Process Air in the Food Industry
Clean process air in the food industry is integral to Quality Assurance and Quality Control and it should always be considered a Critical Control Point (CCP) if used in your food manufacturing process. Many industry standards and schemes regarding Quality Control in food and beverage refer to the Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points (HACCP) plan as an integral part of their directives. The (FDA) U.S. Food and Drug Administration1 is just one of many groups that recognize HACCP as a valuable Quality Control plan. In that vein four major governing organizations have specifically identified compressed air as a (CCP) that needs monitoring. They are (ISO) International Standardization for Organization2, (BCAS) the British Compressed Air Society3, the (BRC) British Retail Consortium4, and (SQF) the Safe Quality Food Institute5. In addition the Canadian (FSEP) Food Safety Enhancement Program6 has identified compressed air and gas used in processing and packaging as a potential source of contamination. Contamination in process air like particles, water, oil or microbial contaminants can have devastating results on a final product, potentially leading to recalls, down manufacturing time or worse.
Assuring food safety and quality is essential for the viability of any food manufacturer. (GFSI) The Global Food Safety Initiative7 was established to improve consumer trust by improving food safety through corporate responsibility and safer food supply chains.
The British Compressed Air Society (BCAS) Food Grade Compressed Air - A Code of Practice is an excellent reference for the food manufacturer and its suppliers. The BCAS Code identifies the three primary areas of potential contamination in compressed air - Particles, Water, and Oil. Section 6 of the Code states that compressed air coming in Direct Contact with food shall meet ISO 8573-1:2001 Purity Class 2:2:1; Indirect Contact 2:4:1. See Table below for limits.
Purity |
PARTICLES |
WATER |
OIL |
|||
By Particle Size |
Vapor |
Aerosol & Vapor |
||||
0.1 - 0.5 micron |
0.5 - 1 micron |
1 - 5 micron |
°C |
°F |
mg/m3 |
|
2:2:1 |
100,000 |
1,000 |
10 |
< -40 |
< -40 |
< 0.01 |
2:4:1 |
100,000 |
1,000 |
10 |
< +3 |
< +37 |
< 0.01 |
Note: BCAS expects to finish its review in 2012 to determine if Purity Limits will be changed to match current ISO 8573-1:2010 version.
According to the Code, compressed air quality shall be tested and verified at least twice per year or per the manufacturer's recommendations. Additional testing is also warranted whenever maintenance work or any activity that may affect the air quality is performed on the compressed air system. (Section 7.2) The Maintenance of the required air purity shall be related to Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points (HACCP). (Section 7.1) Whenever maintenance is performed a representative selection of the air outlets shall be tested to confirm that the compressed air meets the relevant Purity Classes. (Section 8.4) The risk for microbiological contaminants shall be assessed per ISO 8573-7 and the level of viable microbial contaminants shall not be detectable. (Section 7.6) All measurements shall be recorded and documented. (Section 7.7)
The SQF Code states, compressed air used in the production process shall be clean and present no risk to food safety. (Section 10.5.7.1) And compressed air used in the production process shall be regularly monitored for purity. (Section 10.5.7.2)
The (IFS) International Featured Standards on Food8 states, the quality of compressed air that comes in direct contact with food or primary packaging material shall be monitored based on hazard analysis and assessment of associated risks. (Section 4.9.10.1) And compressed air shall not pose a risk of contamination. (Section 4.9.10.2)
The Global Aquaculture Alliance states in its' (BAP) Best Aquaculture Practice9, all critical control points must be properly identified in order to control hazards. (Section 5.2.4) And monitoring must be adequate to control hazards and carried out as detailed in the HACCP plan. (Section 5.2.11)
The (GRMS) Global Red Meat Standard10 states, hazards relevant to food safety shall be controlled in critical control points (CCP) and/or by GMP measures. (Section 12.1.2) And relevant parameters shall be selected for monitoring every CCP and these must be capable of demonstrating the conformity of the control measure. (Section 12.4.3)
PrimusGFS11 states that verification plans and schedules shall be developed for each CCP. (Section 3.03)
Click this link to learn more about Compressor Contamination Sources.
A periodic air test program can provide critical information to monitor air quality and help prevent contamination of the food supply. Due to the critical nature of compressed air used in the food manufacturing process, qualified personnel should be employed to properly maintain, service, and test the compressed air system.
We offer baseline testing when you are unsure what Purity Classes your air system can meet, we can also provide analysis for any given Purity Classes you select, or you can provide your own custom specifications. Other specifications that are available include CGA, USP, NFPA, ANSI, and more.
Trace Analytics is an A2LA accredited laboratory established in 1989. We do one thing: test compressed air! We have a great team of experts ready to answer your questions and help you get started with your air quality assurance program.
To receive more information about process air and pure gas testing for the food industry, ISO 8573-1 and our baseline testing with AirCheck Kit™ K8573, Contact Us by email or
phone 1-800-247-1024 x3.
| 1 FDA HACCP http://www.fda.gov/food/foodsafety/hazardanalysiscriticalcontrolpointshaccp/default.htm |
| 2 ISO 8573-1 Purchase at webstore.ansi.org |
| 3 BCAS Food Grade Compressed Air - A Code of Practice Purchase at bcas.org/uk |
| 4 BRC Global Standard Purchase at brcbookshop.com |
| 5 SQF Code Found at http://www.sqfi.com/documents/ |
| 6 FSEP Food Safety Enhancement Program Manual at http://www.inspection.gc.ca |
| 7 GFSI Global Food Safety Initiative http://www.mygfsi.com/ |
| 8 IFS International Featured Standards-Food Version 6, January 2012 http://ifs-certification.com/index.php/en/ifs-certified-companies-en/document-download/download-standards |
| 9 BAP Issue 2: May 2009, Global Aquaculture Alliance http://www.gaalliance.org/cmsAdmin/uploads/BAP-ProcPlant-1009.pdf |
| 10 GRMS 4th Edition, version 4.1 http://www.grms.org/~/media/grms/Pdf/Final%20GRMS%20V41%2004012012.ashx |
| 11 PrimusGFS Standard v1.6, February 2010 http://www.primusgfs.com/Documentation/Documentation.aspx |
Process Air Industries We Serve:
Electronics
Food Packaging
Medical Device
Pet Food
Pharmaceutical
SQF Air Purity
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