Potable Water - Which Standards or Guidelines should I follow? ISO 22000?

[water]

Hello,

I am new in quality management. Currently our food processing plant is aiming to register for ISO 22000. I understand that ISO 22000 is hormonizing the world food safety standard. I am not sure about the requirement of potable water, there are some standards/ guidelines for water quality. Which standards/Guidelines should I follow?

For example, Should I follow WHO Guidelines for drinking-water quality? Thank you.

[Gavinova]

I`m not too sure what "potable water" exactly is. Could you describe your product in more detail? Maybe Check out Codex Alimentarius.

CAC/RCP 48 2001 Recommended Code of Hygienic Practice for Bottled/Packaged Drinking Waters (Other than Natural Mineral Waters)

http://www.codexalimentarius.net/web/standard_list.jsp

The guidelines are about halfway down the page in PDF.

[water]

The use of water is to wash the raw fruits before the fruits are being processed. And water is to wash the plant machinery.

Water is not intended to be part of the ingredients.

[water]

Thanks Gavinova,

I think I've found the answer.

[Al Rosen]

Originally Posted by water

Thanks Gavinova,

I think I've found the answer.

What is the answer? Can you post it so others with the same question will know?

[water]

I am not 100% sure about this. Just for our reference. Correct me if I'm wrong about this.

We can search the codex as was provided by Gavinova as below:
http://www.codexalimentarius.net/web/standard_list.jsp

Here we can get the guidelines for the particular food product we are up to.

Say, the coconut product. The document is: RECOMMENDED INTERNATIONAL CODE OF HYGIENIC PRACTICE FOR DESICCATED COCONUT (CAC/RCP 4-1971):

Quoted from the abovesaid document:

"Water supply.
An ample supply of hot and cold water should be available and an adequate
supply of hot water where necessary. The water supply should be of potable quality. Standards of potability shall not be less than those contained in the "International Standards for Drinking Water", World Health Organization, 1971. No husk pit for the retting of husks should be located within 100 metres (300 feet) of any well from which water is drawn for use in the factory."

The link to the WHO Drinking Water Guidelines:
http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_.../en/index.html

[harry]

Water used for processing of slaughtered chicken should conform to WHO standard - is in the relevant department guidelines of Malaysia. However, I read somewhere that for ISO 22000, nobody is too sure! I don't think they have any other choice. For your purpose, I believe its adequate.

[Ajit Basrur]

Hi,

The tests to be included for Potable Water are covered in American Public Health Association (APHA) in the book called "Standard Test Methods" and includes physical, chemical and microbiological tests.

Btw, for information of everyone, water is generally categorised in many categories; first is Potable (which in layman terms is safe for drinking), while the others are Purified Water, Water for Irrigation, Sterile Water for Injection etc. For these detailed categories and their description, refer to the latest United States Pharmacopoaeia.