October 2009. 1
Approval at Last! 1
The long awaited
Environmental Health inspection came like a bolt from the blue yesterday. It
has been hanging over my head for so long that I had begun to tell myself that
they had forgotten about me again. I must say it is quite a relief to have been
through it at last.
I'm pleased to
say that the inspection went very well, the inspector being obviously happy
with the state of things in my little 'cottage industry'. Here are a few
pointers for any of you who may be about to undergo the same experience. Of
course nothing is absolute. From what we have heard of Ray's inspection, it
seems to be very much down to the whims of each inspector, but for what it is
worth, here goes.
The
inspector's concerns were:
- How long
had the orchards where my apples were harvested had been free of grazing
animals? The 2 months, in the case of one of mine was deemed to be
acceptable.
- Did I
sweeten my cider with unpasteurised apple juice? Answer, No.
The reason for the question was concern about Patulin.
Fermented juice is considered safe but unfermented is not.
- How did I
clean my equipment between pressings?
- Did I use
a sterilising agent?
- What steps
did I take to exclude air from my cider?
- Explain
the packaging procedure.
The
inspector was pleased to note:
- My use of
a pressure washer for general cleaning.
- The
soaking of press cloths and racks in a mild sulphite solution in between
pressings.
- The
measures taken to exclude air, namely the use of floating lid tanks, CO2
purging of the IBCs and especially the bag in
box packaging.
- The
general high state of cleanliness. Fortunately the visit happened to be
between pressings, so the floor had just been mopped clean of the usual
brown pomacy sludge that always builds up as a
cheese is dismantled from the press.
I
was pleased to note:
- No mention
of a stupid HACCP for my one person business!
Rose