Food sampling pouch

The food sampling pouch offers a single-use solution for packing food samples separately and storing them in an identifiable way. The 21 × 35 cm pouch can be used to hold samples of both liquid and solid food, with appropriate filling and sealing. In the sampling workflow, clean handling, accurate labelling and orderly storage in the cold room play the main role. It is worth integrating the pouch into the daily kitchen routine for these operations.

Single-use sample packaging

With pouches, a separate pack can be used for each sample, so washing up and re-preparing the container is not part of the next sampling. The storage and issuing of empty pouches must be organised so that their inner surface remains protected until use. It is advisable to prepare the required pouch, marker and sealer in advance at the sampling point. A tidy work area helps keep the data and packs belonging to the samples consistently together during operations. It is advisable to designate an easily accessible place for the marker and the sealer.

Filling and sealing

When choosing the 21 × 35 cm size, besides placing the sample, enough clean surface must be left for the top seal. With liquid food, supporting the pouch and the filling sequence deserve particular attention, while with solid pieces it is important to keep the sealing surface free. An impulse sealer can be used for sealing, with settings matched to the pouch. The continuity of the seal and the integrity of the pack must be checked on the sealed sample before it goes to the designated storage place.

Legible, unambiguous identification

The pouch can be labelled with an alcohol-based marker. The label must include the name of the dish, the name of the person taking the sample and the time of sampling to the hour and minute. The details are best written on a surface where they are easy to read on the finished pack. The seal and labelling must be designed so that the contents cannot be accessed without visibly damaging the pack. When sampling several dishes, clearly distinct identification of the pouches helps with later retrieval.

Retention within the sampling routine

Annex 4 to Decree 62/2011. (VI. 30.) VM requires, in the public catering and event catering cases concerned, at least 100 grams of sample of each dish to be retained for 72 hours in a refrigerated space between 0 and +5 °C. The sample must be put aside at the end of serving or of the meal service. The packaging must protect the sample from contamination during both sampling and storage. It is worth arranging the pouches in a clear order, so that their labelling and condition can be checked when needed.

When choosing a food sampling pouch, it is also worth reviewing the layout of the sampling point and the available sealer. The Kollár Pakk pouch provides a practical format for handling separately packed, labelled samples. If you would also like help choosing the sealing equipment, please describe the planned workflow, so that the use of the pouch and the sealer can be coordinated.

Technical features

• The packaging material is completely sterile and germ-free
• Sampling takes one simple, quick movement
• All you need in addition is an alcohol-based marker
• Unlike glass, it does not break
• Suitable for storing both liquid and solid food
• No washing up or sterilising, and no staff needed for it
• Cost-effective

1. In public catering and in event catering serving more than 29 portions a day, a separate food sample of at least 100 grams of each dish must be retained for 72 hours, packed in a container as specified in point 3, in a refrigerated space at a temperature between 0 and +5°C.
2. The food sample must be placed in the container or packaging at the end of serving or of the meal service.
3. Food samples may only be kept in a clean container or packaging that is microbiologically and chemically suitable, cannot contaminate the food sample and protects it from contamination during storage.
4. The container or packaging must be closed and labelled so that its contents cannot be tampered with without visibly damaging the closure and the packaging.
5. The food sample label must state the name of the dish, the name of the person taking the sample and the time of sampling to the hour and minute.
6. No separate food sample needs to be retained in a serving kitchen located on the same premises as the production kitchen
7. For products from another food business or premises that are supplied to the final consumer in their original packaging, the food sample may be replaced by recording the product name, the manufacturer or distributor, the best-before or use-by date and – where available – the batch code.
8. It is forbidden to subject the food sample to any subsequent treatment that could change its microbial count or composition.