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Wine Standards Management Plan Code of Practice Fruit Wine, Cider, Mead

Appendix 5: Model Standard Operating Practice: Bottling Line Breakage

1. Application

This procedure must be followed whenever a bottle is broken during de-palletisation or on the bottling line.

2. Breakage Procedure

Stop the line

Stop the bottling line as soon as a breakage is detected.

Determine the source of the breakage.

Cleaning

General

Remove glass on and around affected parts of the bottling line: use a brush, paper towels or a vacuum cleaner first. Don’t blast with air or use other methods that might spread fragments.

Follow with a liquid clean down if necessary.

Use a torch after cleaning to detect reflections from any remaining fragments. If fragments detected, following cleaning procedure until no more fragments detected.

De-palletisation

Remove and inspect all bottles on the track between pallet and filler head and rinse or discard as necessary to remove risk of glass fragments remaining in the bottle.

Rinser

Remove and inspect all bottles in rinser and rinse or discard as necessary to remove risk of glass fragments remaining in the bottle.

Filler head

Bottles either side of the breakage or chipping must be removed and wine discarded or re-processed. Bottles should not be re-used. The number of bottles removed will depend on the design of the filler unit [specify the number of bottles].

The next bottle filled from the same filler head must be checked for glass fragments by passing liquid from the bottle through filter paper. Continue checking bottles from that filler head until no glass fragments are detected.

If the filler head cannot be identified, all bottles in the filler must be removed and discarded or re-processed. Bottles should not be re-used.

Corker / stopper machine / screwcapper

Bottles either side of the breakage or chipping must be removed and wine discarded or re-processed. Bottles should not be re-used. The number of bottles removed will depend on the design of the closure unit [specify the number of bottles].

The next bottle closed by the same corker/stopper/screwcapper head must be checked for glass fragments by passing liquid through filter paper. Continue checking bottles from that head until no glass fragments are detected.

The hopper containing corks/stoppers/screwcaps must be checked for glass fragments.

Corrective action

Determine why breakage occurred and rectify to avoid repeating breakage once bottling resumes, e.g. check the calibration and set-up of the plant and equipment where breakage occurred.

Sign-off

Breakages must be recorded as part of the WSMP (in Breakage Book or similar), including number of bottles broken and removed for inspection, the bottle code(s) involved, the disposition of bottles removed for inspection, cleaning procedures and corrective action undertaken.

Records must be signed off by the Bottling Line Supervisor before bottling resumes.

3. Re-processing Procedure

Disgorge bottles for re-processing into a receiving tank that is not used for direct supply of the bottling line. Wine must not be returned straight to the filler tank.

Filter wine through sterile grade cartridges according to standard procedures. Filter off racking valve, leaving behind any glass that may be present. This may then be filtered using a standard racking wand with careful observation to ensure that any glass is not picked up.

Any pads used for this operation are not to be back flushed and should only be used for such filtration.

At the completion record the number of bottles disgorged, the bottle code(s) involved, the volume of wine recovered and its disposition. Also record any relevant details as to type of glass recovered and any bottle damage noted.

[Note that the WSMP operator should include health and safety procedures in Standard Operating procedure as appropriate.]