Cases on floor in Cooler Storage
A question from a new customer stumped me, not sure if there’s any State or Fed regulations on cases touching the cooler floor? I know we have QA sanitary equipment and infrastructure programs, but they are looking for something regulation wise from state or fed… From my experience, I’ve always took it for granted that cooler chains would carry the stacks and cooler operators would pull the stacks to their designated areas for loadout. No one has ever questioned the storage of the stacks on the cooler floor (including multiple third party audits) until now. Any ideas on this question or where i can search to find some answers?
Thank you all for your help !!
21 CFR 117.93
https://www.ecfr.gov.../section-117.93
Storage and transportation of food must be under conditions that will protect against allergen cross-contact and against biological, chemical (including radiological), and physical contamination of food, as well as against deterioration of food and the container.
I am not certain which SQF code you fall under, but I know for SQF Food manufacturing edition 9 11.4.1 states "packaging, product, and ingredients shall be kept in appropriate containers as required and off the floor;"
I hope this may help. I am actually really surprised that you have never been questioned about that.
Thank you for the reference you provided KelleyQA. For as long as I worked in the dairy industry (multiple plants), we've always had this type of storage configuration and never thought twice about it...
Thank you for the reference you provided KelleyQA. For as long as I worked in the dairy industry (multiple plants), we've always had this type of storage configuration and never thought twice about it...
I also worked in the dairy industry. Same scenario - milk crates directly on floor and moved with a floor track chain. multiple regulatory visits per year and numerous audits (although before GFSI in my case) no one ever questioned it. not saying its right of there isn't some risk.
Oh the irony!!!
In New Jersey, up thru the 80's and maybe even the 90's there was a commercial old school Italian bakery called "Sanitary Bakery" and for years their route drivers would drop of top open heavy kraft paper bags filled with Italian bread - dropping the bags right on the sidewalk and stoops at various dell's.
Nobody ever complained and it never stopped me from buying a hero or hot pastrami sandwich.
Those were the days my friend....
We're a packaging manufacturer (Paperboard folding cartons) and we received a deduction for one case sitting on the floor in our warehouse. One of the sales people snuck out to get a case for customer samples and set one on the floor. It was a day or two before our audit and I missed it during my walkthrough It was behind a row of finished goods. Everything has to have a barrier sheet down before we can set anything on the floor anywhere in our plant or warehouses.