HACCP wooden molds

Our new product comes out well when baked in wooden molds, tried other molds , but nothing could beat the perfection of wooden molds!

Is there a way to safely include them in my HAACP plan? Help!

Some more info please. What are you baking? What type of wood is you mold made of? what other process does this wood mold go through?

we bake fruit cakes to a max temperature of 300-315 degrees for 40-50 mins. The molds are cedar wood made and lined with paper. that is the only process these molds go through.

To begin with, you will probably need to add an inspection to the molds, record that information and document when you replace them.

Are they just sanded smooth or do they have a varnish?  Do you have a certificate from the manufacture that they are food safe?

JtpatT,

You might consider:

Is HACCP and Canadian regulation the only standard you work against?

Do you export to the U.S?

Will you be subject in any way to comply with FSMA? There is already a IFSQN thread on the close alignment of Canadian regulation with FSMA.

What allergens and allergen controls might be applicable for the molds?

What kind of validation (science based justification from literature or testing or history of safety) might you offer?

In the U.S. wood top work tables (hard rock maple) are are generally accepted in (exclusively in bakery) settings if the standard is simply GMP and HACCP. Other items are also tolerated that are not sanitizable, e.g., the linen couches and cane, willow, wicker and rattan bannetons for bread proofing.

As mentioned by Setanta, you would minimally need an inspection and some document attesting to their suitability for food use.

IMO, if you had program(s) with proper documented controls you could mostly likely continue with your cedar molds, but probably not if you have some heightened GFSI bench-marked standard you are working to.

• cover and protect from contamination from pests and environment during storage
• consider a risk analysis
• include allergen controls: dedicated use, sequestration, discuss cross-contact
• inspection and cleaning schedule, SSOP for cleaning
• research for some validation to demonstrate there there is no historical instance of food safety problem with them, test  to validate absence of pathogens or the efficacy of some periodic heat treatment or UV treatment. Note* I know the fabric proofing baskets in one of my new bread line proofing cabinets from Holland has nothing more than periodic vacuuming and built-in UV lamp treatment.
• document of suitability for food contact use
• the paper liners need the customary documents for food contact packaging

Apologies for the delayed response, was on vacation!

Thank you all for the valuable suggestions

Setanta

We don't have any documentation from the manufacturer on the suitability of their use (custom made), but it doesn't come in direct contact with the food, they are lined with eflute liners (documented).

I too have decided to add them on to our wood inspection logs .

Xylough

We are SGF 2000 GFSI compliant.

I am doing my research on validating with some literature, I hope to find. It will be a dedicated line with documented cleaning and sanitation schedule.

Applicable allergens include tree nuts and the sulphites that come from the fruits.

***SQF