Can anyone help with preventative action for Cronobacter detected on floor?

Hi

we are a packaging facility manufacturing sack kraft bags for dairy milk powder, unfortunately Cronobacter was detected on our material prep room floor all other areas (warehouses, critical hygiene area, yards) came out negative

immediate actions taken were to clean and sanitize machine surfaces and floor, finished bags sent for micro testing

can i please ask for your help re preventative actions for this type of pathogen

Thanks a lot!

Have you done a root cause analysis to determine where it may have come from? For example, do you have any dry milk powder manufactured elsewhere in the facility, or is the entire facility only packaging? Do you have foot baths to prevent employees bringing bacteria into your facility? I think once you narrow down the source, it will help you determine what preventive measures to take. Good luck!

Thanks ebb

the facility is only for packaging. we dont use footbaths as this is a dry environment. specific boots are used for the hygiene hall and cant be used outside. 

Gram negative bacteria means it is easily killed.  Cronobacter naturally occurs in the environment so the likely method it entered your facility is foot traffic.

I would use a dry quat based sanitizer on the floor.  This comes in a powder or granular form.  I have also seen some sticky mat type footpads which remove material from bottom of the footwear, but also apply a dry sanitizer.

If you want to do some dry sanitizing of equipment best to use alcohol, or Ecolab makes a great cleaning / sanitizer combo called Drysan Duo.  I'm sure other cleaning chemical suppliers have something similar.  But, alcohol (ethanol or isopropyl based) is usually easier to get and less expensive.

Root Cause Analysis / try and look for as many potential reasons as possible. 

Once you know this then you can implement a preventative action. 

I would suggest regular swabbing and a documented procedure to follow when/if this occurs again. 

A risk assessment involves queries like -

Was detection part of an internal ongoing EMPG program or ?  If yes, micro. history for XYZ = ?

Some background info here -

https://blog.microbi...cter-sakazakii/

Cronobacter-species-in-the-dairy-industry-sp.pdf   1.35MB   15 downloads

Note that this species is a member of Enterobacteriaceae, this is one of the EMPG indicators in popular usage (also probably including many other floor-dwelling microbes).

As per Ryan, if no relevant support program running, a call to yr local  " EMPG supplier" seems advisable.

Cronobacter is also ubiquitous in the environment.  Air flow would be another area to look at (is unfiltered outside air being allowed into the area)?  Personally, I would increase swabbing and cleaning/sanitizing until you are sure you have identified the source.