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Code of Practice: Processing of Bee Products

4 Cleaning and Sanitation

Amendment 2

June 2006

4.1 Purpose and scope

To ensure the effective maintenance, cleaning and sanitation of the premises, facilities and equipment to prevent or minimise the contamination of edible bee products.

4.2 Sources of hazards

Source	Examples of hazards
Facilities and equipment	Bacterial pathogens, e.g. Listeria spp., E.coli spp.
Waste	Bacterial pathogens, e.g. E. coli spp., Salmonella spp.
Cleaning chemicals	Chemical residues
Cleaning implements (e.g. mops, rags)	Bacterial pathogens, e.g. Listeria spp., E.coli spp.

4.3 Mandatory requirements

4.3.1 AP Reg 11

All operators must establish and carry out procedures to:

• ensure appropriate and adequate maintenance, cleaning, and sanitation of processing premises, facilities, essential services, and equipment (including conveyances);

• manage waste; and

• control pests.

4.3.2 HC Spec 21(1)

Only approved maintenance compounds may be used during processing operations or in the maintenance of processing areas, facilities and equipment.

4.4 Procedures

4.4.1 Pre-season cleaning and maintenance check for extraction premises

4.4.1.1 Before the start of each extraction season, a complete and thorough cleaning of the extraction premises, facilities and equipment must be carried out. All facilities, essential services (e.g. water, power) and equipment must be checked to ensure that they are in good working order ready for operation to commence.

A record that these tasks have been completed must be kept by the operator. An example of a pre-season checklist is given in Appendix 1. [A copy of the checklist is available as a separate document to this Part for ease of downloading and use].

4.4.1.2 All materials and items that may have been stored in the hot room or store room, and extraction room during the off-season that are not necessary for the extraction operation must be removed from the rooms.

4.4.1.3 Walls, floor, ceiling, windows, doors, light fixtures, sinks, fans, bee escapes and other fixtures must be cleaned with suitable cleaning agents so that they are visibly clean and free of honey and bee product residues, dirt, dust, moulds, insect parts and waste, and other debris.

4.4.1.4 All product contact surfaces, including equipment, containers and other implements, must be washed with a suitable detergent, sanitised, rinsed, drained and allowed to dry.

4.4.1.5 External areas surrounding the buildings and access ways must be cleaned and tidied. They must be free from any evidence of pest infestation or accumulated waste.

4.4.2 Cleaning during operations in the extraction, processing and packing areas

4.4.2.1 Wet cloths may be used for the ongoing wiping of external surfaces of equipment to remove honey residue. The cloths must be maintained in a clean and sound condition. Water contained in buckets for rinsing wiping cloths must be replaced often.

Wiping cloths must not be used for wiping contaminated surfaces such as the floor. They must be washed with detergent and sanitised daily.

4.4.2.2 Honey spills on the processing floor must be cleaned up immediately. Spilt honey must not be used for human consumption. Provided it is not contaminated with any chemical substance, spilt honey may be used for animal consumption. Any contaminated honey must be clearly identified as “Not Intended for Human Consumption”.

4.4.2.3 Waste must be collected in identified waste containers and must not be allowed to accumulate where it can contaminate any edible bee product or product contact surfaces.

4.4.3 Cleaning at end of day in the extraction, processing and packing areas

4.4.3.1 Products, packaging material and other materials that may be contaminated during wash down must be removed from the area and stored in appropriate locations, or they must be protected by covering them.

4.4.3.2 Waste collected during the day must be removed from the area and disposed of appropriately in designated waste bins.

4.4.3.3 Floors must be cleaned by hosing or other effective means. Water must be drained or removed completely.

4.4.3.4 Visible contamination on walls must be removed by hosing, wiping with clean wet cloths or by other effective means.

4.4.3.5 Refrigerated processing rooms must be kept free of condensates.

4.4.3.6 Equipment, including the pricker/loosener, uncapper, extractor, sump, conveyors, and work tables, must be washed and sanitised whenever it is necessary to:

• enable the effective performance of the particular task;

• remove residual honey that is contaminated with a hazard;

• remove the buildup of foreign matter (e.g. wax, insects, and other debris);

• prevent pest contamination of the honey; and

• satisfy commercial requirements (e.g. switching to organic).

4.4.3.7 External surfaces of all equipment must be cleaned so they are visibly clean and free of honey and bee product residues, dirt, dust, moulds, insect parts and waste, and other debris.

4.4.3.8 Dead and live bees must be removed from the extraction, processing, and packing rooms.

4.4.4 Cleaning of storage areas

4.4.4.1 Packed products, raw materials, packaging and other materials must be stacked and stored in a tidy manner. Adequate space must be available to allow effective cleaning in the storage area.

4.4.4.2 Spills must be cleaned up immediately.

4.4.4.3 Damaged packaged products and other materials must be removed and disposed of as soon as possible.

4.4.4.4 Dry stores must be kept dry and must be cleaned regularly by sweeping or vacuuming.

4.4.5 End of season cleaning and off-season maintenance

4.4.5.1 Facilities, walls, floor, ceiling, windows, doors, light fixtures, fans, bee escapes and other fixtures must be cleaned with suitable cleaning agents so that they are visibly clean and free of honey and bee product residues, insect parts and waste, and other debris.

4.4.5.2 Equipment must be disassembled as necessary, thoroughly cleaned by washing, and dried to ensure that there is no honey residue that may attract pests and allow mould growth.

4.4.5.3 The following materials must not be stored in the hot room, extraction room, or any other processing room:

• poisonous chemicals (e.g. solvents, insecticides, paint, fuel);

• items heavily contaminated with soil, dirt, waste and other contaminants;

• any organic material (e.g. fruits) that may deteriorate and cause microbiological contamination and pest infestation; and

• any other material that could leave residual contaminants after the pre-season cleaning.

4.4.5.4 External areas must be maintained in a tidy condition so as not to attract pests and allow infestation.

4.4.6 Cleaning of amenities

Amenities must be cleaned regularly and maintained in a hygienic condition.

4.4.7 Maintenance of cleaning equipment

Cleaning implements and equipment must be maintained in a hygienic condition and must not introduce any hazard or foreign object to any edible bee product, packaging or product contact surface.

4.4.8 Monitoring

Compliance to documented procedures and the effectiveness of the cleaning programme must be regularly checked by the responsible person.

4.5 Records

Records containing the following information must be kept by the operator:

• cleaning records

• pre-season cleaning checklist, as applicable.