Download Allergen Management

Allergen Management
It is the primary responsibility of food manufacturers to provide safe foods, free from
allergen cross-contamination. There must be a disciplined approach to allergen
management. Depending upon the layout of the plant, ingredients handled and products
made, each facility may have to incorporate different allergen management strategies.
However, the following are basics that can be incorporated into any operation to provide
an allergen-safe product:
• Adopt a “zero tolerance” philosophy for allergen cross-contamination.
• Conduct an allergen risk assessment as part of your Hazard Analysis and Critical
Control Points (HACCP) program.
• Train all associates in allergen management strategy. Include Marketing, R&D,
production, maintenance and sanitation.
• Make sure that incoming ingredients are clearly labeled and that the labels are reviewed
periodically to assure suppliers have not changed ingredients without notice.
• Have a clear allergen storage policy including a procedure for spills cleanup.
• Design equipment to facilitate cleaning and prevent allergen harborage niches.
• Schedule production to prevent cross-contamination.
• Clean between runs of allergen ingredients. Use a visually clean standard or confirm
with ezyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test kits.
• Clearly identify work-in-process materials and rework. Have a clear rework policy.
• Reject in-process materials or finished product suspected of cross-contamination.
• Have a process for reviewing labels prior to use, and confirm that the correct labels are
used in process.
• Conduct internal audits or use a third party auditor to assess the allergen management
strategy.
• Evaluate and track consumer complaints involving allergen issues.
• Have a trained person on staff to respond to consumer calls regarding allergens.
Finally, be sure to provide consumers with quick, honest answers. One of the benefits of
the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act to food manufacturers is that
such good labeling practices let consumers know that you care and you want to help. I’d
go so far as to say that this new act is “allergenius”; that is, a brilliant initiative in the
food industry’s effort to educate consumers.