Microbiology of the Air

Good afternoon, I am the microbiologist of the food factory where I work, here I do the quality of the air, I analyze aerobic, mold, and yeast in petrifilm plates. I would like to know what's the limit of these microorganisms in the food factory environment, any references, please?

Hi Guillermo, this subject has been covered already multiple times. In short, there is no specific standard for air quality under any of the GFSI schemes or most regulations for general food environments.

http://www.ifsqn.com...d-manufacturer/

http://www.ifsqn.com...st-air-quality/

http://www.ifsqn.com...sting-air-test/

http://www.ifsqn.com...-food-industry/

http://www.ifsqn.com...th-agar-plates/

http://www.ifsqn.com...7-section-1157/

Hi Guillermo, this subject has been covered already multiple times. In short, there is no specific standard for air quality under any of the GFSI schemes or most regulations for general food environments.

http://www.ifsqn.com...d-manufacturer/

http://www.ifsqn.com...st-air-quality/

http://www.ifsqn.com...sting-air-test/

http://www.ifsqn.com...-food-industry/

http://www.ifsqn.com...th-agar-plates/

http://www.ifsqn.com...7-section-1157/

Thanks a lot, what happened is that a customer is asking me for the micro air limit in the factory, here in Peru, many food factories use 50 cfu/15 min for aerobic, molds and yeasts in air quality, however there is no any kind of references about this. The other option I have is to make my own air QA limits. I think, there is no other way.

Thanks a lot, what happened is that a customer is asking me for the micro air limit in the factory, here in Peru, many food factories use 50 cfu/15 min for aerobic, molds and yeasts in air quality, however there is no any kind of references about this. The other option I have is to make my own air QA limits. I think, there is no other way.

Hi Guillermo,

Yes, the limits will be subjective. Note that if using settle plates, there should strictly also be an area unit.

See the comments/link in this recent post -

http://www.ifsqn.com...ed/#entry120115

Hi Guillermo,

 

Yes, the limits will be subjective. Note that if using settle plates, there should strictly also be an area unit.

 

See the comments/link in this recent post -

 

http://www.ifsqn.com...ed/#entry120115

Hello Charles,

This is what I found, some limits for micro air tests with petrifilm plates, It is in spanish, I hope you can translate it, otherwise you can contact me at my email gui.delgado93@gmail.com; I could translate it.

Thanks and take care.

I never thought of using petrifilm for air counts or press plates, weird.

For others interested, methodology here: http://multimedia.3m...res-article.pdf

Looks like references from 3M peru and international quality consultants. No regulatory agency, so again hard to say how meaningful they are.

I never thought of using petrifilm for air counts or press plates, weird.

 

For others interested, methodology here: http://multimedia.3m...res-article.pdf

 

Looks like references from 3M peru and international quality consultants. No regulatory agency, so again hard to say how meaningful they are.

I know, here in Peru we use petrifilm, in most of cases; however, as you say there is no regulatory agency, neither here nor worldwide.

Hello Charles,

 

This is what I found, some limits for micro air tests with petrifilm plates, It is in spanish, I hope you can translate it, otherwise you can contact me at my email gui.delgado93@gmail.com; I could translate it.

 

Thanks and take care.

Hi Guillermo,

Thks for the Spanish document. Useful but pity there's no explanation of the designated ranges. Some other texts discuss results with respect to US cleanroom-related grades.

it's interesting to note that the acceptable APC limits quoted for equipment surfaces are ca.10x stricter than the typical values I have given elsewhere on this Forum based on a compilation of various International  values.

In comparison the median ("acceptable") APC value quoted for air is approx. 10x less strict than that given by APHA (as quoted in the posted excel compilation).
 

Subjective can go up or down.

PS - the impaction technique looks IMO to have a better chance of giving standardisable results than the sedimentation method but I haven't seen any detailed comparisons made. Requires more investment of course.