Peeling outer bag from breading, handling best practice
Does anybody deal with bags of breading in your production? The outer layer has to be peeled. What are the hand washing requirements after peeling the outer layer off? If you wear rubber gloves and remove them after peeling and discarding the outer layer is that sufficient? Or is washing hands after every bag required? Or are there any other suggestions? Washing hands after opening each bag is almost impossible.
Thank you for any help you have.
Can you elaborate some? The outer layer of what needs peeled off?
What is the risk?
I've had two layer packaging before. It really depends on how dirty the packaging is. Typically I don't require handwashing after handling clean (not dusty or wet) corrugate or outer packaging provided they don't need to handle pallets or touch the floor.
I've had spice blends be two layer so that you can peel off the outer, and a clean inner layer is there to prevent contamination while pouring out the sack. What we did in that case (outer layer could be dusty) is had the person first remove all the outer layers from a large amount of material to another pallet with a clean slip sheet on it, then wash hands, then proceed to handle the inner packaging, rather than going back and forth.
Scampi,
We have 50 pound bags of batter and breading. These have two layers to the bag. The outer layer is peeled off before the bags are dumped into the mixer or machines to just in case there is any contamination on the outer layer. This helps to eliminate the possibility of any contamination reaching the product. My inspector dinged us on not washing hands after every bag is opened. I am trying different ways to make hand washing possible for the operators that open the bags...... peeling several bags at once then washing hands (this makes a higher risk for bags spilling and they are open and exposed longer), wearing gloves and discarding them after opening the bags ( we normally do not allow the use of gloves to eliminate the need to wash hands), and we have considered placing hand sanitize dispensers close to the operators. I was just wondering if there was anybody who dealt with the same thing who might have more suggestions.
Thank you
I think FFF idea is probably the best one...........short of requesting your supplier change the packaging they use
Or you could have 2 employees station there........one to peel and the other to dump
In line with what FFF said, we also had the employee removing the outer bag wear a disposable apron so that we didn't have an issue with contamination of their uniform. Both the apron and the gloves were removed once they opened up a sufficient amount of bags and placed on a clean pallet and slip sheet.
Scampi just as a FYI- if there is no outer bag then the product inside cannot be directly dumped into a bowl/mixing unit unless the bag can somehow be cleaned. That is the reasoning for the outer bag to be removed (all dust, debris, insects, etc) are in theory removed and the inner bag can then be opened and product dumped directly into mixing vessel.
Can't you simply use a soft bristle bench brush and just brush off the bag prior to use?
Marshall
I am working on having them open several bags then wash hands. But, old habits are hard to break.
Sorry but ewe, if the outer bag is that contaminated (filth, insects etc) I would be finding another supplier........the comment from PP does not make me feel warm and fuzzy........this is food coming from another plant, where are their GMP's?????
No the bags do not come in dirty at all. It is just a precautionary practice. If the bags would look contaminated or ripped at all we would not use them. This is just a common precautionary procedure.