Food Contact Packaging-Environmental Testing Protocols
I just joined this group as it is always helpful to pick others brains and get collective knowledge. Does anyone have experience setting up an environmental monitoring program for plastic packaging production (for food contact)? If so, any suggestions as to what you do?
The simple thing would be to get Letters of Guarantee or other documentation from your packaging supplier that the packaging is safe for food contact.
Not sure why you would need to do environmental monitoring on packaging, unless it's a requirement of some sort.
Marshall
I just joined this group as it is always helpful to pick others brains and get collective knowledge. Does anyone have experience setting up an environmental monitoring program for plastic packaging production (for food contact)? If so, any suggestions as to what you do?
I suggest the first thing is to determine the requirements for "uncontaminated" plastic packaging.
And, as per previous Post, it depends on why you are asking ?
The environmental monitoring would be for the production area....floors, equipment and other outlying areas and not for the plastic product itself. I am applying a risk-based strategy to these areas to make sure that there is no post-processing contamination after the product is extruded and before it is put in a paper sleeve. I know that the plastic cannot support any growth and is basically sterile after extrusion. I just wanted to know if I am over-thinking this.
The environmental monitoring would be for the production area....floors, equipment and other outlying areas and not for the plastic product itself. I am applying a risk-based strategy to these areas to make sure that there is no post-processing contamination after the product is extruded and before it is put in a paper sleeve. I know that the plastic cannot support any growth and is basically sterile after extrusion. I just wanted to know if I am over-thinking this.
The opportunities for contamination will always depend on yr environment/yr hygiene/yr specific process.
I'm not in Packaging but IIRC the typical environmental micro. controls are inclined towards swabbing Packaging Contact Surfaces for APC / Y&M.
But detailed activities may depend on for whom this project is intended to be audited by (if any) ?
The environmental monitoring would be for the production area....floors, equipment and other outlying areas and not for the plastic product itself. I am applying a risk-based strategy to these areas to make sure that there is no post-processing contamination after the product is extruded and before it is put in a paper sleeve. I know that the plastic cannot support any growth and is basically sterile after extrusion. I just wanted to know if I am over-thinking this.
Hi Supertech,
For production environment, SQF 13.2 and BRC/IoP 4.2 instruct some ideas but not much in detail.
In my experience, we can monitor some indices together with SHE issues, such as:
- Lighting illuminance against ISO 8995,
- Microclimate (e.g. temperature, ventilation) and concentrations of solid matters (e.g. PM10) & VOC against national standards.
However, some are tricky like level tidyness. Certain practices (5S, "clean as you go") may help.
Regards.
SuperTech Hi,
Is the packaging coming in asceptic?
Is your equipment sterile production and the room set-up so the environment is suitable for what you want to achieve?
If you just want to check packaging coming in, after it has been stored in a specific area or stored in production then swabbing and plating if you want to know specifics but far easiest is an ATP tester which will give you results in seconds but will just give you a value which you need to agree internally what the critical limits are.
I would put all of your packaging (food contact), into an annual testing scheme if you are not producing in a controlled environment where asceptic packaging is key and up it if you get fails and investigate, otherwise if coming in asceptic then they should come in with a C of A and random QA checks should take place
Jimmy