Jump to content

  • Quick Navigation
Photo

Micro swabbing to verify cleanliness

Share this

  • You cannot start a new topic
  • Please log in to reply
10 replies to this topic
- - - - -

JesseG

    Grade - AIFSQN

  • IFSQN Associate
  • 30 posts
  • 7 thanks
0
Neutral

  • New Zealand
    New Zealand
  • Gender:Female

Posted 31 October 2013 - 09:56 PM

Hi,

Received a CAR in an audit for not micro swabbing to verify cleanliness.  My argument was -

  1.  Bakery classified low risk
  2.  Product frozen and sent out bulk
  3. Micro testing in the past has never had a non-conformance
  4. No customer complaints in this area

Any thoughts?

 

Paula



Thanked by 1 Member:
fguarisma

Blossom

    Grade - AIFSQN

  • IFSQN Associate
  • 35 posts
  • 3 thanks
2
Neutral

  • Canada
    Canada

Posted 31 October 2013 - 10:04 PM

Well, I m from a low risk frozen bakery too and we don't do micro swabbing till now because most of our equipments are dry cleaning.



Madam A. D-tor

    Grade - PIFSQN

  • IFSQN Principal
  • 644 posts
  • 230 thanks
52
Excellent

  • Netherlands
    Netherlands
  • Gender:Female
  • Interests:meat, meat products, ready to eat, food safety, QMS, audits, hazard analyses, IFS, BRC, SQF, HACCP, ISO 9001, ISO 22000

Posted 31 October 2013 - 11:32 PM

Dear Paulajgr,

 

I am interested to know on which requirement this CAR was written. It seems weird for a dry production area.

 

On the other hand if you conduct disinfection after cleaning (can also be on a weekly base), I would like to see verification of this disinfection. For example by swabs or agar stamps.

If you have or had in the past high microbiological load of your products or if their are complaints regarding mouldy products I also would like to see some verification.

 

Do you take microbiological air samples?


Kind Regards,

Madam A. D-tor

JesseG

    Grade - AIFSQN

  • IFSQN Associate
  • 30 posts
  • 7 thanks
0
Neutral

  • New Zealand
    New Zealand
  • Gender:Female

Posted 01 November 2013 - 12:03 AM

Hi,

We produce bakery products which are flash frozen.  Product cooked off site at instore bakeries.

The CAR was against WQA (Woolworths) Section 13.6 Validation & Verification of Cleaning

We verify the process procedures & post handling operations of the products microbiological levels by sending out baked samples to test.  We have never had a non-compliance.

No we don't take air samples.



Charles.C

    Grade - FIFSQN

  • IFSQN Moderator
  • 20,542 posts
  • 5662 thanks
1,544
Excellent

  • Earth
    Earth
  • Gender:Male
  • Interests:SF
    TV
    Movies

Posted 01 November 2013 - 02:57 AM

Hi,

We produce bakery products which are flash frozen.  Product cooked off site at instore bakeries.

The CAR was against WQA (Woolworths) Section 13.6 Validation & Verification of Cleaning

We verify the process procedures & post handling operations of the products microbiological levels by sending out baked samples to test.  We have never had a non-compliance.

No we don't take air samples.

Dear paula,

 

And the question is ? (too lazy to hunt for the WQA standard :smile: )

 

Rgds / Charles.C


Kind Regards,

 

Charles.C


JesseG

    Grade - AIFSQN

  • IFSQN Associate
  • 30 posts
  • 7 thanks
0
Neutral

  • New Zealand
    New Zealand
  • Gender:Female

Posted 01 November 2013 - 10:07 PM

Hi Charles - I guess the question was - ways to get around it.



Madam A. D-tor

    Grade - PIFSQN

  • IFSQN Principal
  • 644 posts
  • 230 thanks
52
Excellent

  • Netherlands
    Netherlands
  • Gender:Female
  • Interests:meat, meat products, ready to eat, food safety, QMS, audits, hazard analyses, IFS, BRC, SQF, HACCP, ISO 9001, ISO 22000

Posted 02 November 2013 - 05:50 AM

Hi Paula,

 

I think Charles means the question/requirement  WQA (Woolworths) Section 13.6 Validation & Verification of Cleaning.

Maybe it helps us to understand the CAR of the auditor.


Kind Regards,

Madam A. D-tor

Thanked by 1 Member:
Charles.C

tahoeskier

    Grade - AIFSQN

  • IFSQN Associate
  • 33 posts
  • 11 thanks
6
Neutral

  • United States
    United States

Posted 08 November 2013 - 12:39 AM

the standard states...........

Swabbing in low risk areas or low risk facilities shall be completed as defined by risk assessment and historical data.

 

You must complete your risk assessment and show auditor why you are not swabbing.



Charles.C

    Grade - FIFSQN

  • IFSQN Moderator
  • 20,542 posts
  • 5662 thanks
1,544
Excellent

  • Earth
    Earth
  • Gender:Male
  • Interests:SF
    TV
    Movies

Posted 08 November 2013 - 02:35 AM

the standard states...........

Swabbing in low risk areas or low risk facilities shall be completed as defined by risk assessment and historical data.

 

You must complete your risk assessment and show auditor why you are not swabbing.

Dear tahoeskier,

 

Thks for input.

 

@Paula, if above is correct, it appears to demand some micro. swabbing data unless perhaps there is a risk category below "LOW". :smile:

 

Maybe I can predict yr next question if post #6 is not an option  ?

 

Rgds / Charles.C

 

PS (added later) - actually WQA standard, manufactured food, ver8, 2013, contains -

 

13.7 SWABBING
Traditional microbiological and allergen swabs shall be used as part of the validation of cleaning methods and
verification of effectiveness.  
Swabbing in low risk areas or low risk facilities shall be completed as defined by risk assessment and historical
data.  
Contact slides may be used in low risk areas but shall be supported with traditional swabbing.

 


Kind Regards,

 

Charles.C


AS NUR

    Grade - PIFSQN

  • IFSQN Principal
  • 582 posts
  • 60 thanks
9
Neutral

  • Indonesia
    Indonesia
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:east java, indonesia

Posted 09 November 2013 - 04:20 AM

dear Paula,

 

May be you should take a swab test to get data to convince your opinion.. That's verificatioan data, and you can do it yearly...

 

rgds

 

AS Nur



jibrad

    Grade - Active

  • IFSQN Active
  • 10 posts
  • 1 thanks
0
Neutral

  • Earth
    Earth

Posted 09 November 2013 - 11:09 AM

my recommenation for low risk bakery product(s) that you use protein swabs. This also is very useful for verification of cleaning as part of allergen controls.





Share this

0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users