3 replies to this topic

[bdmminer]

Hello, 

 

We are a beverage manufacturer and on the production line prior to the cans being filled they get flipped upside down and blown out with a jet of air to remove any foreign bodies. 

This air is sourced from a intake filtered blower, and it is HEPA filtered on the exit with an ionizer in line. At most, the pressure reaches 2-3psi, but is not compressed it just acts like a big fan. Would this need to be tested to satisfy an SQF auditor? 

It does blow onto a food contact surface, the inside of a can, but not onto the product itself. Then all products are pasteurized. 

Lastly if this does qualify, what would be potential methods for me to sample this air?

 

Thank you, 

[WanderingFSM]

Hi BDMMINER,

 

I worked at a juice from concentrate facility that had an air rinse for our bottles that I would test each nozzle weekly to ensure clean air entering those bottles. 

 

The testing validates that your filter is in good condition and performing as it should.  So, if for whatever reason you get a filter that has not been produced quite right or something is off when replacing the filter, you will be able to catch this in the micro results much sooner. It also helps ensure nothing is growing in the air lines post filter somehow. 

 

I got a minor on an SQF audit for a puff of air that pushes the cap into a chute.  It was a hot fill operation, once the cap was on the bottle it went through a tilter to sterilize the inside of the cap.  I tried to argue, unsuccessfully, that the air is hitting the outside of the cap and not directed towards the interior of the cap.  So I just added it to my list of samples to gather, after all it's not much of a bother to ensure a safe quality product is being produced.  

 

Ultimately yes, the pasteurization process should give a significant reduction for a stable product.  But if you can identify a potential contamination point somewhere, you want to address that as soon as possible and not rely on downstream processes. 

[bdmminer]

Thanks WanderingFSM.

 

That's what I figured I was just hoping that we could reduce our testing liability wherever possible and this is one that I would've liked to remove.

 

Since you have done something similar before, how did you perform your sampling? 

[Ryan M.]

Annoying, and mostly the risk is minimal, but still there...not just microbial, but potentially getting oil in the compressed air and then into product through transfer.  Even though the compressor oil should be food grade...but alas.

 

I've blown air for a specified amount of time onto a plate directly.  I've also used an compressed air sampling system from trace analytics.  It all depends on what type of testing you want to do and risk you want to manage.

 

To just be compliant, the easiest is using the trace analytics equipment and testing kits.  Test equipment will run about $300 or $400.  Test kit (depending on tests selected) can be about that much as well.  I would call them and let them know your application and requirements.  They can give you a test equipment and kit suggestions.

 

https://www.airchecklab.com/