15 replies to this topic

[Miss Frankie]

We process meat alternative products and pack into seal pouches.

Our VP of Quality just asked if the tape we're using to close the master cases is approved.

It's regular clear packaging tape from Uline. Not coming in contact with any product.  
Does it really need to be approved? 

 

[G M]

Approved for what?  Is the cardboard box the tape goes onto approved?  Is the wooden pallet the taped box touches approved? 

 

Sealing the primary package should end that kind of concern for incidental contact related cross contamination.  If it doesn't you need to rethink your packaging materials.

[Miss Frankie]

Approved for what?  Is the cardboard box the tape goes onto approved?  Is the wooden pallet the taped box touches approved? 

 

Sealing the primary package should end that kind of concern for incidental contact related cross contamination.  If it doesn't you need to rethink your packaging materials.

Approved by our regulatory committee.  

And yes, the cardboard cases are approved and our pallets are approved (with approved slipsheets).

EVERYTHING is approved. In on the case labels, hand soap in the restrooms, stopwatches, EVERYTHING. Over the top everything. (3 different forms for metal detection, it's crazy!)

[SQFconsultant]

Sounds like somebody wants to ensure everything is approved, everything - so I guess you better get your approval committee to approve it. funny.

 

However, the short answer is NO.

[G M]

If we're talking approved suppliers and approved materials in general type programs, packaging with artwork has a multi stage committee style approval process, but a glue pellets or clear packing tape gets delegated to an individual.  It meets the specs for the machine it gets put into and comes from an approved supplier -- no complicated parameters or subjective properties, don't waste more peoples time than necessary.

 

It sounds like there needs to be a check at the beginning of the process to divert simple materials to a simplified approval.  Some accounting system can randomly audit them to make sure its not being abused.

[Miss Frankie]

Sounds like somebody wants to ensure everything is approved, everything - so I guess you better get your approval committee to approve it. funny.

 

However, the short answer is NO.

Yep.  I think it should be mandatory that all regulatory staff be required to work on the production floor for at least a year, so they know what goes on and see how things work. Maybe they'd realize that having multiple forms for basically the same thing is just time consuming wasteful.
 

[Setanta]

Yep.  I think it should be mandatory that all regulatory staff be required to work on the production floor for at least a year, so they know what goes on and see how things work. Maybe they'd realize that having multiple forms for basically the same thing is just time consuming wasteful.
 

 

Yep.  I think it should be mandatory that all regulatory staff be required to work on the production floor for at least a year, so they know what goes on and see how things work. Maybe they'd realize that having multiple forms for basically the same thing is just time consuming wasteful.
 

 

 

Agreed. Hopefully they could figure that out after a month, but I like your thinking!!!

[Scotty_SQF]

I believe there are approved tapes out there.  I think they are few and far between and definitely pricey.

[ChristinaK]

Approved by our regulatory committee.  

And yes, the cardboard cases are approved and our pallets are approved (with approved slipsheets).

EVERYTHING is approved. In on the case labels, hand soap in the restrooms, stopwatches, EVERYTHING. Over the top everything. (3 different forms for metal detection, it's crazy!)

 

I suppose based on the company policy, you would need approval for the tape then?

But it is funny to me that they remembered to approve all the other secondary packaging...except the tape.

[MOHAMMED ZAMEERUDDIN]

Approval is required. Vendor should also be approved.

[MDaleDDF]

Yep.  I think it should be mandatory that all regulatory staff be required to work on the production floor for at least a year, so they know what goes on and see how things work. Maybe they'd realize that having multiple forms for basically the same thing is just time consuming wasteful.
 

We actually do this.   Not for a year, but a week or two.   I worked in production for a week, on the line for a week, with maint and san for a week each when I first started here.

As far as approving tape, boxes, pallets, I don't see that.   We get them from approved suppliers, so they're approved.   The only things that need to go through HACCP team approval here are new raw ingredients, new machinery, and new chemicals (for the most part).  But going through items we use one by one would be insane.   Where would you stop?   Is your toilet paper approved?   Your pens?  

 

It could go on for days.....

[Miss Frankie]

We actually do this.   Not for a year, but a week or two.   I worked in production for a week, on the line for a week, with maint and san for a week each when I first started here.

As far as approving tape, boxes, pallets, I don't see that.   We get them from approved suppliers, so they're approved.   The only things that need to go through HACCP team approval here are new raw ingredients, new machinery, and new chemicals (for the most part).  But going through items we use one by one would be insane.   Where would you stop?   Is your toilet paper approved?   Your pens?  

 

It could go on for days.....

Now this makes sense,

And YES!  Our pens are approved!  LOL 
Our TP is thru an approved supplier.  If we happen to run out, we can't go to the store and get more.

We recently need to purchase some ice.  They had a huge list of required documents for ice, including GMO & Kosher.  Ingredient list, water quality report, CoC, I can understand, but it's WATER. 

[Seathalos]

Yep.  I think it should be mandatory that all regulatory staff be required to work on the production floor for at least a year, so they know what goes on and see how things work. Maybe they'd realize that having multiple forms for basically the same thing is just time consuming wasteful.
 

 

We actually do this.   Not for a year, but a week or two.   I worked in production for a week, on the line for a week, with maint and san for a week each when I first started here.

As far as approving tape, boxes, pallets, I don't see that.   We get them from approved suppliers, so they're approved.   The only things that need to go through HACCP team approval here are new raw ingredients, new machinery, and new chemicals (for the most part).  But going through items we use one by one would be insane.   Where would you stop?   Is your toilet paper approved?   Your pens?  

 

It could go on for days.....

Honestly these are reasons why it is recommended to have frontline workers as a part of the Food Safety and Quality teams. And a reason why there is a stereotype that mechanics and engineers don't get along and are "at war". It is always best to have input from the people that are actually doing the tasks to make sure that they make sense to do for day to day activates. 

 

It is why I talk directly to the front line workers about what they would want for the changes that I am trying to implement. Like what issues the current tool they are using (that isn't just food safety related parts I'm trying to fix) as their input is just as important as any management

[Rick Reyes]

Good afternoon Miss Frankie, if ice is used as an ingredient then yes you do have to have documents as to suitability (Listeria loves freezer/refrigeration coils). As for the tape issue, I have worked in the frozen foods industry for 40 years, I can tell you from experience that all tapes are not suitable for secondary container sealing if used in frozen foods production and storage. It won't hurt anyone to take a quick review of this issue and verify that it meets the requirements from the production floor to final distribution. The last thing you want is to have to answer for a problem that could well have been avoided with 15 minutes of time invested in reviewing suitability.

[Miss Frankie]

Good afternoon Miss Frankie, if ice is used as an ingredient then yes you do have to have documents as to suitability (Listeria loves freezer/refrigeration coils). As for the tape issue, I have worked in the frozen foods industry for 40 years, I can tell you from experience that all tapes are not suitable for secondary container sealing if used in frozen foods production and storage. It won't hurt anyone to take a quick review of this issue and verify that it meets the requirements from the production floor to final distribution. The last thing you want is to have to answer for a problem that could well have been avoided with 15 minutes of time invested in reviewing suitability.

 

 I totally understand quality testing the ice, but checking for Kosher, GMO, etc. is a bit over the top.  
I worked in a seafood plant for 37 years, never had an issue with tape.  Sometimes labels wouldn't stick, but not tape.

[jfrey123]

But going through items we use one by one would be insane.   Where would you stop?   Is your toilet paper approved?   Your pens?  

 

It could go on for days.....

 

I'm 100% with the spirit of your post, but do you not approve pens for use in the production area???  Auditors loved nitpicking the damned pens in all my audits.  I've done a range of solutions from the washable/metal detectable pens to using the type of chained pens they use at banks attached to the clipboards that have to be checked out.