Pathogen monitoring program - Customers requests

I work in a meat processing plant (hams, bacon, etc, etc). One of our customers requested that no monitoring of L. monocytogenes shall be performed in food product contac surfaces (Zone 1). So, What shall I do? I have a pathogen environmental monitoring plan that does not monitor in zone 1? We are going towards SQF..it is gonna fly?

Dear zawape,

Double post so I deleted previous (unreplied) one in hope you get lucky this time.

I'm not in USA but I thought the L.mono monitoring was a legislative requirement = perfect excuse (even though it shouldn't be necessary). Is it specified by SQF (2000?) or not (can't remember)?

Why would a customer not want monitoring ?

Rgds / Charles.C

Dear zawape,

Double post so I deleted previous (unreplied) one in hope you get lucky this time.

I'm not in USA but I thought the L.mono monitoring was a legislative requirement = perfect excuse (even though it shouldn't be necessary). Is it specified by SQF (2000?) or not (can't remember)?

Why would a customer not want monitoring ?

Rgds / Charles.C

The customer doesn not like to monitor because if there is a possitive, we should have to start a recall..so, they prefer not to know rather than bad press. (dumb if you ask me)



Thanks

The customer doesn not like to monitor because if there is a possitive, we should have to start a recall..so, they prefer not to know rather than bad press. (dumb if you ask me)

Do you in US have to do a recall only if you find LM in the area or do you have to do a recall when you find LM in the products?
Lat one seems more logical to me.

IMO this customer requirement is not in line with quality and food safety (and legality?). This requirement in first should never have been approved by sales/QA.

If i was you, i would do the monitoring, as i presume their not your only customer. Report results to them, IF IT IS A FOOD SAFETY ISSUE. It is their responsibility to determine if they wish to recall. Just make sure you keep a record of EVERYTHING including all correspondance!

Again, i assume you have legislation that you have to abide by. If you do, just email a copy of it to your customer, and make sure you keep a copy of the email!

If you had an environmental positive, would you have to instigate a product recall ??(hell im sure we've all had a positive in a drain before now....we'd be recalling regular and producing nothing!)

If their worried about bad publicity, remind them how bad the publicity will be if someone dies because of what will be perceived as their negligence! Bit of a cavalier attitude to food safety i would say.

Glad i'm not eating their meat!!

Caz x

L.mono testing is a requirement of USDA. You don't have to send the results to the customer, but you HAVE to test. I'm surprised the USDA hasn't latched onto that yet. I'm assuming you are an inspected establishment.

L.mono Guidelines -USDA

Our plant does Alt#3, and we're constantly audited by our on-site inspector for our program. You only have to initiate a recall on your second positive of a FCS.

Sorry that should read "hold and test" on second positive, not recall. If the suspect samples from the second positive came back positive, then you'd recall.

Thanks to all that answer my question.

Dear LMR,

Do you mean unprocessed, whole, fresh vegetables?
Why would you want to have a Best Before Date or Consume Until Date on these?
It will only make people throw away good food.
What is the relevance with pathogens?

I buy fresh fruit and vegetables from my local market, none of which is packaged. I use the good old fashioned senses and it usually works just fine.

Regards,
Simon

If i was you, i would do the monitoring, as i presume their not your only customer. Report results to them, IF IT IS A FOOD SAFETY ISSUE. It is their responsibility to determine if they wish to recall. Just make sure you keep a record of EVERYTHING including all correspondance!

Again, i assume you have legislation that you have to abide by. If you do, just email a copy of it to your customer, and make sure you keep a copy of the email!

If you had an environmental positive, would you have to instigate a product recall ??(hell im sure we've all had a positive in a drain before now....we'd be recalling regular and producing nothing!)

If their worried about bad publicity, remind them how bad the publicity will be if someone dies because of what will be perceived as their negligence! Bit of a cavalier attitude to food safety i would say.

Glad i'm not eating their meat!!

Caz x

I agree with cazyncymru with her post above. If it is positive why would you still sell it in the first place. A lot of outbreaks has been reported last year in US alone. Plus, bad publicity is what they deserve if they continue to sell it. They will lose customers for selling them such meat.

Are you sure the facts are straight on this? Perhaps the customer has requested listeria ssp testing in Zone 1 as opposed to l.mono? Do you send samples to a lab outside your facility or test in-house? If you test in-house, perhaps the customer does not want you growing listeria.mono onsite. There could be a number of reasons for customer requirements other than wanting to avoid food safety.

Caveat: It has been a while since I have been in the meat industry. When I was there, listeria monocytogenes testing was not required per se on food contact surfaces, but if you did not do listeria mono, listeria ssp or listeria-like was required for alternative 2 and 3. (We had an alt 2 process and an alt 3). Zawape's process could be alternative 1...

We just don't have enough info to properly judge Zawape's situation.