Ozone Sanitation as a CCP

We are transferring raw materials from low care to High risk. Instead of building in a traditional chemical sanitiser belt are implementing ozone. 

Product is being transferred via a conveyor into a high risk fridge then in the evening once production have left the whole area receives ozone. 

Now we have identified it as a CCP to take raw materials into HR, what would be the critical limits for Ozone, would it simply be ozone working or not eg target green light not illuminated after the cycle?

Thanks 

With sanitizing agents you typically need to meet some minimum of concentration and duration.  If you could find a gas analyzer that could be programmed to take samples every X minutes that could do the trick, you'd need to validate what the target values are first though.

Hi Laura982,

I would think if you provided more information on the raw material and finished product and the hazard that requires control at this CCP then you might better feedback.

Also perhaps why you have considered this a CCP rather than a GMP? Perhaps the material is going into your finished product without any microbiological kill step or pathogen control step?

I have used Ozone in a bottle rinse prior to entry into what was regarded as a high care/high risk area but that was to kill any Y&M that affected product quality/shelf life.

Kind regards,

Tony

Hi Tony

Were transferring things like frozen cooked chicken and tubs of sauces eg mayonnaise so want to decontaminate the packaging.

We have recently had EHO in who thought it would be a pre requisite. The main reason is that were taking boxed materials that are not debagged from the external plastic tub that may have been stored in appropriately or dirty.

The difficulty for me is determine a critical limit as it is set to go on at 7pm and we confirm the next day with checks of the light being off and a panel being closed. 

Hope this helps tp provide me with a bit more guidance

Many thanks

Hi Laura982,

Thank you for the explanation. You might find the article linked below interesting.

Ozone application in different industries: A review of recent developments

https://www.scienced...385894722056686

I would generally regard this control as a PRP/GHP and I’m not sure you could provide and absolute critical limit as the loading may vary on the materials you are decontaminating?

If we look at CODEX Guidance and the new Decision Tree and Question 1:

Color Decision Tree WHO UN.jpg   115.66KB   0 downloads

Q1 Can the significant hazard be controlled to an acceptable level at this step by prerequisite programmes (e.g. GHPs)?*

* Consider the significance of the hazard (i.e. the likelihood of occurrence in the absence of control and the severity of impact of the hazard) and whether it could be sufficiently controlled by prerequisite programmes such as GHPs. GHPs could be routine GHPs or GHPs that require greater attention to control the hazard (e.g. monitoring and recording).

So perhaps based on historical data of achieving decontamination you can establish a desired level of Ozone and time required which you would then need to monitor and record on a daily basis.

There are many more questions I would be asking such as if you are stacking buckets how does that affect the effectiveness of the decontamination process? as the bottom of the bucket on top and the top of the bucket underneath aren’t exposed to ozone. Would a process where these items are dipped be more effective?

Kind regards,

Tony