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[MOURADTALBI]

Hi comunity, 

 

I need your help: 

 

We are implementing a food safety management system according to the BRCGS FOOD standard for a company that packages strawberries and blueberries in trays.

My question is, according to BRCGS FOOD, is it necessary to install metal detection equipment?

 

 

I have to add  that last year another site that produces and packages tomatoes passed the BRCGS standard without installing a metal detector.

 

Thanks,

Edited by MOURADTALBI, Today, 10:50 AM.

[GMO]

Hmm, interesting question.  I've never worked in produce but how I would approach it would be by risk (before you even think of BRC).

 

Is there a risk of metal in the strawberries or something being damaged in your process?  Is the picking by hand?  Is any of it automated at all?  Presumably the flow wrapping of the trays may be but with limited risk?

 

Are consumers likely to consume the product without thoroughly inspecting it?  It's possible. 

 

That said, metal detectors are pretty cheap nowadays.  So I would be inclined to say "yes" and get one anyway if I could.  

 

As for BRCGS.

 

Section 4.10.1.1 requires you to do a risk assessment for the potential use of equipment for removing foreign material, not that you have to have a metal detector.

 

That said, the interpretation guideline is pretty much written as though "yes you will have at least a metal detector" not "there are times you may not need one" (it's worth having a read, I expected it to list occasions when it may not be needed.  It doesn't do anything like that.)  The older versions of the standard were much more flexible about it from memory.

 

I think in summary it's possible to not have metal detection, especially where it's for a food which a consumer shouldn't be eating without cleaning it themselves (although you know "shouldn't" is doing a lot of heavy lifting there).  So can you get away with it?  I think it's possible but I'd make sure that risk assessment is SUPER robust and I'd consider it anyway because it's probably good practice if you have any level of mechanisation.  

Edited by GMO, Today, 09:10 PM.