Allergen Processing FAQs

What type of facility do you use to manufacture your protein powders?

Growing Naturals rice and pea proteins are manufactured in a GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) Certified facility.  This certification is regulated by the FDA under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. The certification ensures that the facility adheres to very strict procedures for the manufacturing of products and especially handling of allergens.

What allergens are processed in your facility?

Our facility manufactures products with all major allergens EXCEPT for eggs.

How do you limit/control cross-contamination?

Specific standards are set forth under the GMP certification. Firstly, all employees must have documented training on allergen handling. In addition, the following measures are taken to limit cross-contamination:

  1. Schedule of processing runs
    1. Products containing allergenic ingredients are scheduled to run back-to-back in order to minimize changeovers.
    2. Production areas for allergenic and non-allergenic products are segregated whenever possible, but if not possible, then non-allergen products are run before allergenic products.
    3. Sanitation of production areas is completed after the production of any foods/products containing allergenic ingredients.
    4. When product design permits, allergenic ingredients are added as late in the process as possible.
  2. Use of dedicated systems
    1. Whenever possible, dedicated processing equipment and lines are used to prevent allergen cross contact.
    2. Dedicated tools, containers, and utensils are used and color coded or clearly marked.
    3. Personnel working on processing lines containing allergenic ingredients are restricted from working on non-allergenic production lines
  3. Maintain equipment to ensure that the systems are operating as designed
  4. Design traffic patterns and airflow in the production facility to prevent allergen cross-contact.
  5. Ingredient segregation
    1. All suppliers (of ingredients) must provide proper documentation and certifications for ingredients. Once received, the ingredients are properly labeled and separated in the warehouse with allergens stored in separate rooms from non-allergen ingredients.

Is the machinery taken apart and cleaned after allergen-containing products are manufactured?

Absolutely yes. A complete equipment clean-down is performed after any allergens have run on the machines.  This involves tearing down all the components of the equipment and removing them to a sanitation room where everything is washed and sanitized before it is released for re-use.  The work room which processed the allergens is also entirely cleaned and sanitized. The machinery cannot be released for re-use unless it passes ATP testing.  While ATP does not detect allergens, it detects very low residual levels of dust which will trigger a failure and the equipment would have to be entirely re-cleaned.   This cleaning process is a validated method for cleaning, sanitation and allergen control.

Do you test the final product for allergens?

The final product is not tested for allergens other than gluten and soy.

Has your facility ever had any cases of allergic reactions to an allergen-free product made there?

To date, there has never been any allergic reactions stemming from any allergen-free products (including ours) made at our manufacturing facility.

 

Wondering about the Natural Flavors in our products? Rest assured they are also allergen-friendly. Please read more about them and all our other carefully-picked ingredients here.

 

Last Updated: 01/03/2024