Cleaning Validation for Allergen Control in Food Manufacturing

In the U.S., the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) requires that food facilities implement allergen controls to prevent cross-contact, the unintended introduction of allergens into food. Despite FSMA and other laws and regulations aimed at protecting consumers with food allergies, undeclared allergens still remain one of the leading causes of recalls in the U.S., where they affect about 3.5-4% of the population and can be a catastrophic event for a susceptible individual.

As a prerequisite controlling a hazard, and as required by best practices and GFSI auditing standards, such cleaning requires validation and subsequent monitoring and verification. This presentation provides guidance on allergen control through the application of appropriate validation, verification, and monitoring.