Integrated Pest Management as an OPRP
Some of my food processing clients have identified sanitation as an OPRP. Specific insects common to food processing (ants, cockroaches, filth flies, fungus gnats, etc.), as well as commensal rodents and birds are known vectors of pathogens. And sanitation is the major element in any food processing or warehousing IPM program.
It seems to me that IPM should be considered an OPRP as well, requiring pest monitoring and trending, the establishment of action thresholds (upper control limits), documented trend analysis, and when activity exceeds the action threshold, the undertaking of a corrective action.
Further, it seems to me that performing such corrective action would allow one to demonstrate preventive pest control -- and prevention is one of the pillars of the new US Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). In addition, lowering the Action Threshold each year (based on historical trap data) would demonstrate continuous improvement, which is required by both the FSMA and the GFSI.
Would elevating IPM to the status to OPRP bring more management significance to the pest control program?
:welcome: to the forum.
Depends on the management. But don't how pest management would not be a perquisite program--it simply too critical.
Some of my food processing clients have identified sanitation as an OPRP. Specific insects common to food processing (ants, cockroaches, filth flies, fungus gnats, etc.), as well as commensal rodents and birds are known vectors of pathogens. And sanitation is the major element in any food processing or warehousing IPM program.
It seems to me that IPM should be considered an OPRP as well, requiring pest monitoring and trending, the establishment of action thresholds (upper control limits), documented trend analysis, and when activity exceeds the action threshold, the undertaking of a corrective action.
Further, it seems to me that performing such corrective action would allow one to demonstrate preventive pest control -- and prevention is one of the pillars of the new US Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). In addition, lowering the Action Threshold each year (based on historical trap data) would demonstrate continuous improvement, which is required by both the FSMA and the GFSI.
Would elevating IPM to the status to OPRP bring more management significance to the pest control program?
Dear Trogoderma
Thanks for the input. This concept certainly offers an opportunity to generate a large number of OPRPs.
3 Comments –
(1) I think the importance of an effective Pest Management program is generally quite well understood by "Management". I also suspect that most Top Managements have little or no idea as to the meaning of OPRP.. IMHO, that may well be their good fortune. :smile:
(2) Some opinions might consider that your opening paragraph is invalid with respect to a FS hazard analysis, eg -
hazards.png 42.84KB 3 downloads
(3) Although FS/HACCP/Risk assessment is an inevitably subjective topic, perhaps the ISO22002 option whereby PRPs are defined in advance of the hazard analysis offers a worthwhile prescriptive solution in this particular case. This at least enables saving one’s energy for the next contentious episode, ie the OPRP/CCP section.
Or perhaps to put it another way – WTG FSSC !. :smile:
Rgds / Charles.C
PS - BTW, Welcome to the Forum ! :welcome:
PPS – Just to illustrate, IMO, an example of the possible consequences of CCP/OPRP over-indulgence, consider this example –
ISO 22000 CCP-OPRP table.xls 44.5KB 136 downloads
P3S - As currently presented, I consider that introducing the category of OPRP was a retrograde step with respect to the development of FSMS systems.
Pest Control should be an oPRP. Can't say if designating it as such will make your management more complaint though.