Title: I. Safety of the Water that Comes in Contact with Food or FoodContact Surfaces
1I. Safety of the Water that Comes in Contact with
Food or Food-Contact Surfaces
2- Uses for water
- Washing product
- Conveying or transporting product
- Cleaning and sanitizing of equipment and
facilities - As an ingredient
- Delivery of processing aids
- Drinking
3Potential hazards associated with water
- Contamination of water that comes into contact
with food with human pathogens - Infection of workers with human pathogens who
then become a source of contamination - Contamination of water with hazardous chemicals
such as pesticides, fertilizers, heavy metals, or
other potentially harmful compounds.
4Monitoring goal
- To provide assurance that water that contacts
food or food contact surfaces meets EPA National
Primary Drinking Water Regulations
5EPA National Primary Drinking Water
Standards http//www.epa.gov/safewater/mcl.html
1Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) - Highest level
of a contaminant allowed.
6What to monitor?
7Characteristics of municipal water
- High chemical and microbiological standards
- Been purified or treated and
- Been tested on a pre-determined schedule.
8Characteristics of well water
- May be contaminated by floods or heavy rains,
- Location too close to cesspools, septic tanks,
agricultural sites, or drainage fields may result
in contamination and - Cracked or improperly sealed well casings or
liners may cause contamination.
9Municipal water monitoring
- Annual water bill
- Municipal laboratory results optional
10Well water monitoring
- Condition of wells
- Laboratory analysis for indicator microbes (eg.
coliforms) - Frequency specified by local standards or at
least on a semi-annual basis - Before start-up for use in processing
11Monitoring of in-plant water contamination
- Cross-connections
- Backflow
- Back pressure (pressure of the non-potable system
exceeds the positive pressure in the water
distribution lines) - Back siphonage (a partial vacuum in a
water-supply draws water from a contaminated
source)
12Cross-connections
- Stoppage in toilet or sink may allow contaminated
water to reach water line and exit lower faucet
Back siphonage
(from Katsuyama, 1993
13Cross-connections
- a physical connection between a potable
(drinkable) water supply and a source of
contamination
http//www.northglenn.org/publicworks/util/cross.h
tm
14Backflow control
- Air gap
- Vacuum breaker
- Check valve
15Air Gap
http//www.ci.lincoln.ne.us/city/pworks/water/pic/
dscn0363.jpg
16Vacuum Breakers
Reduced Pressure
http//www.ci.lincoln.ne.us/city/pworks/water/pic/
dscn0326.jpg
http//www.ci.lincoln.ne.us/city/pworks/water/pic/
dscn0338.jpg
Atmospheric Pressure
17A single vacuum breaker serving multiple
submerged pipes supplied by a single water line
(from Katsuyama, 1993)
18Typical corrective actions
- Observation Well casing cracked
- Correction Repair well, test water
- Observation Cross-connection found
- Correction Make repairs, install vacuum
breakers or air gap, test water - Observation Unacceptable microbial counts
- Correction Shutdown well, withdraw product
until safety established, inspect and repair
well, retest.
19Records
- Municipal water
- Monthly water bill
- Annual self-audit
- Well water
- Results of water testing
- Corrective actions, Retesting results
- Annual self-audit
- Cross connections
- Monthly checks
- Repairs and corrections
- Annual self-audit