Required controls for a walk in cooler?

Hello,

We have recently put up a walk in cooler in our production area to help maintain the temperatures of our ingredients which we use to bake allergen friendly cookies and bars. The temperature of the cooler is maintained between 36 to 41 deg F which is recorded two times per shift.

Ambient external temperature is around the 90's.

The walk in cooler temperature is not a CCP but production personnel use the walk in cooler to cool baked racks of bars or cookies which at times sit in the cooler for greater than 8 hours. It has been noticed lately that the temperature of the cooler fluctuates between 60 to 65 deg F and production personnel have also started using the cooler to store bags of ice which is for their personnel use.

Under these circumstances is it advisable to continue to use the cooler to store ingredients and finished products?

Thanks in advance for your responses.

bnue.

What type of ingredients are you storing in the cooler? Is there a risk of biological growth of these ingredients? Where and what is/are the CCP/CCPs? Can you ensure there is no cross-contamination between the ingredients and finished product?

We store palm shortenings, chocolate chips, date paste etc. temperarily till it is ready to be added to the mix. Finished products with drizzle is also sometimes stored  untill it is ready to be packed. Cross contamination is avoided by trying not to store both together at the same time.

Also last two days some production employees stored two bags of ice in the cooler which leaked on the floor due to the fluctuating temperatures. My concern is microbial growth.

thanks

Ice is going to melt in a cooler, making a traffic and a potential growth hazard. Employees might start bringing other items with allergens in the as well. I would discourage their using it for personal use. The more frequent opening of the door might account for the rise in temps.

As to what you have said you are using it for, I don't think you have any concerns IF you can get the temp lowered.

Good Luck!

Setanta.