Taking Care of Beverage-Grade Gasses Through the Entire Supply Chain

Improving product quality and performance at every corner is a driver for many breweries. Breaking that need for quality can even come down to choosing and strengthening relationships with vendors and best practices for beverage-grade gasses.

Sometimes forgotten, CO2 is an ingredient in a brewery’s product. It’s application can help in achieving proper mouthfeel and the look of a certain beer.

“Brewers should ensure that they purchase beverage-grade gases from suppliers that understand and comply with FSMA (Food Safety Modernization Act) regulations,” said Sal Calandra, Food Quality and Safety Manager for Linde LLC, during a recent workshop during the World Brewing Congress.

Calandra manages Linde’s bulk gas quality and food safety management systems. The implementation of a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point program by a supplier can identify and mitigate a potential food safety risk in the carbon dioxide supply chain.

Calandra said that some previous best practices pertaining to the supply of beverage-grade gases are now mandatory under new FSMA requirements and he noted that as part of its own food safety programs, brewers should ensure that their beverage gas suppliers, including distributors, are also in compliance.

Some of these mandatory requirements include a detailed written procedure; employee training programs; product traceability programs; risk assessment programs; approved food safety plans; and food safety audits.

“We see brewers of all sizes beginning to adopt guidelines consistent with ISBT (International Society of Beverage Technologists),” Calandra said.

However, he noted, some food and beverage gas distributors or craft breweries may not be aware of the new FSMA requirements or the recently updated ISBT ‘Fountain Carbon Dioxide Quality & Food Safety Guideline.’

“The beverage industry has always been focused on quality standards because CO2 is an ingredient in their product,” Calandra said. “Quality extends across the entire supply chain. It is important to many industries.”