Simplifying Food Regulation

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FDA Reader: Simplifying Food Regulation

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Best pH Meters for Food Processing
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Our Picks: Best pH Meters for Food Processing

The Basics: pH Meters

pH meters are a common tool in the food processing context.

Since acidity is often used as a means to preserve foods, a pH meter is required to confirm that the correct level of acidity is achieved in the product.

A pH meter measures the acidity of a substance on a scale from acidic to alkaline (a.k.a. basic).

pH is typically measured on a numeric scale from 1 -14 but it can also be measured using a color gradient.

Whether you’re taking pH readings so you can test a chemical concentration or as part of your HACCP plan.

pH range is measured from 0 (acidic) to 14 (alkaline)

pH range is measured from 0 (acidic) to 14 (alkaline)


Do I need a pH Meter?

You need a pH meter if the following circumstances apply:

  • You produce one of the following types of food:

    • Acidified food

    • Fermented food

    • Low-acid-canned-food

  • You use chemicals whose concentrations require testing using a pH meter.

  • You produce a product that uses acid or fermentation as a means of preservation.


Considerations When Choosing a pH Tester

  • Accuracy: Do you need accuracy to 0.1 or 0.02? This is probably the biggest factor in what you should buy.

  • Calibration: Is it easy to quickly re-calibrate (you’ll probably have to calibrate your device before each use if you are recording your results for a HACCP/Food Safety Plan).

  • Portability: Does your pH meter need to be portable or can you choose a plug-in bench top model? Note that smaller, more portable pH testers tend to be less accurate.


Handheld pH Meter

What’s it for: Taking pH measurements when you need accurate results and portability. Perfect for the food processor who needs to take pH readings for a HACCP / food safety plan.

Pros:

  • Higher degree of accuracy (typically 0.01-0.03) than pen-style models. Accurate enough for all food processing applications.

  • Portable

  • Replaceable electrode.

Cons:

  • Two-hand operations is slightly less convenient than pen-style.

Why We Picked Our Winner:

  • High degree of accuracy (Accurate ±0.01)

  • Automatic temperature compensation

  • We’ve been using this model for 3 years with continued accurate results.

  • Extremely long battery life from a single 9V battery

  • Durable construction. Trust us, we’ve dropped it.


Pen-Style pH Meter

What’s it for: Taking multiple readings across different areas in a food production space with reasonable accuracy (0.1±). Pen style pH testers are a good place to start if you need reasonable accuracy and are on a budget.

If you need a pH meter as part of your HACCP or Food Safety Plan, consider a more accurate tester see our Handheld and Benchtop choices below.

Pros:

  • Remarkable portability. Slip it into your pocket.

  • Reasonably good accuracy for an entry-level price point.

Cons:

  • Accuracy of ± 0.1 isn’t sufficient for many food processors.

  • There are lots of cheap pen-style pH testers on the market which are prone to inaccurate results. Consider our pick for Pen Style pH tester

  • You’ll want to keep buffering solutions with your pH meter so that you can calibrate it. So even if you have a very tiny pH meter, you’ll need to haul around these accessories with you if you want accurate readings.

Why We Picked Our Winner:

  • Extremely portable

  • Fully waterproof (this helps in a food processing context).

  • Best tested accuracy and reliability among the pen-style models we tested. Accurate to ± 0.1

  • Affordable price point ~($50)


Basic: pH Test Strips

Overview: Test strips are best for simple measurements that do not require a high degree of specificity. You might use a test strip to get a general sense of pH or if you’re only doing occasional tests and will be happy with a general result.

Pros:

  • Easy use — just dip and compare the strip with the color key on the packaging.

  • No calibration required

  • Small size for on-the-go testing

Cons:

  • Not as accurate as electric pH meters

  • Reactive paper shows the pH of whatever it contacts — whether that’s what you' want to test or not.

  • Typically has a maximum 2 year shelf life. After this time accuracy may vary.

Our Choice:

We prefer Hydrion because they’re the most reliable test strip on the market. They’re a little pricier, but you won’t risk buying an expired test strips like some other producers offer. It’s the most accurate test strip on the market. If you want accurate readings then stick with reputable brands.


 
Low Acid Foods Packaged in Hermetically Sealed Containers
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What You Need to Know:

  • They are commonly referred to as low-acid-canned-foods (or "LACF") even though they may not be packaged in a can.

  • Low Acid Foods in Hermetically Sealed Containers are by definition (1) shelf stable, (2) heat-treated (3) have a pH of >4.6 and (4) a water activity of 0.85

  • Examples of Low Acid Foods in Hermetically Sealed Containers include: shelf-stable milk in pouches, canned beans, vegetable broth in a pouch.

  • There are 2 primary methods for processing LACF: Using a Retort (pressuring cooker) and Aseptic Processing (a sterile packaging process)

  • They are regulated in 21 CFR Part 113: Thermally Processed Low Acid Foods Packaged in Hermetically Sealed Containers

Key Terms

Low Acid Foods have a pH of >4.6 and a water activity of >0.85

Hermetically Sealed Container is packaging which prevents the entry of microorganisms and maintains the commercial sterility of the contents.

Commercial Sterility means there is zero microbiological activity (including bacteria, spores or anything that could reproduce under shelf-stable conditions

LACF ("Low-Acid-Canned-Food"): This term is used interchangeably with "Low Acid Foods Packaged in Hermetically Sealed Containers". It may apply to foods packaged in containers other than cans (i.e. flexible pouches or jars) which is why the term "hermetically sealed container" is used.

Examples of Low Acid Canned Foods:

This list only includes food products that would be governed under the FDA. Foods that fit the definition of LACF and contain >2% meat content are governed under the USDA.

  • shelf-stable milk (commonly packaged in pouches)

  • Canned tuna

  • Canned black beans

  • Canned corn

  • Canned mushrooms

  • Canned Cauliflower

  • Shelf-stable vegetable broth

Does Part 113 Apply to your food product?

Is my product a Low-Acid-Canned-Food (LACF)?

Even if your product is not "canned", it may fall under the regulation of Part 113. Use the flow (above) to the right to determine whether your product is considered a LACF (aka "low acid food in a hermetically sealed container")

Requirements for Producers of LACF

Personnel

The operators of a processing system that produces LACF must have attended an FDA approved course that instructs on how to safely process these foods. An example of an approved course is "The Better Process Control School" which is offered online or in person.

Source: Part 113.40

Equipment and Procedures

The bulk of regulation under Part 113 relates to the requirements for thermal processing and aseptic processing.

Methods for Processing LACF

The two primary methods for processing low-acid-canned-foods are retort and aseptic processing.

Retort

A retort is a large pressure cooker. Sealed containers of food (typically cans, jars, or pouches) are loaded into the retort and heated using steam and pressure. This thermal treatment kills all of the microbiological activity in the containers.

In a retort process, products are treated after they are packaged and sealed.

The use of high pressure allows the retort to achieve temperatures above boiling, which allows for products to rapidly achieve sterility.

Examples of Foods Processed by Retort: Canned beans, canned vegetables, canned soup, canned tuna

Aseptic Processes

In an aseptic process, the food products are heat processed prior to packaging. Since there is a risk that the packaging or food may become contaminated in the packaging step, the entire process takes place under sterile conditions (hence the term aseptic).

Aseptic manufacturing requires tremendous control to maintain a sterile environment during processing. The machinery to perform this type of process is typically very expensive.

Examples of Foods Processed by Aseptic Process: Shelf-Stable Milk, juice boxes

Exemptions for Producers of Low Acid Canned Foods (LACF)

Processors who operate under Part 113 are exempt from the following requirements:

  • Subpart C (Hazard Analysis and Risk Based Preventive Controls)

  • Subpart G Supply Chain Controls

However, this exemption only applies in regards to microbiological hazards regulated under Part 113. Simply -- if the food processor identifies chemical or physical hazards in their production process, they must address those hazards as they are outlined in Subpart C.

Additionally, if the processor identifies a hazard that requires a supplier-applied preventive control, then the processor would have to conduct supplier verification activities as described in Subpart G.

Source: Part 117.5 (d) (1) & (2)

FAQ

Are fermented foods regulated under Part 113?

If the fermented food has a pH of >4.6 and a water activity > 0.85, then it is considered a "low-acid-canned food" (LACF) and is regulated under Part 113.

If the fermented food has a pH of <4.6 then it is not regulated as a Low-Acid-Canned-Food (Part 113) OR an acidified food (Part 114).

Are Alcoholic Beverages Regulated Under Part 113?

No. Alcoholic beverages are not regulated under Part 113 (Low Acid Foods in Hermetically Sealed Containers) or Part 114 (Acidified Foods).

Sources

21 CFR Part 113 -- Thermally Processed Low Acid Foods Packaged in Hermetically Sealed Containers