Hi limmm,
Welcome to the IFSQN forums.
Any Environmental Monitoring Programme will need to be based on risk and the controls in place. It would be useful to know your product category? as this is key to risk/controls and receiving relevant advice. FSSC requirements are posted below for clarification.
FSSC 22000 Certification Scheme Version 6.0 cover the requirements for an EMP in Part 2 | Requirements for Organization to be Audited Section 2.5.7 ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING (FOOD CHAIN CATEGORIES BIII, C, I & K). The requirements are:
‘The organization shall have in place:
a) A risk-based environmental monitoring program for the relevant pathogens, spoilage, and indicator organisms;
b) A documented procedure for the evaluation of the effectiveness of all controls on preventing contamination from the manufacturing environment and this shall include, at a minimum, the evaluation of microbiological controls present; and shall comply with legal and customer requirements.
c) Data of the environmental monitoring activities, including regular trend analysis; and
d) The environmental monitoring program shall be reviewed for continued effectiveness and suitability, at least annually, and more often if required, including when the following triggers occur:
i. Significant changes related to products, processes, or legislation;
ii. When no positive testing results have been obtained over an extended period of time;
iii. Trend in out of specification microbiological results, related to both intermediate and finished products, linked to environmental monitoring;
iv. A repeat detection of pathogens during routine environmental monitoring; and
v. When there are alerts, recalls or withdrawals relating to product/s produced by the organization.’
Kind regards,
Tony
