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

15 Dust, Odours, Fumes and Gases

Amendment 3

May 2004

Scope

This section applies to all food areas and food support areas, and inedible areas where the condition of the facility may contribute to a food hazard.

15.1 Outcome

Contamination of food and the hygiene of any food area, or food support area, by air-borne contaminants shall be minimised.

15.2 General Principles

15.2.1 Preventing air-borne contaminants

Sources of air-borne contaminants shall be identified and where these may affect food to the extent that the contamination is of public health concern or that the usual characteristics of the product may be significantly altered, the source should be eliminated or the effect minimised.

15.2.2 Suspending production

Production shall be suspended if air-borne contamination cannot be effectively minimised.

15.2.3 Defect criteria

Sources of air-borne contaminants originating within the premises, including the premises' environs, shall be regarded as critical defects and dealt with according to the principles of hygiene assurance. Refer also to IS3/IAS3: Section 7.2.

15.3 Contaminated Food

15.3.1 Process failure report

Air-borne contamination of food shall be dealt with in the same manner as a process failure (see IS8/IAS8). The identity of the food, the nature of the wrappings, the identity of the contaminant and the degree of exposure shall be determined.

15.3.2 Combustion byproducts

Where air-borne contaminants are associated with the burning of materials composed of organic compounds (such as lubricants, plastics, electrical cables, switch boards, etc.), the nature of the materials and the intensity of the combustion shall be determined as far as possible.

15.3.3 Evaluation

Food that has become affected by air-borne contamination shall be evaluated by a competent person as outlined in IS8/IAS8.