17. Process control
Changeover controls
These controls reduce cross contamination and prevent the wrong packaging from being used.
Changeover controls
Changeover controls are essential to reduce cross contamination and to prevent the wrong packaging from being used.
The standards
This article is written to meet the requirements for changeover controls:
| BRCGS Food Safety Issue 9 | 6.2.2 Production line checks 4.7.2, 6.1.2 Equipment inspection and settings |
| BRCGS Packaging Issue 6 | 5.4.7, 5.4.9 Line clearance procedure 4.7.3, 5.4.4 Equipment and start-up checks |
| BRCGS Agents & Brokers Issue 3 | No applicable clauses |
| BRCGS Storage & Distribution Issue 4 | 15.5, 15.12 Line clearance and checks |
| FSSC22000 Version 6 | No specific clauses. |
| IFS Food Version 8 | 4.5.3 Changeover |
| SQF Edition 9 | 2.6.1.2 Start up and changeover |
| FSMA Preventive controls for human food (Final 2015) | No specific clauses |
| Additional standards | M&S Tesco, Sainsbury’s AIB |
The requirements
Changeover controls
The changeover procedure must include:
- Responsibilities of those involved in line clearance.
- What needs to be completed to clear the line, for each type of product.
- Confirmation that the line is clear of previous materials and product, including from known trap points.
- Instruction that only the packaging required for the product being processed must be available at the point of use.
- Instructions on what to do with previous unused printed packaging.
- Confirmation that all previous packaging has been removed and returned to its correct storage location.
- The process for allocating the correct packaging to the line.
- Confirmation that cleaning procedures have been followed and successful verification checks have been completed (where needed).
- Confirmation that the line is free from contamination and ready to start.
- Authorisation to start.
Start-up checks
There must be a system for checking equipment which may pose a foreign body risk.
The checks must be:
- Carried out at a planned frequency.
- The results must be positively documented.
- Where issues are highlighted, action appropriate to the risk must be implemented.
Defective equipment shall be removed from operation until it has been repaired.
The equipment must also be checked to ensure that it’s been set up correctly before processing begins.
BRCGS Food Safety Issue 9
Although there has been minor changes, or addition of examples, to the clauses referred to in this article, the changes don’t impact the meaning of the requirements.
Customer standards
This is a general overview of the type of changeover controls detailed in customer codes of practice, however your business must refer to your customer’s standards to identify the requirements that are applicable.
Start-up checks
The customer requirements provide more detail regarding what must be checked before processing begins, for example checking to ensure that personnel are wearing the correct PPE and hair nets.
Changeover controls
Pack 17: Process control
This pack gives you a really robust structure to determine what your process controls should be and implement a system which will ensure that non-conforming product doesn’t get sent to the customer.
Plus, our pack includes a start-up record form and a procedure that includes everything needed for start-up checks for equipment and your changeover process. It’s packed full of detail and makes this complicated subject really easy to understand and apply to your business.
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