4 replies to this topic

[BA10001]

Hello,

 

I am the quality manager of a coffee company. I've been lurking on this forum for a while, and have found it immensely helpful, so thank you all in advance.

 

I inherited an environmental monitoring program when I took on this role, but I believe the acceptable limits put in place are far too low for our type of operation (<100 yeast and mold, <10.000 APC). I am having difficulty finding supporting documentation to justify the established thresholds. 

 

Can anyone suggest resources for environmental monitoring limits for low-risk dry production? 

 

Thank you,

[kingstudruler1]

The number are meaningless without more info such as were and when they were taken.  IE-  if the swab was taken somewhere right after cleaning, those numbers are probably high.   If its after processing for a while,  it might make more sense.   Drain VS food contact surface.   

 

For a EMP program you would not typically use APC & YM.   You would at least use an indicator test such as coliform or enterobatcter.    Preferibly you would use the pathogen of concern.   

 

 

here is a link to a bunch of links regarding EMP.  

 

https://ucfoodsafety...ntal-monitoring

[Scampi]

assuming you're roasting and not just handling green beans

 

What are you wanting your limits to be? 

 

Given the amount of air turnover in a coffee roasting room on a commercial scale, I would suggest that those values make good sense to me

[BA10001]

The number are meaningless without more info such as were and when they were taken.  IE-  if the swab was taken somewhere right after cleaning, those numbers are probably high.   If its after processing for a while,  it might make more sense.   Drain VS food contact surface.   

 

For a EMP program you would not typically use APC & YM.   You would at least use an indicator test such as coliform or enterobatcter.    Preferibly you would use the pathogen of concern.   

 

 

here is a link to a bunch of links regarding EMP.  

 

https://ucfoodsafety...ntal-monitoring

 The locations are mixed and tested after ongoing production, not after cleaning. 

 

I made a mistake in my original question as well, the existing APC limit is 1000, I'd like to justify changing it to 10,000. The lower limit makes sense to me for food contact and/or immediately after cleaning, but most of the environmental monitoring zones are not food contact. We also test our washroom drain for listeria, and other higher risk areas for e. coli and salmonella--those I am not looking to change.

 

Thank you for the link, that's a big help!

[Charles.C]

Hello,

 

I am the quality manager of a coffee company. I've been lurking on this forum for a while, and have found it immensely helpful, so thank you all in advance.

 

I inherited an environmental monitoring program when I took on this role, but I believe the acceptable limits put in place are far too low for our type of operation (<100 yeast and mold, <10.000 APC). I am having difficulty finding supporting documentation to justify the established thresholds. 

 

Can anyone suggest resources for environmental monitoring limits for low-risk dry production? 

 

Thank you,

Hi BA,

 

I assume yr units are cfu/cm²

 

As previously stated, It depends on what surfaces, their condition, timing etc  you are talking about and your cleaning program.

 

See -

 

http://www.ifsqn.com...ces/#entry60958

 

Note that data typically refers to after cleaning/sanitising (as appropriate).

 

Ideally Y&M should be very low. (100cfu/cm2 seems not particularly low to me)

 

You initially need data, ie do some measurements.