General Information Relevant to Allergen Hazards
Allergen cross-contact is a zero-tolerance hazard that demands specialised, validated cleaning protocols, distinct from microbial control validation in that disinfectants can’t ‘kill’ allergens, making prevention essential.
The resources in this section provide useful information needed for establishing operational controls to mitigate the risk of allergen cross-contact.
This includes:
The unique challenge of removing allergen residues
The often mandated use of dedicated cleaning equipment and utensils (often managed through colour-coding)
The stringent procedures for preventing cross-contact at each stage of processing
The validation and verification testing needed to ensure your cleaning protocols work to protect consumers
Reducing Contamination Risk Through Cleaning Tool Maintenance
Proper maintenance of cleaning tools helps prevent microbial buildup and cross-contamination in food processing environments.
Using Colour-Coding to Reduce Cross-Contamination Risks
Colour-coding helps prevent cross-contamination from microbes, allergens and foreign bodies, supporting safer, more efficient food production.
Hygienic Design of Cleaning Brushware for Safer Food Production
Why hygienic design matters: how poorly designed brushware traps contamination and how improved construction reduces food safety risks.
The Hygienic Design of Food Industry Brushware
Explores how poor brushware design traps contamination and how hygienic design principles help improve cleaning and food safety.
Choosing hygienically designed cleaning and food handling tools
This article explains why hygienic design matters and how Vikan’s Ultra Hygiene and UST tools help minimise contamination and support food safety.