Condensation on refrigeration units
Hi,
I need your help. I work in a juice manufacturing plant and we are SQF Level 2 certified. Our processing area has 4 refrigeration units but none of them is above product. We are having issues with condensation under the refrigeration units and until we got it fixed we are just wiping off every 10 minutes. We just got a new piece of equipment where our ingredients are going to be running trough that equipment UNCOVERED and it is situated under one of the units. I'm the QA Manager of the plant and I don't want to commission the equipment until we get that problem solved. On the other side I have the Maintenance Manager and the VP of Operations (my boss) saying that we will just wipe the condensation. Even though I'm saying that's not the correct measure they just asked me to tell them in which code or regulation specifically states that product can't be under refrigeration units. I'm using the SQF code section 11.2.3.5 and 11.2.12.1 but I know it's not going to be specific enough. Any other information you may have (FDA, SQF) would be great.
Thank you very much!!!!
This is an easy one svelasan, condensate is an obvious microbial risk for both USDA and FDA.
The "explicit citation" is here: 21 CFR 110.20(b)(4
(4) Be constructed in such a manner that floors, walls, and ceilings may be adequately cleaned and kept clean and kept in good repair; that drip or condensate from fixtures, ducts and pipes does not contaminate food, food-contact surfaces, or food-packaging materials; and that aisles or working spaces are provided between equipment and walls and are adequately unobstructed and of adequate width to permit employees to perform their duties and to protect against contaminating food or food-contact surfaces with clothing or personal contact.
Examples of actual enforcement actions taken because of condensate can be found by googling "warning letter condensate above".
https://www.fda.gov/...s/ucm447273.htm
Condensate was observed dripping from the ceiling directly above the hand wash sink in the packaging room during the packaging of mung bean and soybean sprouts and dripping from the ceiling in front of the main door leading into the mung bean growing room. Condensate may foster the growth, contribute to the spread, and/or allow for the development of harborage sites for pathogens, such as Listeria monocytogenes.
https://www.fda.gov/...s/ucm308339.htm
Condensation was dripping from walls and/or ceilings in the Seed Receiving Room, Seed Storage Room, Mung Bean Processing Area, and especially in your green sprout operation where sprouts were stored directly under pipes with condensation build-up. Further, water was pooling on the floor and mold was accumulating in the Seed Receiving Room. Condensate and standing water may foster the growth of and contribute to the spread of pathogens, for example, Listeria monocytogenes. Condensate dripping onto product may contaminate product directly and/or contaminate equipment or personnel, which can serve as routes of contamination.
https://www.fda.gov/...5/ucm457687.htm
Your plant and facility must be constructed in such a manner that floors, walls, and ceilings may be adequately cleaned and kept clean and kept in good repair; that drip or condensate from fixtures, ducts, and pipes does not does not contaminate food, food contact surfaces, or food packaging materials, to comply with 21 CFR 110.20(b)(4). However, piping approximately four feet above a conveyer transferring ready to eat product from the cooler to packaging line (b)(4), appeared to have condensate and water stains on the underside of the piping directly above the product.
https://www.fda.gov/...6/ucm506089.htm
Your firm failed to manufacture, package and store foods under conditions and controls necessary to minimize the potential for growth of microorganisms and contamination as required by 21 CFR 110.80(b)(2). Specifically, we observed:
- On February 10, 2016, you were mixing ready to eat pesto pasta directly under an area in the Assembly Room where condensate from ceiling joints was dripping onto the surface below.
- On February 16, 2016, you were storing an uncovered rack of ready to eat mushroom quesadilla in the same area of the Assembly Room where condensate from ceiling joints was dripping onto the surface below.
- On February 10, 2016, your employee transported uncovered ready to eat vegetables through a doorway, from the Veg Prep Room into the Prepared Veg Cooler. A significant amount of condensate had formed above the doorway and was dripping onto the surface below.
- On February 10, 2016, your employee was cutting chives and beets on a work surface directly underneath a leaking condensate drainage pipe in the Veg Prep Room.
- On February 16, 2016, you were holding uncovered ready to eat egg salad in large white barrels that were placed in an area below the condenser. Condensate was observed to be dripping at a rate of approximately once per second from the condenser fan bolts in the K8/K9 Room.
- On February 16, 2016, your employee transported uncovered ready to eat couscous through an area in the K8/K9 Room where condensate was dripping from an area around the condenser fan bolts at a rate of approximately once per second.
https://www.fda.gov/...6/ucm512776.htm
Thank you very much!! That's more than enough. Thank you for putting all of that together, BIG BIG help