Food contamination and its prevention

Dear All,

Normally I would post on the packaging forum however I am charged with refresher training on food hygiene for my company and I have come across a little papragraph in an obscure book whilst reading up on the control of cleaning materials:

"control cleaning materials, particularly wiping cloths. Keep cleaning materials away from food. Remove food and food containers before cleaning. Care must be taken to ensure that all cleaning residues, including water, are drained from food equipment and pipes. ALWAYS CLEAN FROM HIGH-RISK AREAS TO LOW RISK AREAS".

Why??????? clean from high risk areas to low risk areas, I may be missing the point here, however I do not see the sence in introducing high risk area bacteria etc etc into low risk area dust say if you were cleaning from the chopping board to the storeage cubbord.

Any views greatly appreciated.

Kind regards,

Steve

Why??????? clean from high risk areas to low risk areas,

Steve,

IMO, "high care areas" are also "high risk areas" and there is always a possibility of introducing hazard risks to such an area if cleaning is perfomed from "low risk to high risk areas".

It does not mean that a "high risk area" naturally contains a high population of bacteria but I think what it means is that if a contamination or a cross-contamination incident were to occur, the likelihood of an opportunity to cause adverse effects to food risks or threat to consumers' health in a high risk / high care area is more than likely to occur than that of a low risk area...............just sharing my viewpoint

Steve,

IMO, "high care areas" are also "high risk areas" and there is always a possibility of introducing hazard risks to such an area if cleaning is perfomed from "low risk to high risk areas".

It does not mean that a "high risk area" naturally contains a high population of bacteria but I think what it means is that if a contamination or a cross-contamination incident were to occur, the likelihood of an opportunity to cause adverse effects to food risks or threat to consumers' health in a high risk / high care area is more than likely to occur than that of a low risk area...............just sharing my viewpoint

Dear Charles,

Thanks for your reply, I understand where you are comming from I just could not make any sence of it when I first read the paragraph.

Much appreciated.

Steve

In order to avoid cross-contamination, we have different cleaning materials and equipment for all different areas. Colour coding is used, thus avoiding a confusing linear (high-low risk) approach to cleaning.

Much appreciated.

You ar welcome, Steve

thus avoiding a confusing linear (high-low risk) approach to cleaning.

Petegil - This is actually a very effective approach to avoiding potential from one department to another or for that matter one process area to another particularly where the risk elements are different i.e high risk / low risk. Thanks for bringing out this idea to the open.

'have your staff been tested for colour blindness'?

Excellent audit on verification check................its now has a potentially negative food safety impact.

Unless the results of colour blindness are validated, the system had failed to be effective and as a matter of fact had now become an increased risk towards cross contamination as wrongly coded #$%@%$% could had been used.

Bravo!

Nice one Simon. Will have to introduce colour coding and shapes now

Nice one Simon. Will have to introduce colour coding and shapes now

But have you considered shape blindness Peter…

Of course I'm being facetious I'm not even sure how exactly colour blindness works. Even if an operator was colour blind I'm sure they could still tell differences in colour, they will just have a different colour code key. For the system to be 'auditor proof' a quick colour blindness assessment is important and maybe relevant for other parts of their day to day job especially if colour coding is used in other parts of the operation. I think the standard test for colour blindness is called Ishihara.

There might be some resistance from staff, but perhaps it could be combined with normal eye tests. And then maybe the company would need to provide basic glasses for the needy.

It's never straightforward is it?

Simon

As i work for a company looking at food safety and ultimately BRC, i looked at cleaning of high risk and low risk areas. I know the book you mean, as i looked at it stupidly first time around. In fact it frightened me!

We use a colour coding system for brushes, which is all documented in the pre-requisites, along with all the other things you can and can't do!!

As for colour blindness tests, does anyone know where we can get one? (preferably a freebie!)

thank you Simon!

wish i'd found this site earlier!

caz x