Hello all!
This is the first time I am opening a discussion ...
I am looking to create an EMP for a food packaging manufacturing facility. I am not finding very much information (as in none) through my research that truly applies to my facility, however.
Please let me provide some background:
Our facility does make food packaging material, but does not manufacture anything that comes directly into contact with any food. We do however, make materials that you could say are food-contact "adjacent". For example, the outer lidding layer for a yogurt container, but not the foil layer underneath. For this reason the Quality Manager deemed it appropriate that the facility be SQF certified, both to stay ahead of the game and make it attractive to customers.
Our processes are extrusion, laminating, and slitting. The facility itself is kept regulated for humidity; conditions are dry and warm. We do not introduce any food materials to our production floor. The chemicals we use during processing are abrasive. Material is also further manufactured by our customers through cutting, die cutting, printing, etc.
So my main questions are:
- What pathogens would you plan to monitor?
- At what sampling frequency would you monitor after establishing a baseline?
- Are indicator organisms sufficient to monitor, and THEN proceed with further testing as necessary?
- Any other advice you can of for making the plan robust enough for an auditor, but not overkill?
Thank you so much for your thoughts and time in advance.