BRC Global Standard for Food Safety F813: Understanding Air Quality Requirements and Air Filter Specification in Food Production will assist managers during an air quality and filter specification risk assessment process.

James Draycott, UK segment manager for Food and Beverage at Camfil, explained: “Until now, there has been no real guidance for food production facilities on the levels of air quality required to ensure that food is safe or that the quality is up to standard.”

Camfil and BRC Global decided the best way to resolve this was to produce a separate, standalone document linked to Version 8 of the wider BRC standard for the food industry, that would go into the detail regarding air quality requirements for food factories and recent changes in filtration classification and testing standards.

Mr Draycott said: “Essentially, we give guidance to the food companies on air filtration and air quality so they can carry out a risk assessment with the appropriate knowledge. The guidance also explains what efficiencies filters needed to be for certain food environments.”

Understanding Air Quality Requirements and Air Filter Specification in Food Production includes sections on ISO16890, the standard for testing and classifying air filtration and EN16798 - 3: 2017: Energy performance of buildings.

It covers ventilation for buildings, specifying filters, air filtration energy efficiency, and maintenance, condition and hygiene monitoring.