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Environmental Monitoring Program for Food Packaging

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yannah11

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Posted 29 November 2019 - 01:51 AM

Hi would like to ask from the group for any template on Environmental monitoring Thank you,

 

Diana



Hoosiersmoker

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Posted 05 December 2019 - 02:45 PM

We are a food packaging manufacturer - Paperboard packaging. We recently gained exemption from this element after performing a round of swabbing, finding only one recordable count (The other count was 4 out of 100) and submitting the results and risk assessment to our CB Technical Department. However, during the audit we were told we would likely need to re-apply for the exemption annually. The swabbing is fairly quick and painless and not very expensive and, along with a comprehensive Risk Assessment, easy to comply with. If you get negative results the first time you swab and your process, facility and equipment don't change much, you can set your testing to annually until / unless you get a high reading that cannot be explained through risk assessment For example: Came in on raw material packaging which is removed pre-process so it poses no risk to the process or product.



Sharon (Dewsbury)

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Posted 06 December 2019 - 10:20 AM

Dear Hoosiersmoker,

This is very interesting. Thank you for your input. Could you let me know the swabs you used please. I have been looking to swab for yeast and molds but was put off by the need to have an incubator.   I have done a risk assessment based on something I found on the internet which said that the residual chemicals in board from the bleaching /manufacture will actual prevent growth and survival but I like your approach and would like to apply it. This is the article if you want to read it.

 https://www.frontier...icb.2017.02606/

 



Hoosiersmoker

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Posted 06 December 2019 - 12:47 PM

Our swabs were sold by the lab we used. I performed the swabbing and we sent them in to be evaluated. I do use 3M Petrifilm Rapid Yeast and Mold plates for our compressed air testing. I hydrate them with a basic sterile eye was solution and expose them to 3 minutes of air stream at every machine in the facility. Those just require an approximate 68-70 deg. F environment. I just place the exposed plates into a new envelope and let them sit in a dark, dry area and read them myself.



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yannah11

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Posted 11 January 2020 - 02:19 AM

Currently we perform monthly internal swab test and air sampling to different processing areas. But I gonna do swab , environmental sampling and machine micro from 3rd party to validate my internal testing.



Charles.C

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Posted 11 January 2020 - 05:35 AM

Dear Hoosiersmoker,

This is very interesting. Thank you for your input. Could you let me know the swabs you used please. I have been looking to swab for yeast and molds but was put off by the need to have an incubator.   I have done a risk assessment based on something I found on the internet which said that the residual chemicals in board from the bleaching /manufacture will actual prevent growth and survival but I like your approach and would like to apply it. This is the article if you want to read it.

 https://www.frontier...icb.2017.02606/

 

Hi Sharon,

 

There are several other posts here  documenting the history of above (SQF?) case. And that of other posters for both SQF and BRC and for Food/Packaging.

I suggest the HS story may well have been a "fortuitous" event + a result of praiseworthily dogged determination to not be readily defeated by Authority.  :thumbup:

 

Perhaps do a little back-searching.


Kind Regards,

 

Charles.C


Charles.C

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Posted 11 January 2020 - 05:46 AM

Hi would like to ask from the group for any template on Environmental monitoring Thank you,

 

Diana

 

Hi Diana,

 

Regarding templates, perhaps have a look at this Food Link which details the Principles involved in zoning applications.

 

https://www.ifsqn.co...ls/#entry100060


Kind Regards,

 

Charles.C




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