6 replies to this topic

[Ratch123!!]

Hello Everyone Happy Monday!

 

I am putting together our allergen management program for our facility. We are working on obtaining SQF Certification and I would like to advice on how to approach creating an allergen management for a facility that does not bring in any allergens (We consider ourselves allergen free). What I know from SQF is sites that do not handle allergenic materials or produce allergenic products shall document, implement and maintain an allergen management program addressing at a minimum the mitigation of introducing unintended allergens through supplier, contract manufacturer, employee and visitor activities. I am needing some assistance understanding and performing a risk-analysis and assessment of workplace-related food allergens from locker rooms, lunch rooms, and visitors. Can anyone provide me with an example to go off of. I am in the middle of doing a risk assessment for the products in the plant but could use some guidance for the other. 

 

I am also wondering about validation - do we need to do allergen swabbing more than annually ? Is this something that is required for a facility that does not produce with any allergens? We conduct ATP swabbing but not for allergens.

 

 

Thanks in advance :)

 

[SQFconsultant]

Add to the list of potential allergen RISK inputs:

 

Contractors

Snack Vending Machine

Soda Vending Machine

First Aid Supplies

Chemicals - in house

Chemicals - PCO

etc.

 

I am working on an SQF development onsite at a facility in Virginia this month and today we are waiting on the vending company to send over a sample of every item they rotate in the vending machine and I just found out that 2 chemicals used by the PCO contain allergens that were unknown to the facility.

[Ratch123!!]

Thank you for your response - any feedback is appreciated.

 

Fortunately we do not have any vending machines or soda machines in our facility and all of our chemicals that we use abide by the organic standard as we have 95% organic products being ran through our facility.

Do you have any recommendations on how to perform a risk assessment for that list?

Also - is it a requirement to perform a risk assessment on the individual ingredients or just the suppliers if we intentionally source allergen free ingredients?

 

Thank you for your help!

[CMHeywood]

Employees bringing in meals or other food items?

 

If yes, then you need to create and document a hand-washing procedure.

 

You should also document in your risk analysis that none of your incoming items have allergens and no food is allowed in manufacturing or storage areas which implies some sort of audit.

[Ratch123!!]

Thank you for your response. Yes they bring in meals and other food items. Note that we are a dedicated allergen free facility meaning we require allergen control and current third party audits annually from all suppliers and do not bring in ingredients that are or contain allergens. Our warehouse and storage areas are designated allergen free as well. A hand washing procedure in place as a required GMP shoud it also be noted as allergen mitigation?? In terms of our staff break room we are a Peanut Free Facility all around (Including Lunches and other consumables). We have procedures in place that require everyone to remove all PPE before exiting into the break area.

 

My last questions is how do we properly document this?? Is it simply a Risk Assessment of all incoming materials and mitigation practices of employee break-rooms. I want to be sure that I am not missing anything.. 

[CMHeywood]

It is a risk assessment of every possible way that allergens (not just peanuts) can come into your facility including employees bringing in food.  The risk analysis should then list the control programs necessary to mitigate the risk of allergens.

 

The mitigation that you have in place:

1.  No peanuts allowed (but there are other food allergens).

2.  No food in mfg or storage areas.

3.  Hand washing required after handling food items.

4.  Remove PPE before entering a break room.

 

I believe SQF also requires you to have an allergen register that lists what allergens may be present and the legislation that is pertinent.  This would be more than just the USA if you products are used outside the USA.  Different countries may have different lists of what they consider to be food allergens of concern.

 

You should probably address latex as an allergen even though it is not a food allergen.

[Charles.C]

Thank you for your response - any feedback is appreciated.

 

Fortunately we do not have any vending machines or soda machines in our facility and all of our chemicals that we use abide by the organic standard as we have 95% organic products being ran through our facility.

Do you have any recommendations on how to perform a risk assessment for that list?

Also - is it a requirement to perform a risk assessment on the individual ingredients or just the suppliers if we intentionally source allergen free ingredients?

 

Thank you for your help!

 

Hi Ratch,

 

Can you supply a little context ?

 

What kind of business are we talking about ?