Safe method to thaw juices to go into batches
Hey Again!
On this new line we are starting to make syrups with juices. These juices are currently being thawed by being left out in production at room temperature, we have air conditioning. I know that there are critical temperatures that these need to avoid like 40 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. I feel the safest way is to get a refrigerator to thaw them in and add the extra lead time. Can anyone provide me with information to support this and enforce this with my company?
Danger Danger Danger
I can not provide the code on this however, thawing is done in refrigeration.
Not in a production room that has an air conditioner.
Hey Again!
On this new line we are starting to make syrups with juices. These juices are currently being thawed by being left out in production at room temperature, we have air conditioning. I know that there are critical temperatures that these need to avoid like 40 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. I feel the safest way is to get a refrigerator to thaw them in and add the extra lead time. Can anyone provide me with information to support this and enforce this with my company?
Hi PQAManager,
Normally thawing is achieved in a cold room or using water. Clearly you will be getting a large variation in temperature with the outside of the almost certainly higher than refrigeration temperatures unless the product is used only partly thawed. If I was an auditor I would want to see validation information on this thawing process.
The requirements of the SQF Code are below. I have underlined key text.
The SQF Food Safety Code: Food Manufacturing Module 11 - 11.7.2 Thawing of Food
11.7.2.1 Thawing of food shall be undertaken in equipment and rooms appropriate for the purpose. Equipment for water thawing shall be continuous flow to ensure the water exchange rate and temperature do not contribute to product deterioration or contamination. Water overflow shall be directed into the floor drainage system and not onto the floor or shall be appropriately plumbed.
11.7.2.2 Air thawing facilities shall be designed to thaw food under controlled conditions at a rate and temperature that does not contribute to product deterioration or contamination.
11.7.2.3 Provision is to be made for the containment and regular disposal of used cartons and packaging from thawed product so that there is no risk to the product.
Previous guidance from Edition 8.1 stated:
Time and temperature of product thawing must be established and validated, as must the shelf life of the food prior to use after thawing.
Sorry, one other question, how long is the juice left out to thaw?
Kind regards,
Tony
The juices should specify a range for acceptable refrigeration, likely something around 33-45F. If you're thawing in an area above that temp, you are in violation of guidelines and regulations on temperature control.
If the additional lead time is a hard sell to your production managers, can you look at shelf stable juices for use in your recipe?
The size of the juice container also helps with thawing time. We previously had our juice supplier send us 50gal drums of frozen juice, which would take weeks to thaw in our cooler. We had them switch over to 5gal pails, which can be run under cold water if we are in a pinch for juice, or left to thaw for a handful of days in the cooler.
Gelato Quality Lead,
Do you use a screen to filter the juice? If so, do you know the mesh size?
Thanks,
Penny
Gelato Quality Lead,
Do you use a screen to filter the juice? If so, do you know the mesh size?
Thanks,
Penny
Hi Penny,
This isn't a one fits all kind of answer. It will depend on a risk assessment that you conduct in your facility to determine which types of foreign contaminants you would expect to encounter and what size those are. It would also depend on the amount/size of pulp/seeds in the juice.
We currently use 60 mesh.