7 replies to this topic

[Carol88]

I am in a carrot concentrate processing plant and I have to either test or swab for enviromental testing but unsure what I need to test for. Is it only Listeria. Any help would be much appreciated. Thank you

[Simon]

Can anyone help Carol.

[Marshenko]

I could be wrong, but I believe that the US FDA wants producers to treat salmonella as an environmental pathogen...

http://microsite.bio... Fresh FSNS.pdf

http://www.agfoodsaf...-Prevention.pdf

Edited by Marshenko, 04 April 2013 - 01:47 PM.

[john123]

Our environmental testing started as a customer driven prerogative that we were able to use to satisfy the auditors for our SQF audit. We have pre-designated locations in Zones 2, 3 and 4 that are swabbed and tested for salmonella. We also use some petri dish collector things (very official name) that we open and set around the facility to test the ambient air for yeast and mold.

[Carol88]

I could be wrong, but I believe that the US FDA wants producers to treat salmonella as an environmental pathogen...

http://microsite.bio...resh%20FSNS.pdf

http://www.agfoodsaf...-Prevention.pdf

Thank you very much Marshenko. You have given me a lot to digest. It appears that I will have to test for Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes & E-coli 0157 and hopefully that this will cover off on enviromental testing.

[Charles.C]

Dear Carol,

I'm not in Australia but the requirements will very likely depend on the status of yr product / process, eg RTE ?.

For example, here is one Australian scenario for meat, I daresay this may be as tough (no pun intended) as it gets (but see below) -

 Regulatory guidelines for the control of Listeria.pdf   72.84KB   18 downloads

(there is also a detailed [generic] set of [Australian] environmental testing procedures for Listeria elsewhere on this forum)

Logically the testing will be risk associated with the product / process / consumer / history, eg the species previously mentioned for starters but practically one heck of a lot of work is potentially envisageable.

No comparative data AFAIK but I suspect that for food processing, USA is probably the World's No1 environmental test requirer (perhaps due historical events / laudable awareness of responsibility to consumer / microbiological safety know-how).

I'm only guessing but, with the exception of previous validated disaster events, in most locations, I would predict only the basics, eg plate count / indicators, (+/-) listeria are legal contenders. Typical sampling routines for pathogens like Salmonella tend to be statistically questionable when negative results are examined.

Interesting to see some geographical input ??

Rgds / Charles.C

[Carol88]

Dear Carol,

I'm not in Australia but the requirements will very likely depend on the status of yr product / process, eg RTE ?.

For example, here is one Australian scenario for meat, I daresay this may be as tough (no pun intended) as it gets (but see below) -

 Regulatory guidelines for the control of Listeria.pdf   72.84KB   18 downloads

(there is also a detailed [generic] set of [Australian] environmental testing procedures for Listeria elsewhere on this forum)

Logically the testing will be risk associated with the product / process / consumer / history, eg the species previously mentioned for starters but practically one heck of a lot of work is potentially envisageable.

No comparative data AFAIK but I suspect that for food processing, USA is probably the World's No1 environmental test requirer (perhaps due historical events / laudable awareness of responsibility to consumer / microbiological safety know-how).

I'm only guessing but, with the exception of previous validated disaster events, in most locations, I would predict only the basics, eg plate count / indicators, (+/-) listeria are legal contenders. Typical sampling routines for pathogens like Salmonella tend to be statistically questionable when negative results are examined.

Interesting to see some geographical input ??

Rgds / Charles.C

Thank you Charles for your info. It would be great if I could find that generic Aust testing so if you do happen to come accross it please pass on.

[Charles.C]

Dear Carol,

My memory was geographically close but not perfect, documents remembered were nn4-nn7 but published by MAF (NZ) ca 2011, located here with a few more classics -

http://www.ifsqn.com...dpost__p__55872

Rgds / Charles.C

PS - My guess is that Australian equivalents do exist also, maybe on this forum even.

PPS - I noticed that the Aussie meat plan also borrowed an operational chunk from a dairy precursor so is maybe conceptually semi-generic already. The prevailing focus on RTE is evident.

3PS - This comment/source may be irrelevant to yr process (???) but it seemed of interest anyway and the source also contains some rather nice micro. comments IMO. (<40degF !!)

Environmental monitoring for pathogens like E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella or Shigella is rarely done in fresh-cut operations because the typical environmental temperature in a fresh-cut operation is less than 40ºF, generally below the minimum growth temperature for most human pathogens, including the three mentioned, so such
pathogens are not reasonably likely to be able to become established.

 micro testing of fresh produce.pdf   128.32KB   20 downloads