Issue link: http://palletcentral.uberflip.com/i/507696
INDUSTRY a country with a tropical climate (e.g. Brazil) to control mold growth with a fungicide, resulting in the use of the phenol-based TBP and TCP. The problem arises when these very effective fungicides are applied to lumber used to manufacture pallets, and if the pallets are not properly stored (i.e. pallet management program) by either the pallet manufacturer or the supply chain that uses them, the phenol can convert to the anisole, which once again smells like mold. Moreover the anisoles have a very low odor threshold (i.e. at parts per million many people can smell TBA/TCA). Understanding the pallet manufacturing process and not allowing TCP or TBP on wood or pallets is a first step towards controlling these taints in the pharma supply chain, but that is not the only CAPA (corrective action/preventive action). Proper pallet storage away from weather elements with adequate ventilation is just as important. The Ubiquitous Nature of Anisoles (and what about bleach) For example, a shipping container used to transport pineapples or bananas or any "organic" product may experience some juice leakage onto the container floor. If the transport container has wood runners (see Australian booklet) and the container is washed out with bleach (an acceptable procedure), but the bleach is allowed to sit and soak into the wood, this can naturally produce an anisole (note bleach is hypochloric acid (HOCl)). These containers that are washed with bleach (but not rinsed), are the cause of a great many of the taints found in food products. CAPA The following recommendations were discussed in great detail in articles #2 and #3. General recommended corrective actions/best practices/standard operating procedures (SOP) for effective pallet management are: • Pharma manufacturers need to know their pallet supplier, and make them part of their supplier program as an approved vendor (with agreed upon specifications). • Make pallet management part of audit program for third party manufactures (TPMs) including packaging supplier and commodity (e.g. plastic bottles). • Specification – Don't apply any halogenated fungicides on wood pallets. 18 PalletCentral • March-April 2015 palletcentral.com