8 replies to this topic

[fouziak]

Hello,

 

We did a risk assessment of all production areas and i'm struggling how to conduct the validation of the cleaning procedure.

 

Could you please share with me any procedures or protocols?

 

Thank you

[kfromNE]

Environmental swabs or ATP swabs can be used. Shows the cleaning process works. 

Pre-op for verification. 

[Dorothy87]

 

if you are with BRC, ATP shall be used for verification, validation must be covered with external laboratory to obtain quantitative results.

 

Swab three different production lines before cleaning, then swab them straight after cleaning.

 

Based on the results you might decide that your production line is very difficult to clean and after each cleaning you need to use ATP test and verify cleanliness. Production line is an easy example, usually production lines are easy to clean, but you might have a big cooking vessel or pipes to be clean between products. They can be difficult to clean.. 

[Scampi]

remember-swabbing is AFTER cleaning and BEFORE sanitizing

[fouziak]

remember-swabbing is AFTER cleaning and BEFORE sanitizing

Hello,

 

Why we have to swab before sanitizing?

[Scampi]

You need to validate the CLEANING step to see how effective that is

 

AND sanitizer has been know to give a false reading, as it alters the RLU value from the swab

[jfrey123]

Expanding on Scampi's always awesome info, sanitizer residue can actually push your ATP readings higher than what they would have been prior to sanitizing.  More importantly in my mind, I want to know how clean the surface was prior to sanitizing because sanitizing doesn't remove any filth.  You can get negative pathogen tests from an unclean surface after soaking it in sanitizer, but the negative pathogen test doesn't mean it's clean.

[Tony-C]

Hi fouziak,

 

Validation of cleaning usually involves both microbiological sampling and ATP rinse tests/swabs when ATP is going to be subsequently used for routine cleaning verification. Both the microbiological and ATP methods will need to consider the area/surface being tested, the cleaning program and the cleaning agents.

 

Validation of cleaning is typically carried out AFTER cleaning AND disinfection * See CODEX Guideline. This is possible when there are suitable neutralization agents. With ATP swab methods a neutralization step for disinfectants and sanitizers may not always be available and this may mean the need to swab before sanitizing.

 

*CODEX Guidelines for the Validation of Food Safety Control Measures CAC/GL 69 - 2008

Example Three: Validation of Cleaning and Disinfecting Protocols (Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures, SSOPs)

3. Parameters and Decision Criteria: SSOPs will be considered to be validated if, after implementation of cleaning and disinfection protocols, food contact surfaces meet microbiological criteria established for aerobic plate counts or other indicator microorganisms as appropriate.

4. Assemble the relevant validation information

b. Microbiological testing of food contact surfaces will be conducted after cleaning and disinfection protocols have been used at the end of each day’s production.

 

More info and guidance below:

 

Cleaning Validation in the Food Industry

A neutralization step is needed before a microbiological analysis is done to validate a disinfection process, in order to quench any inhibition caused by residuals of the disinfection agent.

 

Food Standards Scotland - Environmental swabbing

A neutraliser is used in case there are sanitising chemical residues on the surface being sampled that might kill the bacteria in transit to the laboratory. The neutraliser should be chosen after consideration of the active agents in a disinfectant and the bacteria that will be tested for by the laboratory. Dey Engley broth is called D/E broth or Dey Engley neutralising broth (DENbroth) by some laboratories and is a good, broad-spectrum chemical neutraliser. See Table 3.

 

Surface Sampling and the Detection of Contamination

Most methods (microbiological and non-microbiological) can be affected by residual detergents or disinfectants and this needs to be considered in how and when to sample and the need to incorporate neutralizers into any wetting agents or reagents used.

 

Kind regards,

 

Tony

Edited by Tony-C, 19 November 2024 - 06:27 AM.

[chrisrushworth]

Triplicate ELISA tests for allergen cleaning validation.

 

Triplicate UKAS Accredited tests for normal cleaning valiation + paths (lis/salm)

 

 

And then repeat on a risk based frequency or sooner if

 

Chemicals are changed

Processes are changed

OOS results linked to cleaning