Food Quality Magazine
ISSUE 04 | OCTOBER 2015
How to Successfully Pass the Audit:
Production of Food Containing Allergens
Miroslav Šuška, QUALIFOOD s.r.o.
Allergen control works very similar to GMO control, although there
are many allergic substances that
manufacturers have to take account
for. EU requires mandatory labeling
for 14 allergic components, namely,
mollusks, fish, gluten-containing cereals, eggs, milk, soy, peanuts, nuts,
celery, sesame, mustard, shellfish,
lupine and Sulphur dioxide above 10
mg/kg. These together with other
ingredients must be declared in the
package. There are, however, exception to the rule.
IFS Audit and Assessment
The company must identify any allergic substance present in the raw material and the products used. Create
an up-to-date list of products and
raw materials, taking into account
individual allergens present. The
list is created based on the HACCP
system. Once problematic parts are
identified within the manufacturing
process, IFS audit and assessment
enters the picture.
The IFS auditor will assess the
following sections:
• Operation layout
• Product/staff flows
• Storage
• Internal transport (including materials used for storage of wholesale
packages)
• Related contamination risks
• Locations of stored items from the
allergen point-of-view
• Procedure followed in case of
packaging damage (the SOP is to
always store materials without allergens on top of those containing allergens)
• Methods of product handling from
storage, weighing, dosing, processing, packaging of finished product
to storage of finished product
Pirture 1 - Introducing an Effective Allergen Control System
16
How to Pass the Audit: Tips and
Areas to Focus On
1. The auditor will assess the operation layout and location of
manufacturing equipment. Choose
a layout that will not promote the
transfer of allergens by aerosol or
dust during the manufacturing process or cleaning. You must have a
regular manufacturing and sanitation
cycles. The design of the manufacturing equipment is also important
2. Pay attention to rework and product changes
3. Sampling methods used in pro-