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Industry Standard 3/Industry Agreed Standard 3 (IS3/IAS3)

10 Conveying Product and Byproduct

Amendment 3

May 2004

Scope

This section applies to the conveying of food both within the premises and between premises, and the handling of inedible material where there is a potential to affect food.

10.1 Outcome

Food shall not become contaminated when it is conveyed within a room, or between rooms, or between licensed premises, or as a result of the conveying or handling of byproduct.

10.2 General Principles

Any food that is conveyed outside a food area shall be protected from contamination or deterioration. The protection shall include physical barriers and the provision of temperature controls as specified by any production standard for the type of food, or process, unless the food is fully preserved by other means.

10.3 Equipment

10.3.1 Reusable containers

10.3.1.1 Reusable containers used for conveying or storing food shall be subject to a cleaning and sanitation programme. The programme shall be based on the principles of cleaning, refer to IS3/IAS3: Section 13, and should take into account the manner and areas in which these are used.

10.3.1.2 All equipment (including stillages or reusable containers) shall be checked according to the requirements for pre-operational hygiene assurance prior to entry into a food area processing, handling or storing unpackaged product.

10.3.2 Conveyors

10.3.2.1 Conveyor belts transferring unwrapped product shall be cleaned at the same frequency as food contact surfaces in any food area.

10.3.2.2 Conveyors other than continuous flat belts, e.g. hinged rigid plastic systems, transferring unwrapped product shall be cleaned at a frequency that has been determined using microbiological validation. Refer to IS8/IAS8.

10.3.2.3 The microbiological criteria, after cleaning, for conveyors used to transfer unwrapped product shall be:

a. Aerobic plate counts incubated at 30°C (APC₃₀), n=5, c=1, m=5 x 10³, M= the mean value of the premises Microbiological Database for the product being conveyed.

b. Conveyor belts that do not meet this standard shall be properly evaluated. Where the problem is persistent and is associated with the condition of the belt, then the belt shall be replaced.

10.4 Byproducts and Inedible Containers

10.4.1 Byproducts and inedible materials that are conveyed through any food area shall be contained and covered and at all times.

10.4.2 Containers and facilities used to convey byproducts shall be cleaned and sanitised on a daily basis. Those containers and facilities used to convey byproducts from food areas shall be clean before re-entering a food area.

10.4.3 Chutes leading from food areas shall have been cleaned and sanitised before the start of operations in any food area.