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J_T

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Posted 28 December 2018 - 07:19 PM

Hello all

 

I have a question on allergen verification.

We are an SQF lvl 2 facility, and currently have treenuts, peanuts, soy in our facility.

 

Right now, we do monthly allergen verification swabs, using the Neogen Reveal 3D tests (https://foodsafety.n...l-multi-treenuthttps://foodsafety.n...veal-3-d-peanuthttps://foodsafety.n.../reveal-3-d-soy )

To confirm our cleaning procedures are successfully removing all allergens.

 

I saw these from 3M, and am wondering if they are a good alternative: 3M Clean-Trace Surface Protein (allergen) test swabs

https://www.3m.com/3...=8711414&rt=rud

 

Would these be an acceptable substitute for the 3 different Neogen tests we currently use?

I understand that the 3M tests are not allergen specific, but I don't think I would need to know what allergen is present, during the monthly tests, I would only need to determine if the surface was free of (all) allergens.

 

 

What are people's thoughts on these tests?

 

 



MsMars

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Posted 28 December 2018 - 08:24 PM

JT,

See this article:

https://www.foodsafe...clean-standard/

 

Also, pg 4 of this document: 

https://www.sqfi.com...ce-Document.pdf



Non_entitie

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Posted 28 December 2018 - 09:02 PM

Hi J_T,

 

We've recently started using these clean trace swabs as screening tools to determine when our cleaning processes are sufficient and where they need additional work.  We do not use them for verification and instead use the Neogen Reveal tests for that purpose.  Our process requires verification utilizing allergen specific swabs, but the clean trace swabs let us know when we're actually clean enough to move onto that verification.  The clean trace swabs are great.  Quick to use, interpretation is very clear, not a lot of equipment needed.  Our techs love them.  Not sure if that really answers your question, but thought I'd chime in regardless.



TonyM

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Posted 04 January 2019 - 01:42 AM

Anyone ever tried the Hygiena Allersnaps? My experience was not good and even on equipment that has never had contact with allergens, we were getting false positives. 

I had heard somewhere that our cooking process denatures the allergen proteins which made it so the quick tests like this were ineffective. I actually sent samples to the lab to test for soy, including a control that should have been positive, but actually came back "not detected". Ive never tried the Neogen kits but if they would work better, I might have to go ahead and get some. Currently we rely entirely on production scheduling and visual inspection. 



Scampi

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Posted 04 January 2019 - 03:57 PM

We use Neogen as well (and every where else I've worked actually)

 

Depending on the type of cooking and how intensive, yes proteins can be denatured.......that doesn't mean they are gone however, just below the detectable limits for the method being used.

 

Did you have the lab replicate the test on another sample that did contain soy?  Even big industrial labs can get results wrong from time to time


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techmgr_uk

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Posted 07 January 2019 - 08:21 AM

What is the source of the soy? 

 

Neogen have a statement on the hydrolysis of soy proteins in soy sauce rendering it undetectable.  I spoke to them after getting negatives on samples containing soy sauce.



Charles.C

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Posted 07 January 2019 - 08:30 AM

Anyone ever tried the Hygiena Allersnaps? My experience was not good and even on equipment that has never had contact with allergens, we were getting false positives. 

I had heard somewhere that our cooking process denatures the allergen proteins which made it so the quick tests like this were ineffective. I actually sent samples to the lab to test for soy, including a control that should have been positive, but actually came back "not detected". Ive never tried the Neogen kits but if they would work better, I might have to go ahead and get some. Currently we rely entirely on production scheduling and visual inspection. 

 

From an allergen/Protein POV also see the caveat SQF Link in Post 2 (and variously elsewhere).


Kind Regards,

 

Charles.C




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