Scheduling

If a process line is used to produce both products with and without allergens at different times, the schedule sequence should run unique allergens toward the end. For example, candy bars without peanuts might be scheduled first, followed by bars with peanuts, followed by bars with peanuts and almonds. If the next scheduled product does not contain an allergen, the line should be cleaned and sanitized.

Suppose during your hazard analysis you identified a potential allergen hazard from producing products with no allergens and products with allergens on the same line at different times.  Your Hazard Analysis might look like this.

HAZARD ANALYSIS
PRODUCT:					PAGE ___ OF ____
FACILITY:					ISSUE DATE:_______
ADDRESS:
Ingredient or processing step	Hazard	Preventive control required		Justify your decision	Preventive controls	Applied at this step?
		Yes	No			Yes	No
Roasting	Undeclared allergen in candy bar	X		Products with allergen are produced on the same line as products no or different allergens (peanut, almond). Allergens cause illness in susceptible individuals.	Run non-allergen product first, schedule peanut or almond roasting after non-allergen product. Clean and sanitize roaster when switching to other nut or non-nut product.	X

This example only shows the roasting step. Subsequent steps in the production process would also require cleaning.  

Now that we have defined how to control for the potential allergen, we need to create a row in the Allergen Process Preventive Controls form.

Allergen Preventive Control form

ALLERGEN CONTROLS
PRODUCT:						PAGE 1 of ___________
FACILITY:						ISSUE DATE:
ADDRESS:
Allergen Control	Hazard(s)	Critical Limits	Monitoring				Corrective Action	Verification	Records
			What	How	How often	Who
Scheduling to prevent cross-contact of allergens with non-allergen product	Undeclared peanut or almond in candy bar	Line equipment exposed to allergen cleaned and sanitized before change to a different allergen or non-allergen product	Line equipment and conveyors	Visual and ATP swabs for cleanliness	Every change of product	Line operator and supervisor	Segregate all allergen product run on uncleaned line	Review and sign-off when switching to another product	Production schedule
			Schedule and cleaning	Review schedule and cleaning records			Reclean line		Cleaning records
									Corrective action records

(FSPCA, 2016. Preventive Controls for Human Food Instructor Guide. Page 9-2)
DOWNLOAD A BLANK VERSION OF THIS ALLERGEN CONTROLS FORM

The verification column in this form shows the actions taken to control the hazards, including monitoring, have been done correctly.