H11 is in attachment in Post 2 of course

ven1 - Tesco ventilation high care.pdf   39.01KB   32 downloads

ven2 - BRC ventilation high risk.pdf   142.5KB   34 downloads

ven3 - ECFF ventilation high care.pdf   33.25KB   24 downloads

Charles,

Could you provide the full report from Tesco ventilation, please?

Thank you,

Michelle

Charles,

 

Could you provide the full report from Tesco ventilation, please?

 

Thank you,

 

Michelle

Hi Michelle,

A slightly updated source version of my extract is here -

http://www.ifsqn.com...n-5/#entry57267

Dear Farm Moon

I had the same question months ago when advertising a packaged RTE owner.

I hired a device to check the initial air contamination from a laboratory provider. Since I did no find any reference about micro air contamination values I got as a reference the values used in the laminar flow hood used in said lab.

Hope this could be useful in same way

Regards

Esther