5 replies to this topic

[Martha Gore]

My plant allows clear water bottles on the production floor. I am getting a lot of requests and questions about this new CIRKUL water cartridge bottle. It would be nice to give the employees and option. I have ordered one for myself to try. Does anybody else have any experience with these on a production floor? It looks as if they are not able to spill or leak. Seems too good to be true.

 

[jfrey123]

Hadn't heard of it so went through their website.  It looks pretty cool overall, but not a can of worms I'd want to open for multiple reasons.  SQF code states "water" is permitted.  Not flavored water, water.  Auditor sees these all over the floor and could write it up on it's own, and then could want to you show your reasoning on why that was permitted.  Did you check that every flavor is free from allergens/chemical hazards/etc?  I looked at a handful, they probably don't contain allergens, but it'd be up to you to prove that to the auditor.

 

Then from the employee perspective, once you allow these in, why not other clear beverages?  Could open a whole can of worms that I personally wouldn't be interested in fighting over.  Code says water, I'm going with just water.  Keep in mind 21 CFR 110.10(b)(8) prohibits "drinking beverages" anywhere near exposed product or equipment/utensil wash areas, and I could see a regulator who might not bat an eye at plain water decide this is a beverage that shouldn't be in a production area at all as well.

Edited by jfrey123, 10 May 2024 - 08:00 PM.

[SQFconsultant]

Jfrey123, I agree with.

 

As an Auditor (albeit, former) it would be about 75/25 in favor of a gig.

[Hoosiersmoker]

Our GMPs state "Only water (no additives) is allowed in production areas." If the thing infuses anything it's not only water so we wouldn't allow it. I think anything infused into water would (or at least could) also be considered a food product and therefor also banned from production areas.

Actual ingredients: NATURAL FLAVORS, CITRIC ACID, LACTIC ACID, SUCRALOSE, POTASSIUM BICARBONATE, PHOSPHORIC ACID, NIACINAMIDE, SODIUM BENZOATE (TO PRESERVE FRESHNESS), POTASSIUM SORBATE (TO PRESERVE FRESHNESS), CALCIUM PANTOTHENATE, PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE, CYANOCOBALAMIN (VITAMIN B12)

I would tell employees sure! In the break area but not in production areas. In our facility the bottle wouldn't even be allowed. We require a solid, screw-on type lid. Theirs is two pieces and that type almost always leaks or starts to leak in a short time.

 

Just no.

[MDaleDDF]

I'm surprised you all allow water on your floor.   We don't allow anything other than the break room.  

[Setanta]

I'm surprised you all allow water on your floor.   We don't allow anything other than the break room.  

 

 

Yes, we have water coolers with paper cups with pointed ends you can't set down. There are only in 2 areas and cups cannot leave the area.