Washington State Department of Agriculture Organic Food Program

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Washington State Department of Agriculture
Organic Food Program

• P.O. Box 42560, Olympia, WA 98504
• phone [phone], fax [phone]
• agr.wa.gov/foodanimal/organic/default.htm

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Presentation Overview

• Organic Standards Certification Handling
  Processing.
• Sanitation Specifics.
• Equipment
• Direct Food Contact

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USDA Organic StandardsNational Organic Program

• Organic Food Production Act 1990 (OFPA) was
  passed in the 1990 Farm Bill.
• OFPA establishes National Organic Standards
  Board.
• Goal to Unify or Harmonize Organic Standards
  within US.
• Requires accreditation of state and private
  certifiers.
• Mandatory certification of all operations
  selling, labeling, or representing products as
  organic (however, certain operations are
  considered exempt or excluded from
  certification).
• Finalized December 2000. Fully implemented
  October 21, 2002.

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USDA National Organic Program
www.ams.usda.gov/nop
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Handling Certification Overview

• Organic System Plan with focus on preventative
  practices.
• Auditable recordkeeping system that verifies
  compliance.
• Use of only approved ingredients and inputs.
• Contamination and Commingling prevention.
• Specific product composition and labeling
  requirements.
• Annual on site inspections and annual application
  required.

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Recordkeeping Requirements Section 205.103

• Adapted to the operation.
• Must fully disclose all activities.
• Must be in sufficient detail to be readily
  understood and audited.
• Must be maintained for 5 years.
• Must be sufficient to demonstrate compliance with
  the Organic Regulations.

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Organic System PlanSection 205.201

• All operations seeking certification must develop
  an organic system plan an agreement between the
  certified operation and the accredited certifying
  agent.
• A certified operation must update their system
  plan on an annual basis in order to verify
  continued compliance.

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Organic System PlanSection 205.201

• Must include the following
• A description of practices procedures -
  including the frequency with which they will be
  performed,
• A list detailed information regarding each
  substance to be used,
• A description of the monitoring practices
  frequency the practices will be performed,
• A description of the recordkeeping system,
• A description of the practices in place to
  prevent commingling of organic non-organic
  products,
• A description of the practices in place to
  prevent contamination of organic products with
  prohibited substances,
• Any additional information required by the
  certifying agent in order to evaluate compliance.

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Allowed and Prohibited Substances, Methods,
IngredientsSection 205.105

• Organic products must be handled without the use
  of
• Nonagricultural substances, except as otherwise
  provided in 205.605 (The National List of
  Allowed and Prohibited Substances)
• Nonorganic agricultural substances, except as
  otherwise provided in 205.606
• Excluded methods (Genetically Modified
  Organisms), except for vaccines
• Ionizing radiation, as described in Food and Drug
  Administration regulation, 21 CFR 179.26 and
• Sewage sludge.

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Contamination and ComminglingSection 205.272
A Handler must

• Prevent commingling of organic and non-organic
  products.
• Prevent contamination of organic products from
  prohibited materials (cleansers, sanitizers,
  boiler water additives, pest control materials
  anything not listed in 205.605).
• Use of many prohibited materials are allowed in
  cleaning and sanitation. Focus is on
  preventative procedures that are in place.

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Contamination and ComminglingSection 205.272

• A Handler must not
• Use packaging materials, and storage containers,
  or bins that contain a synthetic fungicide,
  preservative, or fumigant.
• Use or reuse any bag or container that has been
  in contact with any substance that may compromise
  the organic integrity of an organic product,
  unless the container has been thoroughly cleaned
  and poses no risk of contact with the organic
  product.

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National Organic Program Labeling Categories

• 100 Organic
• All ingredients processing aids must be 100
  certified organic.
• Organic
• 95 - 100 certified organic ingredients.
• Made with Organic (list up to three ingredients
  or food groups)
• At least 70 organic ingredients.
• Less Than 70 Organic Ingredients
• Claims are limited to ingredient statement.

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Organic Sanitation 101

• Organic operations must meet the same food
  safety requirements as all other food.
• Organic regulations do not supersede other state
  and federal laws.

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Organic Sanitation 101 - Records

• All sanitation procedures should be in written
  form and must
• describe how equipment is cleaned and sanitized.
• include a list of all substances used.
• describe steps taken to prevent contamination of
  organic products.

• Standard Operating Procedures
• HAACP
• Organic System Plan

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Organic Sanitation 101 - Records

• All sanitation practices must be documented and
  must be available for review during an
  inspection.
• Cleanup Checklists
• Sanitation Logs
• Purge Logs

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Organic Sanitation 101 - Equipment

• There is not an approved list within the
  regulation for equipment cleansers and
  sanitizers.
• Compliance is based on the preventative
  practices that an operation has in place to
  prevent contamination.

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Organic Sanitation 101 - Equipment

• Options for preventing contamination after the
  use of cleansers and sanitizers
• Potable Water Rinses
• Evaporation
• Chlorine Sanitizers
• Product Purges
• Operation must demonstrate that amount purged is
  adequate
• Residue Testing
• Quaternary Ammonium Sanitizers

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Organic Sanitation 101 - Equipment

• A certified operation must demonstrate to their
  certifier that any sanitizer left on production
  lines, food contact surfaces, or equipment is not
  contaminating organic products.

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Organic Sanitation 101 Products

• Processed products - Direct food contact
  sanitizers must be specifically listed on the
  National List Section 205.605. Processed
  products have been cut, blanched, pealed,
  shelled, or otherwise manipulated.
• Raw ag products - Direct food contact sanitizers
  for post harvest use must be nonsynthetic, or
  specifically listed on the National List
  Section 205.601.

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Organic Sanitation 101 - Products

• The National List contains a limited number of
  direct food contact sanitizers.
• Chlorine materials . chlorine dioxide, sodium
  hypochlorite, calcium hypochlorite.
• Peracetic Acid.
• Citric Acid.
• Hydrogen peroxide.
• Ozone.

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Organic Sanitation 101 - Chlorine

• Requirement that residual chlorine levels
  leaving facility must meet the Safe Drinking
  Water Act.
• SDWA currently 4 ppm free chlorine, 0.8 ppm
  chlorine dioxide
• Chlorine amounts directly on food products must
  not exceed food safety levels for that product.
• However, chlorine amounts that are used above
  SDWA must include a potable water rinse (can be
  accomplished through spray bar).

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Organic Sanitation 101 Exported Products

• European Union Organic regulations differ from
  US regulations regarding direct food contact
  sanitizers.
• Chlorine materials, Peracetic Acid, Hydrogen
  Peroxide, and Ozone are not allowed.

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Organic Sanitation 101 - Reminders

• WSDA and OMRI produce lists of pre-reviewed and
  approved products for organic production. These
  are an excellent resource but not all inclusive.
• Always check with your organic certification
  agency before use of a material to be sure the
  particular brand and its use is approved!

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Questions?