O. Reg. 119/11: PRODUCE, HONEY AND MAPLE PRODUCTS

[wmick]

I apologize if this has been discussed at length here.. Did a search and didn't find much.
I went to a tubing workshop on the weekend and this subject was brought up...

New amendment to our Ontario legislation regarding equipment used in Maple Production, coming into force this coming January...
Although everyone is quite comfortable with food-grade containers, tubing, pans, etc... this new legislation is quite concerning to a lot of producers, as it essentially means that any Pump being used for sap or syrup will need to be 100% food grade...
Many pumps being used to transfer sap now do not have food grade seals in them... and gear pumps often use brass or bronze gears that contain lead and do not qualify as food grade...

Just curious if other jurisdictions have similar stringent rules.?.. and how producers are able to adhere? Seems that even the maple equipment suppliers don't have a lot of 100% food grade transfer/pressure equipment available yet.



It now reads....
Premises, honey and maple products
6. Every person who operates premises at which honey and maple products are produced or packed shall maintain the premises, and the facilities, equipment and utensils used in their production or packing, in a clean and sanitary condition. O. Reg. 127/12, s. 4.

Note: On January 1, 2018, section 6 of the Regulation is amended by adding the following subsections: (See: O. Reg. 354/15, s. 1)

(2) Every person who operates premises at which maple products that are intended to be sold are produced or packed shall ensure that all equipment, utensils, containers or other food contact surfaces that are used during the production or packing of maple products and will come into contact with the maple products during their production or packing, are made of food grade material that is non-toxic and that will not cause or contribute to the contamination of the maple products. O. Reg. 354/15, s. 1.

(3) Every person who collects, stores or transports maple sap for use in maple products that are intended to be sold shall ensure that all equipment, utensils, containers or other food contact surfaces that are used during the collection, storage or transportation of the maple sap are made of food grade material that is non-toxic and that will not cause or contribute to the contamination of the maple sap. O. Reg. 354/15, s. 1.

[Sinzibuckwud]

I apologize if this has been discussed at length here.. Did a search and didn't find much.
I went to a tubing workshop on the weekend and this subject was brought up...

New amendment to our Ontario legislation regarding equipment used in Maple Production, coming into force this coming January...
Although everyone is quite comfortable with food-grade containers, tubing, pans, etc... this new legislation is quite concerning to a lot of producers, as it essentially means that any Pump being used for sap or syrup will need to be 100% food grade...
Many pumps being used to transfer sap now do not have food grade seals in them... and gear pumps often use brass or bronze gears that contain lead and do not qualify as food grade...

Just curious if other jurisdictions have similar stringent rules.?.. and how producers are able to adhere? Seems that even the maple equipment suppliers don't have a lot of 100% food grade transfer/pressure equipment available yet.



It now reads....
Premises, honey and maple products
6. Every person who operates premises at which honey and maple products are produced or packed shall maintain the premises, and the facilities, equipment and utensils used in their production or packing, in a clean and sanitary condition. O. Reg. 127/12, s. 4.

Note: On January 1, 2018, section 6 of the Regulation is amended by adding the following subsections: (See: O. Reg. 354/15, s. 1)

(2) Every person who operates premises at which maple products that are intended to be sold are produced or packed shall ensure that all equipment, utensils, containers or other food contact surfaces that are used during the production or packing of maple products and will come into contact with the maple products during their production or packing, are made of food grade material that is non-toxic and that will not cause or contribute to the contamination of the maple products. O. Reg. 354/15, s. 1.

(3) Every person who collects, stores or transports maple sap for use in maple products that are intended to be sold shall ensure that all equipment, utensils, containers or other food contact surfaces that are used during the collection, storage or transportation of the maple sap are made of food grade material that is non-toxic and that will not cause or contribute to the contamination of the maple sap. O. Reg. 354/15, s. 1.

There are many food grade pumps available outside of the maple industry...good luck.

[BAP]

I bet you are going to be hard pressed to find a gas powered pump for pumping sap onto a truck that is “Food Grade/Safe”.

[Bricklayer]

I was planning on getting a Honda wx10 this year for our new bush. No power there at all. Has to be gas powered.
What options are out there for a gas powered "food grade" pump?
$700 + stainless jet pump and a generator?
Even a lot of the stainless jet pumps are not rated food grade. They have a stainless pump casing but the impeller and seals are not food grade.
And I'm sure the potable water rating on the pump means nothing when it comes to maple.

[Big_Eddy]

Pumps are the one area of the new regulations that are going to cause problems.

Food Grade is more stringent than suitable for potable water. For pumps, I can see requiring them to be approved for potable water, but IMO, specifying food grade for pumping is going to result in a lot of "non-compliance" in practice. Make it reasonably easy to comply and people will change. Make it difficult and people will continue to do what they have always done. Why spend a few hundred to replace that rusty old sump pump with a potable water pump, if you're still not going to pass???

As a side note - the WX10/15 Honda pumps that are commonly used and suggested to others are not designed for potable water.
"The Honda WX10 pump is designed to pump only water that is not intended for human consumption"