Finished Powder high APC, can anybody help to identify the root cause?

We recently started having issues with high APC in our finished powder.  We have eliminated evap feed tank and dryer feed tank as the cause.  We took samples today from product (liquid state) going into dryer and product (powder) at bottom of cone and coming from dryer prior to hopper.  All the other indicator bacteria (coli, eb, e coli, bacillus) are clean.  What am I missing?

Is this a milk powder? Temperatures; inadequate sanitation; employee hygiene - packaging materials- hoppers and handling?

just some common ideas - review your sanitation  - just a suggestion

Raw material contamination? Agar preparation and sterility control?

Is this a milk powder? Temperatures; inadequate sanitation; employee hygiene - packaging materials- hoppers and handling?

just some common ideas - review your sanitation  - just a suggestion

It is a prebiotic powder (inulin).  More results tomorrow from all the swabs taken into and out of dryer, hopper, etc.  Hopefully will be able to identify issue.

We recently started having issues with high APC in our finished powder.  We have eliminated evap feed tank and dryer feed tank as the cause.  We took samples today from product (liquid state) going into dryer and product (powder) at bottom of cone and coming from dryer prior to hopper.  All the other indicator bacteria (coli, eb, e coli, bacillus) are clean.  What am I missing?

"High" APC is a bit ambiguous.:smile:

APC values can "significantly" oscillate.

Product Specification ?

Typical range found ?

Recent range ?

Does it have bacterial cultures? If it does - ATP (TPC) would be useless as it would definitely show "bacteria" sourced from cultures. At our production of fermented dairy products, we never do ATP, just waste of money

In my experience it is typically due to temperature abuse in the liquid state or inadequate sanitation somewhere in the process.