Which scheduling practice is recommended for controlling allergens during production?

Producing non-allergenic products before allergenic products is a recommended scheduling practice for controlling allergens during production. This approach minimizes the risk of cross-contamination, as any residual allergens from the processing of allergenic products can be more easily cleaned from the production equipment if non-allergenic items are processed first. By handling non-allergenic products first, facilities can establish a cleaner environment before bringing allergenic items into the production line, thus enhancing safety for consumers with food allergies.

Scheduling practices that advocate mixing production lines for efficiency or randomizing production schedules can inadvertently increase the risk of cross-contact with allergens, making them less desirable options. Likewise, producing allergenic products first could lead to significant residue remaining on equipment or surfaces, which could lead to unintentional allergen exposure in subsequent batches of non-allergenic products. Therefore, the emphasis on processing non-allergenic items prior to allergenic ones aligns with the principles of good manufacturing practices and allergen management in HACCP protocols.