3-A Sanitary Standards and 3-A Accepted Practices
3-A SSI formulates sanitary standards and accepted practices for the sanitary design, fabrication, installation and cleanability of dairy and food equipment or systems used to handle, process and package consumable products where a high degree of sanitation is required. These sanitary standards and accepted practices are developed through the cooperative efforts of industry experts. 3-A Sanitary Standards provide material specifications, design criteria and other necessary information for equipment types to satisfy public health concerns. 3-A Sanitary Standards are available for many equipment types, from fittings to silo tanks. The goal of 3-A SSI is to protect consumable products from contamination and to ensure that all product surfaces can be mechanically (CIP) cleaned or easily dismantled for manual cleaning.
3-A Accepted Practices cover a system, which is defined as a set of connected equipment and machinery that forms a whole or works together. In addition to the criteria for equipment, a practice may also provide specifications for sanitary installation and legal controls. 3-A criteria is universally accepted by equipment manufacturers, fabricators, users and sanitarians.
3-A Sanitary Standards Benefit the Entire Industry
For processors, conforming to 3-A Sanitary Standards means they are in compliance with applicable sanitary codes for equipment construction. Processors also can be assured that with equipment meeting 3-A Sanitary Standards, they can apply the most modern cleaning and sanitizing methods, materials and systems to in-plant operations. This increased efficiency in equipment cleaning means lower cleaning costs, especially labor costs. Inspections will present fewer problems when equipment complies with 3-A Sanitary Standards.
For equipment manufacturers, it means equipment fabricated in conformance to 3-A Sanitary Standards will receive universal acceptance from processors and sanitarians. Manufacturers can benefit by the development of standardized equipment to replace custom-made equipment with the resulting savings in tooling, dies, patterns and retrofitting to meet varying local requirements.
For sanitarians, the adoption and application of uniform design and construction principles has made equipment inspection more sophisticated and consistent. Sanitarians have been able to test and refine inspection procedures, thus maximizing time and efficiency. Sanitarians are able to apply sanitary principles pioneered by 3-A to all food handling equipment. Sanitary codes and guidelines issued by regulatory agencies for equipment are often based on 3-A Sanitary Standards. More importantly, sanitarians can have confidence in standards and the resulting equipment design that colleagues have had a major voice in developing.
Developing New 3-A Sanitary Standards and 3-A Accepted Practices
Do you have a product that you would like to have a 3-A Symbol for, but currently there is not a 3-A Sanitary Standard covering this product and consequently no 3-A Symbol can be granted? Or are you a regulatory sanitarian who would benefit from consulting a 3-A Sanitary Standard for a piece of equipment you are inspecting? Or are you a processor in search of a piece of equipment that has a 3-A Symbol, but 3-A Symbols are not issued for that type of equipment since there is not a 3-A Sanitary Standard covering the equipment? If the answer to any of these questions is "yes," you should consider submitting a proposal to 3-A SSI to develop a new 3-A Sanitary Standard. Likewise, you can request that a new 3-A Accepted Practice be developed, if a need exists. Accepted Practices provide guidance for a process or system, but do not have a 3-A Symbol associated with them.
3-A SSI is receptive to new activities and strives to be responsive to industry standardization needs. Once approval to proceed with the development of a new standard is given by the 3-A Steering Committee, the appropriate Work Group will be tasked to develop a first draft. It is appropriate for the proponent to be active, and possibly even chair the task group, so you will be invited to participate.
To request consideration of a new 3-A Sanitary Standard or 3-A Accepted Practice, download and complete the attached 3-A Sanitary Standards and 3-A Accepted Practices Project Proposal Form (DOC). Follow the instructions and e-mail the completed form to Nate Wall, at nwall@3-a.org. You may also use this form to propose a revision to an existing 3-A Sanitary Standard or 3-A Accepted Practice. Please be sure to submit the exact wording you would like to see in the 3-A Sanitary Standard or 3-A Accepted Practice, if possible. If you need assistance, you may contact Nate Wall for guidance. Your proposal will be evaluated by the 3-A Steering Committee and, if approved, will be forwarded to the appropriate Working Group for further development. Your contact information will also be added to the Working Group so you will be afforded the opportunity to participate.
Status of 3-A Sanitary Standards and 3-A Accepted Practices Activities Now in Progress
Follow this link to a comprehensive status report chart on all work now in progress. The status chart is updated on a frequent basis. For more details on work in progress, contact the Working Group chair or 3-A SSI.