Page 43 - Food&Drink Business magazine October 2022

food zone secondary. Beyond the primary and
secondary food zones, further away from exposed food is the ‘splash and spill zone’. This is the area of a food facility that is close to exposed food but isn’t supposed to be touched by food that will be eaten.
The splash and spill zone of a commercial kitchen includes shelves, walls, floors and racking. This area usually get pretty messy during busy food production times.
Moving further away from the splash and spill zone you will find the non-food zone, which is anywhere in a facility or device that is away from production and exposed food.
Finished goods stores, offices, gardens, loading docks and plant rooms are non-food zones.
Back in the food zone, items need to be suitable for either touching food directly or for coming into contact with items that will touch food.
Direct contact items – we call these food zone primary – are things that are intended to touch food, including gloves, utensils, conveyor belts, tanks, pipes, filters, and food containers.
Food zone secondary items don’t usually touch food directly, but they come into contact with
expected use of the item. For example, disposable
food handling gloves are designed for touching food,
so gloves are always certified as food zone primary. If we determine that a submitted brand of glove is not suitable for handling food we do not certify them. We do not ‘downgrade’ them to a different food zone: what’s the point of having a food handling glove that is not suitable for touching food?
Equipment is evaluated and certified in the same way, according to where it is intended to be used. Equipment that is suitable for use in a commercial kitchen or production area but isn’t intended to be in the food zone is classified as splash and spill zone. Examples include shelving, racking and dispensers for wipes or soap.
LIQUID DISPENSERS
Splash and spill zone equipment includes some cleaning liquid dispensers and some equipment that makes or dispenses liquid on demand.
As for the liquids that come out of such equipment, our risk-based evaluation process makes sure that the liquid is food-safe and suitable for its intended use.
by HACCP International because the filters inside the system could not be verified as effective for Legionella control.
Equipment that dispenses liquid for washing food is a growing category. These are machines that make fruit and vegetable wash on site and on demand. Dispensing equipment that is installed or used in kitchens and production areas is certified with the splash and spill zone classification.
Our certification conditions also include information about the suitability of the liquid, if necessary. So if the supplier claims the liquid is suitable for use as a food wash, we ensure that it is food safe and include written confirmation on the certification statement.
To learn more about our Certification Scheme for Equipment, Materials and Services, visit www.haccp- international.com. ✷
IN THE ZONE
KNOW YOUR FOOD ZONE CLASSIFICATIONS
Food zone classifications help you know which area of a food facility we have verified in our certification processes.
• Food zone primary: items are items that directly come into with food;
• Food zone secondary: items are things that touch surfaces that touch food;
• Splash and spill zone: items can be found near food, such as in production areas or kitchens; and
• Non-food zone: is away from food and from food handling areas.
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“ The splash and spill zone of a commercial kitchen includes shelves, walls, fl ors and racking. This area usually get pretty messy during busy food production times.”
items that do, such as dishwashing detergent, sanitisers for cutting boards, and scour pads for cleaning griddles.
FOOD ZONES AND CERTIFICATION
A production-room floor doesn’t need to be suitable for eating off, but it does need to have a hygienic, non-absorbing finish and be easy to clean. If it meets our standards and is suitable for use in a production room, we certify it with the splash and spill zone classification.
Food zone classifications are always based on the intended or
HACCP International certifies equipment that dispenses drinking water, and other equipment that dispenses cleaning liquids or sanitisers.
To be certified, the liquid must do what the equipment supplier says it will do. And it must be food-safe for its intended use according to its stated purpose.
Sometimes the certification evaluation process finds a problem. For example, a drinking water dispensing system that claimed to be effective at removing Legionellae bacteria could not be certified
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