Sanitation monitoring

Can anyone help me with finding information on best practice use of enterobacteriace (eb)testing for product contact surfaces to monitor the effectiveness of sanitation? I came to the nut industry from the dairy industry and we used eb testing after start up to see if the sanitation was thorough enough to prevent the growth of bacteria during the production run. I would like to start a program similar in my new job, but the boss wants more information and I can't find it. What we are interested in: Is eb testing used in the food world for sanitation monitoring? How does it, or does it, correlate to the presence of filth/contaminates? What sort of levels are recommended for recleaning? Any literature out there that anyone is aware of?

Dear cbernard,

I’m sure this is a not simple query to specifically answer . The subject of “best indicators for sanitation evaluation has produced many book chapters (and opinions)” as you are no doubt aware.
Not in the dry or nut business myself but I’ll start the ball rolling.

Regarding general use of enterobacteriaceae (EBE) in plant sanitation (surfaces), try these links which are (obviously) 3M related but interesting nonetheless and illustrate the existence –

http://multimedia.mm...s66SbvXCOrrrrQ-
(pg 7)

And

http://www.arrowscie...ilmentero2.html

There is a long recent thread forum on micro. evaluating (dry) surface sanitation (also with various suggested numerical limits) but not too much specifically on EBE from memory. The plates referred above are maybe expensive.
I had the feeling EBE is much more common as a food product measurement/indicator rather than an environmental surface one but not seen any data to prove either way. Seemingly not true in dairy industry from yr post.

Rgds / Charles.C

Dear cbernard..

You can use Monitoring Coliform Bacteria to change EBE.. as i know EB is one of Coliform Groups..so if the coliform is zero thats mean your sanitation process is good... the method need minimum 6 hours..

OR

You can use ATP measurement using HYLITE (from MERCK) to monitoring RLU .. and according to MERCK Data for Dairy industry, Sanitation is ok if RLU < 200, But to make sure you have trial first and colect the data, after that you can make your own standard...
with this method you only need ± 5 minutes...

In my company (non dairy creamer company) we using ATP method to control sanitation and the standard is < 5 RLU. And to verify this method we doing micro (coliform test) in finish product every batch and EB analysis every six month in external lab...

Hope make you clear..

Hello cbernard

I would say that a contact plate for enteracteria would be fine to check the effectiveness of the cleaning process.

For filth contamination I think that the most efeective control is "visual control".

I am using the following Recomendations for recleaning but based on TVC:

less than 1 / cm2------excellent cleaning
between 2 -10 / cm2 ---- good cleaning
11-100 /cm2 ----- the surface needs to be cleaned

I hope this can help

Regards
Esther

Thank you everyone.

We are and will continue to use the ATP testing in our wet clean areas. It is an extremely useful tool for pre-start sanitation evaluation. The eb testing is still a challenge, but one that is worth the time invested because of the nature of our processes.

Cheryl

Just an interest question..

For any of you familiar with alcohol or work in the beer industry.

is there any need to do any micro testing after cleaning? if not , how would you justify not doing it ( eg quote a study, literature etc)

How would you verify cleaning effectiveness ?

Thanks

vu

Hi Vulindlela

I have worked in brewing before and we would carry out environmental swabbing and ATP testing after cleaning to check for spoilage organisms which can cause no end of problems.

Hope that helps

Minnie