scope:

This standard provides directions for the design, construction, and operation of plants for the hygienic processing and aseptic filling of products that are sensitive to microbiological spoilage in a manner which prevents recontamination and without using preservatives or other microbial inactivation measures in the filled packaging.

This standard formulates the hygiene requirements for filling plants and their peripherals designed for filling and sealing dairy products in packaging which has been pre-sterilised or which has been formed and sterilised in the filling plant in a manner which prevents recontamination. The prerequisites for correct filling are listed in Annex A.

Specific requirements for individual filling plants are dictated by the products and their pretreatment. This standard applies to the following products:

• milk and milk-based drinks

• whey and dairy products

• dessert products

• cream products

• rice pudding

• fermented milk products (e.g. yoghurt, kefir, quark)

• foods added to the aforementioned products (e.g. cereals, fruit, chocolate, confectionery)

• plant-based milk substitutes (e.g. soya milk, cream substitutes)

The standard also applies to pumpable foods and pastes, e.g. soups, sauces, baby food, and purees. The product being filled determines whether the filling machines are required to comply with VDMA Hygiene Class IV (low-germ/without recontamination) or VDMA Hygiene Class V (aseptic) (VDMA - Verband Deutscher Maschinen- und Anlagenbau e. V.).

Aseptic filling plants for pharmaceuticals are not covered by this standard because concepts and requirements within the pharmaceutical industry differ from those of the food and drinks industry.