Swab Test Results High - Advice Sought on Action Required?

Dear all, we had conduct swab test on workers recently, suprisingly the TPC count results exceed the previous,, fro example last time is 20cfu/cm2 and this time is 8400cfu/cm2. What u all will do, and any of u evet encounter this problem??

Is this on peoples hands? Personally I wouldn't test for TVC anyway, I'd test for S. aureus and E. coli / enteros or coliforms.

In general with a hand swab fail, I'd check over the persons hands looking for signs of skin problems, get them to wash their hands again after watching a demonstration of how to do so and then reswab after the handwashing process. I've never had a refail after that but if you did, you may have someone who is carrying something so I'd get some speciation done and move them to a low risk area in the meantime.

Dear all, we had conduct swab test on workers recently, suprisingly the TPC count results exceed the previous,, fro example last time is 20cfu/cm2 and this time is 8400cfu/cm2. What u all will do, and any of u evet encounter this problem??

Hi Jenifer

The first thing is how the worker hand washed previous time & second time

Then water used for hand washing .....is it ok?

When you took swab after hand wash only or hand wash & disinfected?

last one is how you took swab?

some time dirt accumulated in nails...which results in high count

Dear all:

do u conttrol staff wear glove in production area? how frequent have to change? whenever broken or dirty? Do we have to recorded when change of gloves ?

Dear all:

do u conttrol staff wear glove in production area? how frequent have to change? whenever broken or dirty? Do we have to recorded when change of gloves ?

Hi Jenifer

In our company we provide handgloves to the final product packing girls.....The frequency to change is daily...we give them use & throw type golves....we are not maintaining any record for that

Apart from above ...my view towards gloves use is negative because as i said in previous post how they keep gloves at break.......chance of contamination if torn the gloves.....

so without hand gloves is better option but some has regulation on that use the gloves...

Dear All,

No initial details on the situation so evaluation rather difficult, eg 1st stage slaughterhouse workers?.

Many threads on this general topic exist but no specific conclusion (probably not surprising).

i recently noticed some statistics (from memory supporting the USFDA FOOD Code requirements) for illnesses attributed to non-use of gloves in a high risk food preparation scenario. Were not unimpressive.

Rgds / Charles.C

Charles, any chance you might be able to direct me to where I might look for the data you referenced? It could prove very useful to me. I very much appreciate any help anyone can give with regard the benefits of gloves over bare hands for RTE products. 21 CFR 110 only seems to give guidance regarding handwashing; my personal opinion is that any bare hand contact is a direct risk, as you can't do anything to assure that everyone's hands are sanitary. Skin is porous, nails harbor germs, etc. etc.

Thanks all!

Jon

Dear All,

No initial details on the situation so evaluation rather difficult, eg 1st stage slaughterhouse workers?.

Many threads on this general topic exist but no specific conclusion (probably not surprising).

i recently noticed some statistics (from memory supporting the USFDA FOOD Code requirements) for illnesses attributed to non-use of gloves in a high risk food preparation scenario. Were not unimpressive.

Rgds / Charles.C

Dear Jon,

To be honest, I can’t exactly remember.

I was not quite sure whether you are seeking general info. on benefits of gloves or specifically to justify the US Food Code’s guidelines. The main arguments for/against gloves are detailed in various other threads here so I presumed the latter.

The US Food Code Publication (1997) discusses the topic’s origins in the Annex (k1) attached below (see 3-301.11(D), pg384). The scientific justification is referenced in the footnote.

I believe I saw the results of the above footnote in another much later document (2010) which is attached below (k2) (see first page comments linked to ref[20].) (k2) is the most comprehensive / recent review that I hv seen and shows that glove-use may / may not offer measurable benefits depending on the specific situation.

k1 - Annex3 food code - final copy.pdf   1.18MB   40 downloads
k2 - Gloves as barriers for prevention of food contamination.pdf   7.38MB   38 downloads

Snyder’s explanation (ca 1997 US) of the origin of the US rules was rather more “basic” –

Due to a lack of adequate hand washing by individuals who prepare, process and handle food in the retail food system, foodborne illness due to fecal-oral transfer continues to be a problem. As a result, the public is demanding that employees in the food service industry wear plastic gloves when serving or preparing food items. The perceived purpose of glove use by food preparation and food production personnel is to prevent the transfer of pathogenic microorganisms that may remain on the surface of fingertips when individuals do not wash their hands and fingertips at all, or adequately after using the toilet or after touching other highly contaminated items, surfaces, or objects.

(He subsequently recommended/developed/marketed a handwashing procedure to avoid glove use)
http://www.sproutnet.../safe_hands.htm

Hope this is useful. Pls revert if I misunderstood yr post.

Rgds / Charles.C