It is always challenging after producing healthy food products, go through all the basic food safety training programs, install proper pest management programs and heavily invested in the whole process of ensuring the client’s satisfaction is upheld then end up having a problem with food grade bulk tanker carriers. In the food industry, there are challenges that sometimes halts the process of transportation.
With the food regulators being on the watch in assessing transportation challenges, there have been guidelines that never got finalized. Several associations came up with various guidelines to respond to the challenges for several years. Some of the major guidelines designed to mitigate the risk of food safety by food grade bulk tanker carriers include the following.
- Transportation of bulk food
Liquid and dry food should be transported using a trailer or a rail car with some categories treated as special, where they should be closely evaluated to necessitate whether there are additional measures for safety enhancement.
- Requirements of the tanker
There should be a total dedication of the tanker to totally as food grade. Every company should always develop criteria and requirements for every food grade, which includes cleanable and sealable, fittings used, food-grade material, and design.
- Tanker washing
Depending on the products being transported, the tanker should always be washed using a certain program. Some of the products being transported have the guidelines in which the condition they should be carried and how the washing should be conducted. These products include juice, dairy, and eggs. For other products, the company should conduct an assessment to determine how it should be cleaned.
In case the washing is to be carried by a third party or a facility maintained by the company, there should be a thorough inspection associated with an audit on a determined frequency to ensure that the compliance is upheld.
- Before loading inspection
Before loading, there should be skilled personnel for the food-grade bulk tanker carriers inspection. A guideline in the form of written procedures should always be there for guidance. Document and physical inspections are the key elements that are reviewed during the inspection.
For the documents, the area that is reviewed includes bills of lading, driver license that is issued by the government, wash certificate, and seal numbers. There should be an additional requirement where necessary for the products being transported.
When it comes to the physical inspection is done to ensure that the tanker has upheld the requirement of the physical condition of the tanker. For the persons inspecting the tanker, there should be an adherence to the GMP policies to ensure that there are no contaminants introduced to the tanker.
When the inspection is concluded, results should be documented on the inspection form signed and maintained for a specific period.
- Tank receipt for bulk food
When receiving the products, the kind of inspection will be the same as the one of pre-loading, which includes driver inspection, seal numbers, bill of lading, and wash certificates. When the offloading is done on the site, representative personnel access the top of the tanker to finalize the inspection.
Some of the comprehensive guidelines that have been developed includes
- HACCP Principles & Application Guidelines
- Electronic Wash Tickets
- Standardized Audits for Wash Facilities
- Kosher Compliance Requirements
When transporting food products is always very crucial to keep a very high standard of ensuring that safety is guaranteed. Developing a well-defined program of handling the whole process should be implemented by skilled personnel with proper tools and knowledge to succeed in these inspections. The communication between the supplier, carrier, and customers are also very important.
