Action to be taken on finished products with enterobacteria greater than 10 cfu?
What action can be taken on finished products with enterobacteria greater than 10 cfu?
The products are (margarine (70% fat) and spread (20% fat)
Hi, oseigloria;
What is the actual CFU?
>10 is a rather low tolerance limit. >100 - <10^4 is an acceptable range for most RTE commodities.
Having said that I would ask just how prevalent the results are. Also, have you screened for e. coli and salmonella?
Start with the easiest fix and closely monitor employee hand washing. Maybe grab some pre/post swabs from monitored hand washing just to validate process. Do some environmental sampling to ensure it is not harborage from poor sanitation. Other than that I would have to know more about your specific product and process. There could be innumerable variables
Hi, oseigloria;
What is the actual CFU?
>10 is a rather low tolerance limit. >100 - <10^4 is an acceptable range for most RTE commodities.
Having said that I would ask just how prevalent the results are. Also, have you screened for e. coli and salmonella?
Start with the easiest fix and closely monitor employee hand washing. Maybe grab some pre/post swabs from monitored hand washing just to validate process. Do some environmental sampling to ensure it is not harborage from poor sanitation. Other than that I would have to know more about your specific product and process. There could be innumerable variables
Hi Slab,
Some (rather old) specifications -
spec. margarine.PNG 77.88KB 1 downloads
USDA spec. Margarine.PNG 39.95KB 0 downloads
Hi, Charles;
I can't access the attachments
Hi, Charles;
I can't access the attachments
Sorry, files vanished somehow. :smile:
Have corrected.
Theoretically coliforms should (mostly) be included within Enterobacteriaceae afaik.
@oseigloria - The (book) comment around 1st pic is that margarine should be essentially sterile after Production. So the implication is that it's a question of hygiene control.
As per post 2, what level of Enterobacteriaceae do you actually find ?
+ What is your routine level ?
Those levels are absurdly stringent, but as suggested post process is considered aseptic then the presence of any organism >1 should be problematic. Curious as to know why the standard is for storage of samples for greater than 2 weeks at room temperature? Normally margarine is refrigerated? I don't use the stuff so the concept seems a bit foreign to me.
There is some overlap in screening from coliform to EB, however the later is more inclusive.
Those levels are absurdly stringent, but as suggested post process is considered aseptic then the presence of any organism >1 should be problematic. Curious as to know why the standard is for storage of samples for greater than 2 weeks at room temperature? Normally margarine is refrigerated? I don't use the stuff so the concept seems a bit foreign to me.
There is some overlap in screening from coliform to EB, however the later is more inclusive.
I also have no direct experience.
Re ^^^(red) - The internet quote was -
"All coliforms are enteros but not all enteros are coliforms"
http://www.expressmi...iforms-enteros/
2 more quotes from the book "Margarine Today" (Great title !) -
sterility.PNG 38.38KB 0 downloads
storage.PNG 47.53KB 0 downloads