How to effectively remove sesame seed traces from utensils?

Hi Experts,

Can you specify a chemical as per Food safety, which eliminates the effects of the allergies of sesame seeds from the utensils? We are using the rapid kit AgraStrip®. The results are positive. Our customer requirement negative result. please support.

Normally, we use washing and sanitizer/ disinfectant (active chemical sodium phosphate 80-90%) for micro control but it is not effective for the sesame allergen. Please suggest the active chemical and product.

Looking for your response.

Thanks and regards,

Ashfaq Hussain

Hi Experts,

 

Can you specify a chemical as per Food safety, which eliminates the effects of the allergies of sesame seeds from the utensils? We are using the rapid kit AgraStrip®. The results are positive. Our customer requirement negative result. please support.

 

Normally, we use washing and sanitizer/ disinfectant (active chemical sodium phosphate 80-90%) for micro control but it is not effective for the sesame allergen. Please suggest the active chemical and product.

 

Looking for your response.

 

Thanks and regards,

Ashfaq Hussain

Hi Ashfaq Hussain,

How do you sample/analyse ?

Did you do a negative control ?

Did the control line appear correctly ?

A quantitative test might be useful.

Hi Charles.C  ,
 
How do you sample/analyse ? This is rapid kit AgraStrip®  https://www.romerlab...same-test-kits/
 
Did you do a negative control? Yes as per snap it is darker line…
 
Did the control line appear correctly?
Yes, see attached file
 
 
A quantitative test might be useful.
This is costly therefore initially we on rapid no quantitative just negative or positive  
 
Please guide me for the sesame anti-allergen chemical accordingly to the food safety.
 
Thanks and regards,
Ashfaq Hussain

Hi Charles.C  ,
 
How do you sample/analyse ? This is rapid kit AgraStrip®  https://www.romerlab...same-test-kits/
 
Did you do a negative control? Yes as per snap it is darker line…
 
Did the control line appear correctly?
Yes, see attached file
 
 
A quantitative test might be useful.
This is costly therefore initially we on rapid no quantitative just negative or positive  
 
Please guide me for the sesame anti-allergen chemical accordingly to the food safety.
 
Thanks and regards,
Ashfaq Hussain

Hi Ashfaq Hussain,

Thks for response.

Re ^^^(red) - not quite sure what you mean.

A negative control should give a negative result as per yr attached video. (assuming that yr sampling for negative control used an unrelated utensil subjected to the same chemical procedures as that which separately gave a positive result).

Yr pictures seem to indicate 2 positive results ?.

I have some questions----are you SURE the sanitizer is the issue? 

Is the cleaning part of your process effective???

Have you watched the procedure? 

Is the concentration high enough in the detergent?

Temp high enough? 

Enough physical scrubbing??

The sanitizer can only do so much and if the residue isn't 90% removed by the cleaning step, the sanitizer will never be able to do more than that

Is it possible to set up a specific set of utensils for Sesame use only? And dedicated tools??

Is it possible to set up a specific set of utensils for Sesame use only? And dedicated tools??

This would be my recommendation as well.  Get yourself a dedicated color of utensils for sesame allergen.  Purple is commonly used.  This way you only use those utensils with sesame and not with other products.

I have some questions----are you SURE the sanitizer is the issue? 

Is the cleaning part of your process effective???

Have you watched the procedure? 

Is the concentration high enough in the detergent?

Temp high enough? 

Enough physical scrubbing??

 

The sanitizer can only do so much and if the residue isn't 90% removed by the cleaning step, the sanitizer will never be able to do more than that

Hi Scampi,

And one more question  -

Can chemical residues cause false positives ?.

Hi all

Thank you for your attention, I have attached an interpretation result guide to understanding. It may help you to understand my earlier test result.

We use washing and sanitizer/ disinfectant (active chemical sodium phosphate 80-90%) 150 ppm for micro control but it is not effective for the sesame allergen.

Please suggest the active chemical and product.

Are you SURE the sanitizer is the issue?  YES

Is the cleaning part of your process effective??? YES - micro control 

Have you watched the procedure? YES

Is the concentration high enough in the detergent? YES- 1500 ppm (as it is effective for the micro swab)

Temp high enough?  as per room (25-30 C)

Enough physical scrubbing?? YES, no change in process

Can chemical residues cause false positives? IMO it is not (as are tracing the sesame allergen residue nu the rapid kit).

Please suggest the active chemical and product and /or procedure to eradicate the sesame allergen effectively. as it is new for me.

Looking for your response.

Thanks and regards,

Ashfaq Hussain

Hi Ashfaq Hussein,

As per previous posts, 6,7 probably offer the simplest process solution assuming the cost involved is acceptable.

afaik micro data cannot prove that yr C/S procedure is adequate for allergen removal (unless you can generate a "micro" vs allergen ppm calibration graph).

Have you successfully used the same C/S procedure to achieve negative allergen results for other allergens using appropriate Agra strip of similar LOD ?

If top option not feasible, and assuming  yr customer's requirement was generic, I suggest three possibilities -

(1) Seek an alternative brand of test kit which has a higher LOD (ie > 5ppm).

(2) Ask yr kit supplier the same question as per yr Post 9.

(3) Try a protein detection kit or ATP approach.

PS - The C/S system seems quite "mild" although I am unsure as to the meaning of "active" ? Maybe try a more aggressive option and compare the result ? Is the choice limited by utensil material ?

PPS - Any members using Agra strips for Allergen Cleaning Validations ?,

Hi Charles.C  ,
 
I agreed suggestions for the  (1) and (3).

but I litter bit confuse for (2)" Ask yr kit supplier the same question as per yr Post 9." What is point 9

Secondly it was requested. Can you share sesame anti-allergen chemical accordingly to the food safety? And also effective for the microbiological control or increase the 150ppm to 250ppm existing sanitizer.

Looking for your repose.

Thanks and regards,
Ashfaq Hussain

Hi Charles.C  ,
 
I agreed suggestions for the  (1) and (3).

 

but I litter bit confuse for (2)" Ask yr kit supplier the same question as per yr Post 9." What is point 9

 

Secondly it was requested. Can you share sesame anti-allergen chemical accordingly to the food safety? And also effective for the microbiological control or increase the 150ppm to 250ppm existing sanitizer.

 

Looking for your repose.

 

Thanks and regards,
Ashfaq Hussain

Hi Ashfaq Hussain,

Post 9, not Point 9. I meant you should inform supplier yr present C/S procedure and ask if they have a better idea.

I deduce the proposals in Posts 6, 7 not workable for you.

I also deduce you have so far only used Agra strip for testing C/S removal of sesame residues.

After checking, I should correct my PS Post 10 since trisodium phospate can be a heavy duty cleaner. afaik it is not a general purpose  sanitizer albeit effective in some applications.

IMO yr first problem seems to be lack of quantitative knowledge as to the efficiency/reproducability of the cleaning procedure both (a) overall and (b) particularly with respect to sesame residue.

For (a) and indirectly (b), the best achievable result can be quantitatively evaluated via ATP/ protein test kits and if the (validated) Agra strip still positive, will need to modify/change the Cleaning procedure or the strip LOD (or maybe both) if you desire an Agra negative sesame allergen result.

(As per Scampi's last comment in Post 5, my guess is that the present cleaning procedure is simply not powerful enough to get < 5ppm. Yr phosphate supplier can maybe suggest a stronger option or try more "scrubbing").

Regardless of above theory, if it can be accepted by yr customer, a trial of a higher LOD test strip (eg allergen or protein type) is probably the quickest alternative.

Re ^^^(red) - So what is the present Sanitizer/concentration and the present micro result/objective ?

PS -  Should note that one caveat with relaxing the LOD is that if it results in carry-over to other products which are then tested using, say, 5ppm test strips, a positive result may cause lot rejection since afaik, there is zero tolerance for this allergen.

(May depend on the details of yr Product Labelling/ Local Regulatory Allergen Regulations)

So you're using 1 chemical for cleaning and sanitizing????????   Are you foaming/scrubbing rinsing and then spraying again?    What does your cleaning process actually look like?

Good afternoon Ashfaq, I am in a quality role these days but I spent my time in the Sanitation function and there a few rules to follow that can get you through most cleaning related situations.

• Know your soil- sesame seeds are proteins and fats (allergen is in the proteins).
• Know your surface type, stainless steel will resist damage from most cleaners (you don't want to damage your equipment and make your job harder).
• Proper cleaning is a combination of time, temperature, chemical concentration, and manual agitation (Don't fall into the trap that more chemical is better, think of the water in the solution like a sponge used to absorb the soils that the chemical breaks down, the smaller the sponge the sooner it gets saturated and quits working).
• Since your primary soils will be proteins and fats you will want to be looking at a chlorine based cleaner (sodium hypochlorite) for the proteins and a caustic (sodium hydroxide) or a solvent based cleaner to break down the fats. 
• Sanitizers do not remove allergens, their function is to kill any microbial loading left on the equipment surface (neither fats nor proteins are affected).
• I have nothing to do with EcoLab other than I have worked with them in the past and they have been a great resource so you may think about reaching out to them even if you don't purchase from them they are very friendly and extremely knowledgeable. 
• One last thing that most people overlook is mineral buildup, the greater your water activity (even the process of cleaning) the more mineral deposits which will develop and allow for bacteria harborage and trap allergens as well, use a mild acid cleaner to remove buildup periodically. 

 

Good afternoon Ashfaq, I am in a quality role these days but I spent my time in the Sanitation function and there a few rules to follow that can get you through most cleaning related situations.

• Know your soil- sesame seeds are proteins and fats (allergen is in the proteins).
• Know your surface type, stainless steel will resist damage from most cleaners (you don't want to damage your equipment and make your job harder).
• Proper cleaning is a combination of time, temperature, chemical concentration, and manual agitation (Don't fall into the trap that more chemical is better, think of the water in the solution like a sponge used to absorb the soils that the chemical breaks down, the smaller the sponge the sooner it gets saturated and quits working).
• Since your primary soils will be proteins and fats you will want to be looking at a chlorine based cleaner (sodium hypochlorite) for the proteins and a caustic (sodium hydroxide) or a solvent based cleaner to break down the fats. 
• Sanitizers do not remove allergens, their function is to kill any microbial loading left on the equipment surface (neither fats nor proteins are affected).
• I have nothing to do with EcoLab other than I have worked with them in the past and they have been a great resource so you may think about reaching out to them even if you don't purchase from them they are very friendly and extremely knowledgeable. 
• One last thing that most people overlook is mineral buildup, the greater your water activity (even the process of cleaning) the more mineral deposits which will develop and allow for bacteria harborage and trap allergens as well, use a mild acid cleaner to remove buildup periodically. 

 

^^^ Yes! SANITIZERS DO NOT REMOVE ALLERGENS! That is why your micro results are fine and your allergen results have not been.

Also sesame can be very oily. If you are not using the proper cleaner as Rick mentioned you will not get those residues off. As many have also mentioned, a separate tool program would be most appropriate if at all possible. If not, look into a different cleaner, nota different sanitizer. 

^^^ Yes! SANITIZERS DO NOT REMOVE ALLERGENS! That is why your micro results are fine and your allergen results have not been.

 

Also sesame can be very oily. If you are not using the proper cleaner as Rick mentioned you will not get those residues off. As many have also mentioned, a separate tool program would be most appropriate if at all possible. If not, look into a different cleaner, nota different sanitizer. 

Hi Rick/Kara,

As per info. in the previous Posts it so far seems that there is no additional Sanitiser in use.

Trisodium phosphate does appear to be effective for removing greases and oils but with variable microbiocidal properties . Unfortunately it also comes with some baggage -

https://www.bobvila....dium-phosphate/

It is a sad characteristic of allergens that serious effects can occur at such low levels which is reflected in the demanding "allergen-clean" requirements.

No experience with sesame, but when I've had issues with high readings and re-cleaning and re-sanitizing doesn't help, spraying with chlorine always helped. 
Is it possible to dip your utensils in a high ppm chlorine solution?