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Listeria Swabs For Drains

Started by , Sep 18 2025 11:27 AM
3 Replies

Hi everyone!

 

I am looking for some suggestions to get us in the right direction. Our GFSI Standard is BAP (Best Aquaculture Practices), and with the oncoming of a new version, the following clause has been added, "3.9.4 Records of environmental verification analyses shall include Listeria spp. (for drains only), and other process related indicator organisms such as Enterobacteriaceae, or standard plate count."

 

Currently, we have a good EMP program that covers the indicator organisms part of this requirement. We are a low risk facility that mostly deals with raw fish and shrimp intended to be cooked by the consumer. Is swabbing for listeria, in the drains specifically, a common practice? If so, what are some of your recommendations to ensure proper sanitation of these areas that are in the floor?

 

Any recommendations or insight to ensure compliance here would be great!

 

Cheers,

Shrimper

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If you're raw to be cooked, I personally see no value in swabbing drains during production as all you'll find is what was there from the raw fish.

 

You could swab drains after cleaning to check they've been cleaned properly but again I'll defer to others for if there is a reason why this will add value, I can't think of one per se apart from to make sure your cleaning is happening but there are other ways to do that.

 

To clean drains, make it a specific activity after floor and equipment cleaning but before disinfection.  Ideally have specific colour coded equipment and PPE for it.  Dismantle the drain (any traps, bungs etc) and clean as you would anything else.  Rinse for gross debris, detergent, scrub and contact time, rinse.  Then reassemble and swap out any PPE / kit.  Disinfect all your equipment and floors then disinfect the drain in situ.  Some people put in long term drain tablets for longer term ongoing disinfection which slowly dissolve in traps.

I also work in a relatively low risk seafood facility, and we've always swabbed drains for listeria as we use Lm as our main indicator organism and it likes to hang out in drains.

Like GMO said - we have a process for it so cleaning them doesn't risk contaminating other equipment / the areas around them, specific color coding for tools for cleaning them, and we also use "drain rings" which are sanitizer rings that sit in the drain and provide long term disinfection in between cleanings. 

Drains have always been a pretty standard spot for cleaning / testing just due to the industries I've worked in (fresh cut product and seafood) and their prevalence for being a harborage point for Lm. 

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I also work in a relatively low risk seafood facility, and we've always swabbed drains for listeria as we use Lm as our main indicator organism and it likes to hang out in drains.

Like GMO said - we have a process for it so cleaning them doesn't risk contaminating other equipment / the areas around them, specific color coding for tools for cleaning them, and we also use "drain rings" which are sanitizer rings that sit in the drain and provide long term disinfection in between cleanings. 

Drains have always been a pretty standard spot for cleaning / testing just due to the industries I've worked in (fresh cut product and seafood) and their prevalence for being a harborage point for Lm. 

 

Thanks, it's interesting because in high risk factories, that's not common practice I've found in the raw side (i.e. before cooking).  What is common practice is checking near transfer points, e.g. changing rooms etc.

 

Thanks for sharing your experience.


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