SAMPLING IN A BOTTLING FACTORY

George Dialynas

a Seminar for Line People

Specific feature

• In bottling facilities, a great part of the samples do not need to be “extracted” and put into a container: the end-product itself (a bottle of water) is the sample

• Then, 2 sampling procedures– Water before bottling and in the facility– Bottled water

Organize sampling in factory: water before bottling and facilities

Select Personnel and train themSelect proper bottles/closures for the parameters

to be analyzedSelect how to package and transport samplesSelect equipment for preservation and preventing

undesirable changes to the samples, until the time of the analysis Target: the sample analyzed should be representative of the water and facility at the moment of sampling

Organize sampling in factory: bottles Select Personnel and train themSelect the number and timing of filled bottles to be

analyzedSelect materials for packaging and transportation Select equipment for preservation and preventing undesirable changes to the samples, until the time of the analysis

Target: the sample analyzed should be representative of the bottled water at the moment of sampling

A. Bottling Factory

Quality control in the following points:• Source water• Storage tank (if any)• Before and after each permitted Treatment

/Filtration• Fillers• Final Product from the production line (after

filling)• Finished product warehouse• Sampling-analysis during and after cleaning-

disinfecting the production and the filling line

Where Do We Sample?

Sampling frequency

POINTS OF SAMPLINGCONTROL-MONITORING

TYPE OF ANALYSIS VOLUME PRODUCTION

FREQUENCYOF SAMPLING AND ANALYSIS

WATER RESOURCESPRING/DRILLING

WELL/PUMPING STATION

OPTICAL CONTROLSAMPLING

COMPLETE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS

TABLE WATER, 4 TIMES /YEAR)

SAMPLING TYPICAL CHEMICAL ANALYSIS MINIMUM 4 TIMES PER YEAR

SAMPLING MICROBIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS

≤20 m3/day ONCE PER YEAR

≤50 m3/day ONCE PER MONTH

≤100 m3/day ONCE PER 4 DAYS

≥100 m3/day 1 for each 5 m3/day and part thereof of the total volume

TANKS OF STORAGE OR SAMPLING TAP BEFORE THE FILTRATION

SAMPLING MICROBIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS (*)

INTERMEDIATE FILTERS OR TREATMENT (IF > THAN 1 )

OPTICAL CONTROLSAMPLING

MICROBIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS (*)

FINAL TANK STORAGE OR SAMPLING TAP AFTER FILTRATION

SAMPLING MICROBIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS (*)

BOTTLING OPTICAL CONTROLSAMPLING

MICROBIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS (*) AT LEAST ONCE DAILY TYPICAL CHEMICAL ANALYSIS (*)

AFTER BOTTLING OPTICAL CONTROLSAMPLING

MICROBIOLOGICAL ANALYSISCHEMICAL ANALYSIS

(*)

REGULAR SAMPLING FOR TABLE WATER

CRITICAL LIMITS : QUALITY OF WATER GUIDELINES 98/83-EU (*) DEFINED BY THE PROGRAM FOR THE QUALITY CONTROL AND BY THE PRODUCTION MANAGER

Sampling frequency

POINTS OF SAMPLINGCONTROL-MONITORING TYPE OF ANALYSIS VOLUME

PRODUCTIONFREQUENCYOF SAMPLING AND ANALYSIS

WATER RESOURCESPRING/DRILLING

WELL/PUMPING STATION

OPTICAL CONTROLSAMPLING

COMPLETED CHEMICAL ANALYSIS MINIMUM 1 PER YEAR

SAMPLING TYPICAL CHEMICAL ANALYSIS MINIMUM FOUR TIMES PER YEAR

SAMPLING MICROBIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS

≤20 m3/day ONCE PER YEAR

≤50m3/day ONCE PER MONTH

≤100m3/day ONCE PER 4 DAYS

≥100m3/day 1 for each 5 m3/dayand part thereof of the total volume

TANKS OF STORAGE SAMPLING MICROBIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS (*)

FILTERS OPTICAL CONTROLSAMPLING

MICROBIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS (*)

DISINFECTION SAMPLING MICROBIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS (*)

FINAL TANK STORAGE SAMPLING MICROBIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS (*)

BOTTLING OPTICAL CONTROLSAMPLING

MICROBIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS (*)AT LEAST ONCE DAILY

TYPICAL CHEMICAL ANALYSIS (*)

AFTER BOTTLING OPTICAL CONTROLSAMPLING

MICROBIOLOGICAL ANALYSISCHEMICAL ANALYSIS

(*)

REGULAR SAMPLING FOR MINERAL WATER

CRITICAL LIMITS : QUALITY OF WATER GUIDELINES 98/83-EU (*) DEFINED BY THE PROGRAM FOR THE QUALITY CONTROL AND BY THE PRODUCTION MANAGER

How and where to sample?

Don’t forget: for microbiological analysis5 empty bottles and 5-10 caps are necessary

For Microbiological Analysis:

Before Bottling: • Choose proper sampling tap (faucet), • “burn” the outlet of the tap with a piece of cotton, moistened with alcohol. After 5-

10 minutes sample can be taken• If the faucet has not been used for a long time, leave it flowing for a minute to take a

fresh-representative sample

Materials: Glass bottles of 1000 mL, with special glass caps, For pathogens’ analysis use more bottles for at least 4000 mLFor disinfected water with residual chlorine, add 0.3 mL of solution of Na2S2O3

(3%w/v), per 500 mL of sample

Sampling water from a tap for microbiological analysis

1. Carefully clean and disinfect the inside and

outside of the tap.

2. Open the tap and let water flow for 2-3 minutes or until the water temperature

has stabilized.

5. Take a water sample with the

sample container

3. Turn off the tap and sterilize the spout by heating it with a blow lamp, gas torch or by

igniting a piece of cotton wool soaked

with methylated spirits until any water in the tap

boils.

4. Take care not to allow the container to touch the tap.

How and where do we sample?

* Do not extract consecutive bottles from the line

take samples:After bottles are closed (capped)*

5 bottles of each product (0.25, 0.33, 0.5, 0.75, 1, 1.5, 8, 10, 12, 20 liter) after the point of capping

Finished products from storage

5 bottles of each product (0.25, 0.33, 0.5, 0.75, 1, 1.5, 8, 10, 12, 20 liter) from the same lot.

After Bottling (finished product and storage)

General Requirements1. Meet the requirements of the sampling program2. Handle sample so that it does not deteriorate or

become contaminated or compromised before being analyzed

3. Ensure sampling equipments are clean and its quality assured before using them

4. Use clean and free of contaminants sample containers

General Requirements5. Pre-rinse sample containers with water to be

sampled 6. Make a record of every sample collected and

identify every single bottle7. Label bottles and document sufficient

information for sample identification8. Before collecting samples from distribution

systems, flush lines with 3-5 pipe volumes (or until water is being drawn from the main source)

Do not open the sample container

until just before taking the water sample

At no time should the sampler’s

fingers come in contact with the

inside of the sample container

Collect samples for microbiological

examination in sterile containers

The time between collection and the start of analysis shall not exceed 24 hours, with

minimum possible mixing of the

sample

Use a new pair of rubber gloves for each sample

Sterilize the gloves if not sterilized

ΜΕΘΟΔΟΛΟΓΙΑREMARKS for PERSONEL IN CHARGE OF SAMPLING

Sampling bottled water

1. Take samples of bottled water carefully

2. Ensure always that the bottled water

samples are filled and capped correctly

6. Keep aware the responsible person for

the sampling, the sending and delivery of the samples to the lab

3. Be sure that a label has been put on the sample, with all the

information required

4. Keep the sample in the refrigerator

until the moment of sending the sample

to the lab

Target: the quality of the samples analyzed should be representative of the water quality at the moment of sampling.

5. Samples should be placed on ice in an insulated container until delivering the samples to the lab

Documentation and sufficient information for sample identification (indicative)

Put labels in any sample(including bar-code labels) - every sample a unique identification number Include - name of the sample collector - date and exact time- exact location of sampling- sample type- kind of analysis to be performed - water temperature during sampling

• Bacteria do not survive well in water• Temperature can affect bacteria survival• Samples should be placed on ice in an insulated

container if they cannot be tested right away• Ideally – all samples should be tested within 6 hours of

sampling• If the time exceeds 6 hours, note this in your report• Samples exceeding 30 hours (between collection and

testing) should be avoided to be tested and in any case note this in your report

Transporting Samples

SELECTING PROPER MATERIALS OF THE SAMPLING BOTTLES/CONTAINERS

• For chemical analysis: PET or Glass Bottle

• For pesticides-herbicides analysis: Glass dark bottle or covered with dark cover. If bottled in PET, decant immediately in a glass bottle

• For radioactivity measurement: PET or glass bottle. Acidize the sample to pH 2.5-3.0 with an acid (e.g. ΗΝΟ3, ΗCl)

Thank you!!