Chapter: Facilities, Equipment and Design
Section: F.A.5 Equipment
Sub-Section: N/A

Elements

The regulatory requirements contained in this guideline will be met when:

F.A.5 (01) Equipment is designed, constructed, located, installed and calibrated in a manner that facilitates the hygienic operation of the fish processing plant and the hygienic processing, packaging, labelling, storing and handling of fish products and ingredients. (Risk Ranking: High)

F.A.5 (02) Equipment and utensils used to process, package, label, store or handle fish products and ingredients are effective for their intended purpose, free of constituents that are likely to contaminate fish products, ingredients, and labelling materials and packaging materials, are capable of being effectively cleaned and sanitized, and are durable, accessible/easily disassembled for cleaning, servicing and inspection. (Risk Ranking: High)

F.A.5 (03) The equipment and utensils used by the fish processing operation are maintained and operated in a way that minimizes the risk of contamination of fish products, ingredients, labelling materials and packaging materials. (Risk Ranking: Medium)

F.A.5 (04) The fish processing plant is adequately equipped for the effective cleaning and sanitizing of the plant and any equipment and utensils, and has adequate storage for cleaning equipment that minimizes the risk of contamination of fish products, ingredients, labelling materials and packaging materials. (Risk Ranking: High)

F.A.5 (05) Equipment used to cook, heat, treat, refrigerate or freeze a fish product is designed and maintained so that it achieves any standards or temperatures that are required by the Fish Processing Regulation. (Risk Ranking: Significant High)

F.A.5 (06) The fish processing plant has appropriate equipment and utensils to store, package, handle and dispose of solid waste and inedible material in a manner that minimizes the risk of contamination of fish products, ingredients, labelling materials and packaging materials. (Risk Ranking: High)

Rationale

General

Equipment and utensils must be effective and serve their intended purpose each time they are used. This can be accomplished by using equipment that is appropriately designed, properly constructed and installed, regularly maintained, and adequately cleaned and sanitized.

Equipment and utensils must be made from materials that will not contaminate fish products, ingredients, packaging materials and labelling materials. Equipment and utensils must be durable and capable of being effectively cleaned and sanitized.

All parts of the equipment must be accessible for cleaning and maintenance. This could mean that the equipment is in a place that makes it fully accessible, or that it is designed to be taken apart easily.

The design and construction of equipment and utensils must allow for easy cleaning and sanitizing to prevent the build-up of debris because debris can harbour the growth of microorganisms and become a source of contamination.

Food contact surfaces

Food contact surfaces must not be a source of contamination. They should be constructed of material that is corrosion resistant, non-toxic and non-absorbent, and should be free of areas that harbour microbial growth such as pits, cracks, crevices, internal angles, ridges, indentations and open seams.

The internal surfaces of smokehouses and the equipment used with the smokehouse, such as racks, sticks or rods, are considered food contact surfaces and should be treated in the same manner as other food contact surfaces within the plant.

Wood must not be used because it cannot be cleaned and sanitized, it deteriorates rapidly under moist conditions, and its porous structure can promote microbial growth.

Equipment calibration

Many types of equipment require calibration for accuracy because their proper function is critical to food safety. Equipment such as thermometers and other temperature measuring devices, metal detectors, scales, pH meters, water activity meters, water treatment systems and any other equipment that could impact food safety, should be calibrated to ensure they operate as intended.

Calibration is the process of standardizing a measuring instrument to ensure that it measures within its specified range.

Thermometers can be calibrated using ice water with a reference temperature of 0 degrees Celsius and boiling water with a reference temperature of 100 degrees Celsius. A pH meter can be calibrated by checking it against standardized buffer solutions to confirm its accuracy. The instrument is then adjusted as needed.

The frequency of calibration activities must be determined for each type of instrument or equipment, taking the manufacturers’ recommendations, operating conditions, age and breakdown history of the equipment or instrument into consideration.

Calibration activities should be performed at the frequency specific to the type of equipment and process the equipment is used for. For example, metal detectors should be calibrated at the beginning of each product run, and thermometers that have been dropped on the floor must be calibrated before use.

Calibration activities should only be performed by people who are trained in the appropriate procedures for that particular instrument or piece of equipment.

Written procedures for calibration are important to ensure that the same procedure is followed each time equipment is calibrated. Calibration procedures and record keeping requirements should be included in the Written Maintenance Program (refer to the “Maintenance” FPG for details).

Equipment for storing/handling solid waste and inedible material

The fish processing plant must have an adequate number of containers (such as bins or garbage cans) to hold all refuse generated during normal operations. For example, if paper towels are used at hand washing stations for hand drying, the paper towels should be contained within the receptacles provided. Any processing waste generated during operations should be contained in designated bins/containers to minimize the risk of contamination of food contact surfaces or fish products, ingredients, labelling materials and packaging materials.

Regulatory references

Food Safety and Quality Act, 2001; O. Reg. 465/19 s. 16 (1)(a)(c)(d)(e)(h), 23, 25, 37

    1. A fish processing plant must be designed, constructed and equipped in a manner that,
      1. minimizes the risk of contamination of fish products, ingredients, labelling materials and packaging materials during processing, packaging, labelling, handling, shipping, receiving and storage, as the case may be;
      1. allows for incompatible activities to be done at different times or in separate areas;
      2. allows good manufacturing practices to be followed;
      3. allows for and withstands repeated cleaning and sanitizing;
      1. allows a fish processing operation to be operated in compliance with this Regulation.
    1. A fish processing plant must be adequately equipped for the effective cleaning and sanitizing of the plant and any equipment and utensils.
    2. A fish processing plant must have adequate storage for cleaning equipment that minimizes the risk of contamination of fish products, ingredients, labelling materials and packaging materials.
    1. Equipment used in a fish processing plant must be designed, constructed, located, installed and calibrated in a manner that facilitates the hygienic operation of the plant and the hygienic processing, labelling, packaging, storing and handling of fish products and ingredients.
    2. Equipment and utensils used in a fish processing plant to process, package, label, store or handle fish products and ingredients must be,
      1. effective for their intended purpose;
      2. free of constituents that may contaminate fish products, ingredients, labelling materials and packaging materials;
      3. capable of being effectively cleaned and sanitized;
      4. durable; and
      5. accessible for cleaning, servicing and inspection or easily disassembled for those purposes.
    3. Equipment used at a fish processing plant to cook, heat, treat, refrigerate or freeze a fish product must be designed and maintained so that it is effective in achieving any standards or temperatures that are required by this Regulation.(4) A fish processing plant must have appropriate equipment and utensils for storing, packaging, handling and disposing of solid waste and inedible material in a manner that minimizes the risk of contamination of fish products, ingredients, labelling materials and packaging materials.
  1. The operator of a fish processing operation in respect of which a licence is required under this Regulation shall ensure that the fish processing premises, equipment and utensils used by the operation are maintained and operated in a way that minimizes the risk of contamination of fish products, ingredients, labelling materials and packaging materials.