AquaVerify

Water quality control for food and beverage production

AquaVerify helps QA, production and EHS teams coordinate sampling, microbiological controls, laboratory partners, digital evidence and reports to protect product safety, operational continuity and brand reputation.

Water quality control for food and beverage production

Water is not only a utility: it can be an ingredient, a contact surface and a batch-release factor

In food and beverage operations, a water deviation can affect production, food safety, cleaning, process validation, suppliers and audits. Control requires clear data, point-level traceability and fast response capability.

  • Contamination risk: Water can come into direct contact with food, beverages, packaging, surfaces and equipment. Each point must be documented according to its risk.
  • Pressure on batch release: Quality and production teams need reliable results to make decisions without holding the plant longer than needed.
  • Scattered data: Samples, emails, spreadsheets, laboratory reports and corrective actions lose value when they are not connected.
  • Demanding audits: HACCP, customers, suppliers and certification schemes require consistent historical evidence that is easy to review.

One shared workflow for quality, production, EHS and laboratory teams

AquaVerify organizes water control around the decisions made every day in a food or beverage facility.

  • Quality and food safety managers: Plan sampling points, review results, manage deviations and prepare audit evidence.
  • Production and operations: Need visibility on process water, critical points, affected batches and continuity decisions.
  • EHS and maintenance: Monitor treatment, tanks, circuits, cleaning, sanitation and preventive actions.
  • Internal or external laboratory: Receive samples with context, run tests, register batches, document readings and issue reports.
  • Procurement and supplier audit: Track laboratories, consumables, service agreements, CoA and analytical performance.

Traceable workflow for process water and microbiological controls

Each sample keeps its context: site, line, point, matrix, related product, operator, kit, batch, reading, review and final report.

  • Control plan: Define points, matrices, frequency, criteria, owners and relationship with the HACCP plan.
  • Sampling: Record location, line, tank, time, operator, conditions and chain of custody.
  • Test or laboratory: Connect kit, medium, batch, method, controls, incubation, reading and technical evidence.
  • QA review: Compare the result with history, trend, operational criterion and related product or batch.
  • Plant action: Document release, hold, resampling, sanitation or investigation according to the internal procedure.
  • Report and audit: Generate history, CoA, evidence and traceability for customers, audits and internal review.

Use cases for plants where water is an ingredient, contact material or process support

The workflow can fit single-site plants, industrial groups, internal laboratories, partner laboratories and risk-based self-control programmes.

  • Beverages and bottled water: Control ingredient water, filling points, tanks, lines and finished product when applicable.
  • Prepared and processed foods: Track water used in mixing, cooking, cooling, cleaning, product contact or surface contact.
  • Dairy products: Trace process water, cleaning, final rinse, equipment and higher-risk areas.
  • Fruit and vegetable washing: Control washing water, recirculation, renewal, treatment and verification points.
  • CIP, sanitation and final rinse: Document circuits, operational validation and evidence linked to cleaning.
  • Multi-site plants and suppliers: Compare points, results, reports and performance across sites or laboratories.

Where to connect risk, sample and decision

Traceability turns isolated controls into a decision system for the plant.

  • Incoming water: Changes in source, pretreatment, tankers, network, storage tanks or external supply. AquaVerify: Point, origin, matrix, frequency, owner and history.
  • Internal treatment: Deviations in filtration, disinfection, storage or recirculation. AquaVerify: Process, consumable batch, control, reading and action.
  • Process and contact: Use as ingredient, wash water, mixing, steam, ice or surface contact. AquaVerify: Sample linked to line, shift, batch, product and QA criterion.
  • CIP and rinse: Risk of residues, biofilm, sanitation failures or nonconforming final rinse. AquaVerify: Circuit, stage, operator, evidence, resampling and closure.
  • Laboratory: Transcription errors, loss of context, isolated reports or non-comparable readings. AquaVerify: Kit, batch, method, control, reading, review and CoA.
  • Audit and customer: Need to demonstrate control, monitoring and response to deviations. AquaVerify: History, dashboards, reports, corrective actions and documentary traceability.

Microbiology kits, digital traceability and reporting in one operational ecosystem

AquaVerify can be configured according to matrix, method, volume, laboratory model, control points, frequency and documentation requirements.

  • AquaVerify Cloud & App: Digital traceability. Samples, users, locations, lines, batches, photos, evidence, dashboards and reports connected.
  • INDICA Soma 100 mL: Somatic coliphages. Presence/absence detection for 100 mL samples when the programme requires viral indicators.
  • ENUMERA Soma 100 mL: Enumeration. Somatic coliphage enumeration in 100 mL with sample, batch, reading and result records.
  • PLAQUE Soma 100 mL / 1 mL: Plate workflows. Plate options for enumeration according to matrix, expected concentration and laboratory protocol.
  • MSA / MSB: Media. Media and components for workflows based on technical references for somatic coliphages.
  • Laboratory and CoA: Analytical coordination. Request, sample receipt, test execution, technical review, report and digital history in one workflow.

Built to work inside the food business operator’s self-control system

AquaVerify does not replace the legal obligations of the operator, competent authority or accredited laboratory scope. It acts as a product, traceability and reporting layer to better document the control of water used in food businesses.

  • RD 3/2023 and food businesses: Chapter VI covers the quality of drinking water used in food businesses, including compliance points, sampling, self-controls and the link with HACCP. https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2023-628
  • AESAN guide: Guidance for harmonised application of Chapter VI of RD 3/2023 on water quality in food businesses. https://www.aesan.gob.es/AECOSAN/docs/documentos/seguridad_alimentaria/gestion_riesgos/Guia_aplicacion_armonizada_RD_3_2023_industria_alimentaria.pdf
  • Regulation (EC) 852/2004: European framework for food hygiene and procedures based on HACCP principles. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/LSU/?uri=oj:JOL_2004_139_R_NS001
  • ISO 10705-2: Technical reference for enumeration of somatic coliphages when the laboratory includes it in its method. https://www.iso.org/standard/20127.html

From scattered controls to a defensible water programme

Deployment can start with a critical area and scale into a digital water-control system for the whole plant or group.

  • 1. Map water uses: Identify incoming water, treatment, tanks, lines, contact, CIP, rinse, product and sampling points. Outcome: Risk map
  • 2. Digitize samples: Record operator, point, time, matrix, chain of custody and production context at source. Outcome: Traceability
  • 3. Standardize tests: Connect kit, batch, method, controls, reading, review and result in a consistent workflow. Outcome: Less variability
  • 4. Connect decisions: Link results to batch, line, action, resampling, hold, release or investigation. Outcome: Faster response
  • 5. Optimize the programme: Use history and trends to adjust frequency, points, resources and control priorities. Outcome: Continuous improvement

How to deploy AquaVerify in a food or beverage plant

The project is configured around real water-use points, current methods, the laboratory model and quality reporting needs.

  • Initial assessment: Review water points, matrices, frequencies, methods, laboratories, software and audit requirements.
  • Workflow configuration: Define locations, lines, products, batches, owners, statuses, evidence and report templates.
  • Operational pilot: Run a critical area such as ingredient water, CIP, washing or beverage line to validate data and timing.
  • Scale-up: Deploy by plant, site, supplier or laboratory with indicators, history and periodic review.

Glossary

Key concepts for this sector

Glossary terms that help connect the sector workflow with sampling, microbiology, traceability and reporting.

Explore the technical glossary

  • Process water

    Process water is water used within an industrial or food operation as an ingredient, contact water, cleaning water, cooling water, recirculation water or process support.

    Sector relevance: Useful for selecting the right method, product family, sampling point, report or traceability workflow in water quality programs.

  • CIP

    CIP is cleaning in place of industrial lines, equipment or circuits without full disassembly. Rinse or process water may require microbiological control.

    Sector relevance: Connects cleaning, rinse water, production line, batch, result, deviation and audit evidence.

  • HACCP

    HACCP is a preventive hazard analysis and critical control point system used in food safety. For process water, it helps define control points and evidence.

    Sector relevance: Useful for selecting the right method, product family, sampling point, report or traceability workflow in water quality programs.

  • ISO 22000

    ISO 22000 is an international standard for food safety management systems. It can relate to control of water used as an ingredient, process aid or cleaning medium.

    Sector relevance: Useful for selecting the right method, product family, sampling point, report or traceability workflow in water quality programs.

  • Escherichia coli (E. coli)

    Escherichia coli is a thermotolerant coliform bacterium used worldwide as an indicator of recent fecal contamination. Its presence in drinking water generally requires investigation and corrective action under the applicable framework.

    Sector relevance: Relevant where water is ingredient, process, rinse or contact water and needs batch-facing evidence.

  • Total coliforms

    Total coliforms are a broad group of indicator bacteria that may occur in soil, water or fecal environments. They are used to assess system integrity, treatment effectiveness and possible operational issues.

    Sector relevance: Useful for selecting the right method, product family, sampling point, report or traceability workflow in water quality programs.

  • Sampling point

    A sampling point is the physical location or source where a sample is taken. It should be linked to customer, matrix, analytical plan and traceability.

    Sector relevance: Useful for selecting the right method, product family, sampling point, report or traceability workflow in water quality programs.

  • CoA / Certificate of Analysis

    A certificate of analysis is a formal report summarizing the sample, context, results, units, method, review and delivery to the customer or auditor.

    Sector relevance: Useful for selecting the right method, product family, sampling point, report or traceability workflow in water quality programs.

  • Kit lot

    A kit lot is the manufacturing or supply identifier associated with a kit or component. It should be linked to results when it affects traceability, quality or validation.

    Sector relevance: Useful for selecting the right method, product family, sampling point, report or traceability workflow in water quality programs.

  • Deviation

    A deviation is an incident or nonconformity against a plan, procedure, criterion or expectation. It should be documented, assessed and closed according to procedure.

    Sector relevance: Useful for selecting the right method, product family, sampling point, report or traceability workflow in water quality programs.

FAQ

Can AquaVerify support food and beverage companies?

Yes. AquaVerify helps structure requests, sampling, microbiological controls, laboratory partners, results and digital reports for plants where water is used as an ingredient, contact, cleaning medium or process support.

Is it compatible with HACCP?

Yes. The workflow can be configured around the points, frequencies, matrices and criteria defined by the company’s self-control system.

Does it replace the accredited laboratory?

No. AquaVerify does not replace the laboratory or define the accredited scope by itself. It connects sample, method, kit, batch, reading, review and report to improve traceability and reporting.

Which water points can be controlled?

Incoming water, tanks, internal treatment, ingredient water, process lines, washing, final rinse, CIP, ice, steam or any point defined by the control plan when relevant.

Can it work with external laboratories?

Yes. It can connect requests, sample receipt, analytical execution, CoA, history and follow-up with internal, external or mixed laboratory models.

What happens when there is a deviation?

The system helps gather context, result, history, affected batch or line, owner, corrective action, resampling and documentary closure according to the internal procedure.

Can it be used across multiple plants?

Yes. AquaVerify can organize sites, lines, points, users, laboratories, results and reports for multi-plant groups or suppliers.

How does a project start?

The first step is to review the current workflow: water points, monthly sample volume, methods, laboratories, existing software, audit requirements and the decisions that depend on each result.