Food sampling inside the premises

Dear All,

I have to questions regarding food samples, I take inside the kitchen and keep it stored in case of any incident or further investigations.

I took samples from all food out from the kitchen, the question is:

For how long should I keep the samples stored, as in FDA they say to keep it refrigerated for 36 hours, and I think it's not logic as incubation period for some foodborne illness more than that, so what you suggest to keep it refrigerated or frozen and for how long?

the second question, is that I keep it in sterile cups, and after 36 hours i discard the cups, so it too much cost, is there any alternative for using sterile plastic cups or not?

Thanks in advance.

Dear All,

 

I have to questions regarding food samples, I take inside the kitchen and keep it stored in case of any incident or further investigations.

 

I took samples from all food out from the kitchen, the question is:

 

For how long should I keep the samples stored, as in FDA they say to keep it refrigerated for 36 hours, and I think it's not logic as incubation period for some foodborne illness more than that, so what you suggest to keep it refrigerated or frozen and for how long?

 

the second question, is that I keep it in sterile cups, and after 36 hours i discard the cups, so it too much cost, is there any alternative for using sterile plastic cups or not?

 

Thanks in advance.

Hi TahaOsama,

Can you clarify your OP a little -

What is the specific requirement your OP is referring to ? eg (a) Official Egyptian Regulatory requirement for Restaurants ? (b) samples for possible microbiological analysis for XYZ ? (c) a specific microbiological procedure ?

If (b,c) can you post the relevant procedure ? (IMEX procedures for items like TPC, E.Coli have standardized incubation times/temperatures)

Hi TahaOsama,

 

Can you clarify your OP a little -

 

What is the specific requirement your OP is referring to ? eg (a) Official Egyptian Regulatory requirement for Restaurants ? (b) samples for possible microbiological analysis for XYZ ? (c) a specific microbiological procedure ?

 

If (b,c) can you post the relevant procedure ? (IMEX procedures for items like TPC, E.Coli have standardized incubation times/temperatures)

Hi Charles,

thanks for your reply, i am not asking about Egyptian Regulatory requirement.

The kitchen i work at, there is a fridge specific for food samples, any food produced inside the kitchen, i took a piece from it in  a sterile cup, and keep it for a time, in case any incident happened or food poisoning case, i investigate using this food and send it to lab for microbiological analysis to be able to figure out the root cause, the analysis include some of the following micro-organism according the type of food will i investigate " Salmonella, E.Coli, Listeria Monocytogenes, Coagulase-positive Staphylococci, TVC, Enterobacteriaceae, Bacillus Cereus, Campylobacter, Histamine, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Yeast and Mould count, Clostridium perfringens, Coliform"

The question is for how long should i keep the samples inside the kitchen? and is there any reference for it?

I hope i explained it well.

Hi Charles,

 

thanks for your reply, i am not asking about Egyptian Regulatory requirement.

 

The kitchen i work at, there is a fridge specific for food samples, any food produced inside the kitchen, i took a piece from it in  a sterile cup, and keep it for a time, in case any incident happened or food poisoning case, i investigate using this food and send it to lab for microbiological analysis to be able to figure out the root cause, the analysis include some of the following micro-organism according the type of food will i investigate " Salmonella, E.Coli, Listeria Monocytogenes, Coagulase-positive Staphylococci, TVC, Enterobacteriaceae, Bacillus Cereus, Campylobacter, Histamine, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Yeast and Mould count, Clostridium perfringens, Coliform"

 

The question is for how long should i keep the samples inside the kitchen? and is there any reference for it?

 

I hope i explained it well.

Hi TahaOsama,

Thks yr nice explanation.

It is possible that you slightly misinterpreted the "36 hours" time element ?

There are some exceptions (see pdf below) but BAM states that typically

Unless otherwise specified, refrigerated samples should not be analyzed more than 36 h after collection

BAM Sampling-Storage procedure.pdf   372.35KB   10 downloads

https://www.fda.gov/...mple-homogenate

JFI One more detailed micro-related document -

Food Sample Collection,Handling and Transport.pdf   142.05KB   12 downloads

(especially see paras 8-11)

Hope this answers yr query.

PS - there are several Utube videos on this general topic such as

Hi TahaOsama,

 

Thks yr nice explanation.

 

It is possible that you slightly misinterpreted the "36 hours" time element ?

 

There are some exceptions (see pdf below) but BAM states that typically

BAM Sampling-Storage procedure.pdf

https://www.fda.gov/...mple-homogenate

 

JFI One more detailed micro-related document -

Food Sample Collection,Handling and Transport.pdf

(especially see paras 8-11)

 

Hope this answers yr query.

 

PS - there are several Utube videos on this general topic such as

Thank you Chales for your kind reply, it is very helpful

Do you have any recommendations for containers used for retention sample and to be reusable again, as  I have autoclave inside the premises, so i think to use containers to store samples inside and the sterilize it inside autoclave and reuse it again, any recommendation?

Thank you Chales for your kind reply, it is very helpful

 

Do you have any recommendations for containers used for retention sample and to be reusable again, as  I have autoclave inside the premises, so i think to use containers to store samples inside and the sterilize it inside autoclave and reuse it again, any recommendation?

Hi TahaOsama,

Have always used normal PE plastic bags as used (by Production) for packaging of foods since these are confirmably "sterile"  IMEX. Cost negligible. :smile: