scope:

This 3-A Sanitary Standard applies to the sanitary aspects of equipment for holding, forming, dispensing, filling, weighing, deaerating, closing, and/or sealing containers, and all parts which are essential to these functions when they are performed as an integral part of the packaging operation. Product enters the equipment/system at the infeed point and exits at the discharge of the equipment/system. The equipment shall perform one or more of the following functions:

1. Holding the container preparatory to further processing

2. Forming the container

3. Dispensing a preformed container

4. Opening the container

5. Rinsing the container

6. Sanitizing or disinfecting the container

7. Applying and sealing a supplementary fitment or device

8. Deaerating/purging the container

9. Weighing the product and/or filled container

10. Filling the container

11. Sealing the container

12. Closing the container

13. Capping the container

14. Wrapping the product

15. Applying a tamper-evident security seal

16. Other processing equipment (as defined herein)

This standard does not apply to the container nor to a supply duct(s) or delivery system which is not a part of the packaging equipment.

To conform to this 3-A Sanitary Standard, equipment for packaging non-fluid products shall conform to the following criteria for design, materials of construction, fabrication techniques and installation, as appropriate, and the current revisions or editions of all referenced documents cited herein.