Elements of a functioning allergen management concept

According to the international guidelines of trade (BRC, IFS) and as part of sound manufacturing practice, comprehensive allergen management is required as part of the production process. Allergen management serves to reduce the risk of cross contact and the resulting need for trace labelling. Allergen management includes the following essential components:

  • supplier survey and assessment of the raw materials supplied
  • warehousing
  • the route from warehouse to production
  • production
  • delivery.

In this process, all departments in a production facility must be involved, i.e. not just quality control, but also product development as well as the purchasing and sales departments. The central element is the production itself - with the specification of certain production sequences and cleaning validations.

Products which contain allergens should ideally be produced in such a way that the production sequence is followed by a cleaning step to eliminate the possibility of any carry-over of allergens to the next product. Cleaning studies are necessary for the cleaning of a production system following “allergenic production”, and are to be validated in the form of a written report where possible.

The VITAL concept (version 2.0) of the Australian Allergen Bureau has been applied for years by various international producers for assessing the risk of the unintended presence of traces of allergens in foodstuffs (cross contacts) and the trace labelling derived therefrom. As an international allergen centre of excellence, ifp has been a member of the Australian Allergen Bureau (Members of the Allergen Bureau) for many years, and has been approved by the latter as an official training provider for the VITAL 2.0 allergen management concept.

 Risk assessment and use of warning notices for labelling allergenic cross contacts as part of allergen management

Current food-related regulatory provisions and laws in Europe, require that allergenic substances be declared. Since 13 December 2014, it has been mandatory in terms of the Food Information Regulation (EU) 1169/2011, specifically Art. 9(1) (C), to label any ingredient or processing aid listed in Annex II or derived from a substance or product listed in Annex II causing allergies or intolerances used in the manufacture or preparation of a food and still present in the finished product - even if in an altered form.

What remains unchanged, however, is the absence of any regulation concerning the labelling of unintentional traces which can enter foodstuffs through cross contact during the production process. Nevertheless, trace labelling is recommended in order to satisfy product liability requirements.

Hygiene Training

According to EU Regulation 852/2004 Annex II Chapter XII and § 4 of the national food hygiene regulation, staff dealing with foodstuffs must be trained in matters of food hygiene regularly (at least once a year). Similarly, § 43 of the German Infection Protection Act specifies training regarding suspension from duties and notification every two years.

State-of-the-art hygiene training, customized to your company's demands

The aim of training offered by ifp is to teach your staff everything they need to know about the EU hygiene package and the Infection Protection Act. Training by ifp will keep your staff up-to-date with the relevant knowledge and know-how, allow them to expand and further deepen their expertise, and put them in a position to implement the statutory requirements.

Training courses also allow time for discussing company-specific hygiene issues and provide employers with the opportunity to announce certain in-house guidelines and requirements as well as communicate instructions regarding their implementation.

  • Module 1: Follow-up instructions as per § 43 of the Infection Protection Act
  • Module 2: Hygiene training as per Regulation (EC) No. 852/2005, industrial hygiene
  • Module 3: HACCP training as per Regulation (EC) No. 852/2004, basics of the HACCP concept
  • Module 4: Practical examples
  • Module 5: Success monitoring (only in combination with a further module)

Our staff will gladly run training courses on your premises, or you can come to our training centre in Berlin. Our training courses are based on a PowerPoint presentation and practical exercises, as required. After the course, we hand out a training certificate, and further information on request.

Allergen and hygiene inspections

ifp Institute for Product Quality offers inspection services in the field of hygiene and allergen management for the food processing, hotel and gastronomy industry as services. This underscores the longstanding expertise of ifp in hygiene management, as well as in the field of food allergens.

Inspections (audits) by external service providers offer more security for food manufacturers in warranting food safety and compliance with duties of care, and in implementing a functional allergen management system.

Our inspection service offers added value for all food-processing businesses, in particular by saving time and providing an independent, external viewpoint.

Inspections for producers, hotels and catering

The relates to inspections in the field of hygiene management and allergen management in food processing facilities, in the catering sector, as well as in hospitality and care facilities. It also comprises sampling and examinations of environmental samples and the on-site documentation of allergens by means of immunological rapid testing.

Inspection programmes related to allergen and hygiene management can be tailored to the specific needs of customers upon request. For further information, please see the following links:

Inspections based on expertise and diligence

ifp services offer the necessary certainty in regard to product liability, ensure the hygienic safety of food and consumer protection.

Our inspectors

  • are experts in all matters of food safety relating to hygiene and allergens
  • proceed in a meticulous, structured and considerate manner
  • inspect all issues independently, objectively and based on technical expertise

 

Management Systems in the Food Industry

Primary responsibility for food safety rests with the food business operator - Regulation (EC) 852/2004 Chapter 1, Article 1 (1) a).

It is the obligation of every food business operator to ensure that the products they place on the market are safe. A functional management system supports the production processes and thus guarantees food safety.

As a result of increasing consumer expectations regarding quality and growing standards on the part of distributors and the food industry itself, certification programmes have been established to ensure maximum food safety and the greatest possible consumer trust. In its capacity as an expert advice centre, ifp offers consultation on the following management concepts:

  • Hygiene management system
  • HACCP concept
  • IFS Food Version 6
  • BRC Global Standards Version 6
  • ISO 9000
  • ISO 22000
  • FSSC 22000

We offer support and advice in setting up, establishing and revising management systems.

Inspections and consultation regarding various management systems

  • Supporting and implementing in-house system audits
  • Preparing and checking documents (instructions, checklists, info sheets)
  • Preparing and checking self-monitoring systems and HACCP concepts
  • Preparing and implementing management concepts for certifications
  • Preparing, supporting and evaluating certification audits
  • Consultation and implementation of risk assessments

Air Hygiene

Determining the count of airborne bacteria forms an integral part of hygiene in various industrial sectors, such as the food industry, the pharmacological sector and the medical device industry. Similarly, certain airborne bacteria levels must not be exceeded in offices and housing. These levels can be checked by means of air quality measurements.

ifp offers sampling and analysis of the microbiological status of the room or process air using various techniques.

  • Microbial count of airborne microorganisms based on sedimentation
  • Microbial count of airborne microorganisms based on impacting
  • Airborne particle measurement using scattered light detection

Inspections and consultation on all aspects of air hygiene

  • Preparing the monitoring programme
    • Specifying the sampling spot, sampling technique, frequency, test parameters as well as evaluating the results
  • Housing and offices
    • Mould count and identification
    • Determining the general air hygiene
  • Food producers, restaurants and caterers
    • Carrying out monitoring
    • Microbial count of airborne microorganisms in the total ambient air or specific microorganisms
    • Microbial count of airborne microorganisms in process air, such as compressed air
    • Checking process air for oil residue
  • Pharmaceutical companies and manufacturers of medical devices
    • Carrying out monitoring in order to test compliance with GMP / ISO 14644 Cleanrooms and clean zones
    • Classification of cleanrooms according to ISO classes 1 to 9 as per ISO 14644-1
    • Microbial count of airborne microorganisms in ambient air as per ISO 14698
    • Determination of the number of airborne particles in ambient air as per ISO 14644