Allergen Free Area/Segregation of Allergen Free Products

Hi Everyone, I would like to seek some guidance and suggestions in the matter.  As part of our Allergen Management Program, we segregate the production of allergen and non allergen products. However due to the construction of the facility and space constraints, the allergen free room is also a room where washing of small equipment, (e.g. handling tools; on daily basis, end of production day), and large equipment (e.g. palletcon (on a monthly basis, non-production day) are conducted. The packing and washing activities do not take place concurrently. Nevertheless, I understand that there is still an underlying risk of cross contamination even though the activities take place at staggered timings. But there is no other areas available for the packing of this non-allergen products and we cannot bring our washing elsewhere. Someone recommended building a partition to separate the space, but due to the size of the space, it did not work. Any suggestions on what could be done in this case? Thank you. 

Greetings shirlince,

Is it possible to trade places of the production lines between the allergen-free room with the other production room. This way you will have the "allergen" products along with the washing etc and the other room will be free from all that.

If the first option is out of the question, another solution will be regular allergen protein analysis (though it may come at a cost depending on the frequency) at key points and a robust/strict handling procedure of the allergen-free products.

Regards.

Agree with Evans: we have allergen (milk) and non-allergen (plant-based) production on the same lines, just properly scheduled (e.g. non-allergen first, then - cleaning OR non-allergen on different days, etc.), and of course allergen swabbing of FCS prior to non-allergen production. Have been working fine for years.

Greetings shirlince,

 

Is it possible to trade places of the production lines between the allergen-free room with the other production room. This way you will have the "allergen" products along with the washing etc and the other room will be free from all that.

 

If the first option is out of the question, another solution will be regular allergen protein analysis (though it may come at a cost depending on the frequency) at key points and a robust/strict handling procedure of the allergen-free products.

 

Regards.

Hi Evans,

Thank you!!  The first one unfortunately would not be possible, but will give the other solution a think and work on implementing it! 

Agree with Evans: we have allergen (milk) and non-allergen (plant-based) production on the same lines, just properly scheduled (e.g. non-allergen first, then - cleaning OR non-allergen on different days, etc.), and of course allergen swabbing of FCS prior to non-allergen production. Have been working fine for years.

Hi Olenazh,

Thank you !!   We have that in place - non allergen to go first after cleaning then allergen. Have thought about the pre-allergen swabbing prior to non-allergen production, gotten some questions raised on the necessity, seems like it's a good idea after all.