Resources to build an effective Environmental Monitoring Program
Good Morning!
During my last audit it was pointed out to me that my environmental monitoring program is not robust enough. Can anyone share some resources for me to build a stronger program?
What products are you making? What are your current environment monitoring activities? Did the auditor make any specific comments - or it's just general? What's your GFSI code if any?
we make cookies, right now our plan is very basic with sending most of our samples to a lab monthly. We test for all the major microbiologicals and toxins, listeria, mold, salmonella, ecoli, EB. I was not given specifics, other than it just it needs to be more robust. this will be my first time writing/editing a program, and i just want to make sure i get this right. we are SQF 2
Ok. You're sending product samples to the lab, that's fine. What about environmental samples - like, water, air, surface swabs. Do you send any of those? If yes - how often? Does your SQF code require anything particular with regards to environmental monitoring? (Sorry, not aware of that as I'm FSSC22000).
right now we only send quarterly. could i just update my policies in my food safety manuals to reflect an updated time line of when things are done and be ok? or are there other steps i need to take? This is my first time, and would like to get myself all prepared for our next big audit in april (SQF). i know i have to go through and update my entire book with 2022 dates and revisions with my name, since i took over the position just 3 weeks ago. But i want to make sure i am revising correctly
Sending environmental samples quarterly sounds fine for a bakery (as long as it meets other requirements - regulatory, GFSI scheme, customer, etc.). Do you have a written program outlining everything you're doing? You can see attached my program as a sample - but my products are perishable, so I'm sending my samples to the lab much more frequently. However, it might give you some ideas.
Attached Files
thank you so much for sharing your program with me
Good Morning!
During my last audit it was pointed out to me that my environmental monitoring program is not robust enough. Can anyone share some resources for me to build a stronger program?
Hi drosen,
IMO you encountered an extremely poor auditor.
"Robust" is a rather meaningless comment IMO, ie not robust with respect to what ?
My guess is the frequency was considered inadequate but only a hypothesis. (IMEX (BRC) quarterly is insufficient.)
Or possibly a lack of zoning (?) since the Standard apparently requires a risk-based scheme.
Hello,
This thread should help: Requirement FSSC V 4.1 Environmental monitoring (EXAMPLE) - IFSQN.
Also make sure that your temperature and humidity room monitoring devices are calibrated and that you log them either with a chart recorder or by having someone check them. I hope this helps! At the last place I worked we would have ATP swabs daily, monthly verification swabs using aerobic counts, monthly air testing and temperature checks with recorders.
"Robust enough" is hard.
I think not enough swabbing. Have you mapped your facility to identify all possible areas of risk, evaluated bacteria and risks of each area, established frequencies, etc? Or, is it more of a 10 random swabs per month program? Are they looking for air monitoring, etc as well?
https://www.youtube....h?v=S8xuUD5roQo
I know its listeria but there is some info on emp that is useful.
Hi drosen,
Sadly only Nostradamus can reliably answer this one.
What was the auditor's precise wording for the NC (presumably 2.4.8.x) ? Or was it just a passing comment, ie ignorable ?
PS - afaik SQF level 2 has not existed for several years.