Hairnets for a packaging component manufacturing facility

Hi all,

I have a question about the use of hairnets. I know that it s a typical topic, but I would like to mention our characteristics.

We produce a sealing compound that it s going to be used for food and beverage cans.

The sealing compound is liquid, and contains great quantity of ammonia so the pH is quite high, around 10.

Our client, the canmaking factory, is the one that is applying the liquid compound onto the ends of the cans, drying it and selling the ends to the filler, who is going to pack the food or the beverage.

So we are one step before the primary packaging.

For FSSC22000, can we argumentate that?

1- if any hair falls into our product it will decompose. It won´t be a food safety issue

2- the probability of contamination then is zero (we can say at least minimal)

Can we eliminate the use of hairnets? The dream of many workers....

How do you demonstrate that any hair from your facility would dissolve? 

The fact that it was there doesn't reduce the odds of hair falling into the packaging. It's not zero if it happens. If hairnets are your biggest issue with employees, you are doing great! 

How do you demonstrate that any hair from your facility would dissolve? 

 

The fact that it was there doesn't reduce the odds of hair falling into the packaging. It's not zero if it happens. If hairnets are your biggest issue with employees, you are doing great! 

Good questions.

I will make a study to see if the hair dissolves in our liquid compound.

Regarding the hair falling into the food, I would like to assume that the possibility is zero as the sealing compound, when dried, is a solid gasket that will keep the hair inside this solid matrix, even if it is not dissolved.

I can argument also that potential staph carried by hair, for example, would not survive in our sealing compound due to pH conditions, so it is not a food safety issue.

Is the material even exposed during processing?  Being both caustic and having a high concentration of ammonia I would expect it to be sealed in tanks or pipeworks, for a variety of reasons including worker safety.

Is the material even exposed during processing?  Being both caustic and having a high concentration of ammonia I would expect it to be sealed in tanks or pipeworks, for a variety of reasons including worker safety.

Most of the time it is in closed tanks or pipes, but it is true that sometimes is exposed (sampling, for example)

The probability is reduced, but it is not zero.

I see more chance to get a desired risk analysis using the pH value of the sealingo compound as an efeective barrier against any food safety issue.

Another argument could be that we filter our product, but I do not know if the filter mesh (300 micron) is enough to retain any possible hair.

Does anyone know the mesh size of a hairnet or which is the maximum required?

Another argument could be that we filter our product, but I do not know if the filter mesh (300 micron) is enough to retain any possible hair.

 

 

Does anyone know the mesh size of a hairnet or which is the maximum required?

What constitutes a "hairnet" is usually vaguely defined.  Some hairnets will have openings thousands of microns wide (like the bags fruit might be sold in at a grocery) and others will be under a hundred (surfaces like paper or cloth).

What constitutes a "hairnet" is usually vaguely defined.  Some hairnets will have openings thousands of microns wide (like the bags fruit might be sold in at a grocery) and others will be under a hundred (surfaces like paper or cloth).

OK, thanks.

If it is not clearly define then I can use the argument that the filtration of the product (last step of the production process), is equivalent to everyone using hairnets in the factory.

Combined with the pH of the product, perhaps this risk analysis could convince the auditor.

My question would be, is there a cleaning / blow-off / sanitizing step before the actual product is introduced? If so it would eliminate any hair or contamination as a result. If not, not sure how you could eliminate the potential for contamination risk.