What are considered acceptable TPC levels on zone 3 surfaces?
Context is RTE dairy plant that produces cultured and uncultured cheeses.
Posted 12 March 2025 - 03:58 AM
What are considered acceptable TPC levels on zone 3 surfaces?
Context is RTE dairy plant that produces cultured and uncultured cheeses.
Posted 12 March 2025 - 12:12 PM
Ive never really tested zone 3 for TPC. Its going to be very high unless your testing immediatley after cleaning as a form of cleaning validation.
What are you hoping to achieve by the testing?
Twofishfs@gmail.com
Posted 12 March 2025 - 01:36 PM
We're not RTE, so maybe it's different for you guys, but neither do I test TPC on zone 3. This will vary widely depending on your product, plant, other specifics, etc.
Here's my zone ID from my WI. FYI I do swabs weekly even though multiple auditors have told me I don't need to, even though the paperwork says quarterly. The swabs go bad and I end up throwing them some out even at 3 swabs per week, so may as well use um up:
Zone
Location
Frequency
Sample Quantity
Tests
Zone 1
Any food contact Surfaces
Monthly or as deemed needed
3 or as deemed needed/Preop
Protein Swabs only
Zone 2
Areas surrounding food contact surfaces/ Conveyor frames, equipment handles and guards, control buttons and panels, scales, etc
Quarterly or as deemed needed
1 or as deemed needed
Listeria spp. Salmonella spp., APC
Enterobacteriaceae
Yeast & mold
Zone 3
Areas surrounding zone 2/ Non-Product Contact within GMP areas
Quarterly or as deemed needed
1 or as deemed needed
Listeria spp. Salmonella spp.
Zone 4
Outside GMP areas/Walkways, break rooms, lockers, warehouses, shipping and receiving
Quarterly or as deemed needed
1 or as deemed needed
Investigation Swabs only
Edited by MDaleDDF, 12 March 2025 - 01:38 PM.
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