Auditing and Identifying Contamination Points for Listeria in Food Plants

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Auditing and Identifying Contamination Points for
Listeria in Food Plants

• Presented by
• Graham Monda

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Canadian Recalls

• Mitchells Gourmet Foods, Saskatoon Wieners
• JM Schneider, Kitchener, Ont. sliced luncheon
  meats
• Golden Valley Farms, Arthur, Ont. Fletchers
  smoked chicken and smoked turkey breast
• Maple Leaf Foods, Ont. Deli meats, sausage,
  Canada wide recall

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Listeria monocytogenes

• Named for Joseph Lister
• Non-spore forming, Gram-positive rod
• Grows aerobically and anaerobically
• Grows between -0.4 and 50?C
• Grows at pH 4.4 to 9.6
• Grows at 10 NaCl
• Studies suggest up to 10 of human
  gastrointestinal tracts may be colonized

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Lm is unique

• Grows (slowly) at refrigeration temperatures
• Difficult to inactivate
• RTE contaminated post processing
• Can survive vacuum packaging
• Is ubiquitous

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Lm Policy - Canada
(1) RTE foods linked to listeriosis 0/50g (2)
RTE foods, support growth, 0/25g SLgt10
days (3) RTE foods, SLlt10days or RTE lt100/g
foods not supporting growth
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CDC Estimated Food-Related Deaths5 Pathogens
90 of Total
Approximately 5,000/year 100/week
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What are we dealing with?

• Listeria is the clean plant organism
• To manage Listeria requires change, not only in
  actions but to our thought process
• This includes,
• Sanitation
• Management
• Training
• SSOPS HACCAP

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Conduct a Listeria Audit

• Data driven management decisions
• Objective risk assessment
• Identify areas for improvement
• Assess equipment personnel
• Vehicle for training
• Demonstrate compliance

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Purpose of a Listeria Audit

• Evaluate the effectiveness of the environmental
  sanitation program
• Assist in implementing the QA/QC program
• QA - Are we doing the right things?
• QC - Are we doing things right?
• Confirm the areas compliance with procedures
• Identify opportunities for improvement

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Stages in a Listeria Audit
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Sources of Product Contamination

• Environmental
• 
  Floors
• Drains
• Walls (cracks)
• Ceilings, overheads
• Cat walks
• Condensation (bio-aerosols)
• Wet insulation
• Standing water
• Equipment moving from raw to finished

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Sources of Product Contamination

• Equipment
• Trolleys, forklifts
• Cleaning tools
• Maintenance tools
• Pallets

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Sources of Product from raw materials

• Raw Materials
• Ingredients Meats
• Spices Water Beef
• Sweeteners Pork
• Concentrates Poultry
• Turkey
• 1) Keep ingredients, raw materials, and
  products as cool as possible
• (below 7 C) during processing, storage,
  and distribution.

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Sources of Product Contamination

• Packaging Materials
• Cartons
• Cans
• Films
• Combos
• Tape
• Plastic coverings

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Sources of Product Contamination

• Engineering Design
• Dead Ends
• Cross Connections
• Improper Welds
• Difficult to Clean Areas
• Exposed Insulation
• Sandwiched Materials - Niches

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Sources of Product Contamination

• Processing Equipment
• Smokehouses
• Cookers
• Coolers
• Freezers (Spiral -Blast)
• Refrigeration Units
• Air handling Units
• Seals Gaskets
• Flexible Hosing
• Air Baggers

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Sources of Product Contamination

• Employees
• Orientation
• Operators
• Mechanics
• Employee traffic patterns

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Sources of Product Contamination

• Employees - GMPS
• Bathroom practices
• Washing sanitizing hands
• Footwear

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Identify Growth Areas
Limit Microbes Food/Water
Drains should be properly cleaned and sanitized
Store trash properly
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Identify Growth Areas
Find the organisms growth niches
Worn Gaskets
Unsealed Equipment Areas
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Identify Growth Areas
Maintain Air Handling Systems
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Identify Growth Areas
Beware of Temporary Repairs!!
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The Problem with High Pressure - Aerosols
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Effects of Water Pressure - Aerosols
Air sampling Counts of micro-organisms in filter
on a vacuum system A high pressure system
still leaves more airborne contamination after
45 mins than low pressure after 15 mins
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Conclusion

• High Pressure Not Recommended Where Listeria is
  an Issue

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Sanitary Design ofProcessing Equipment

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Transmission of Microbes
By Brushes/Hoses/Tools
Brushes should be properly stored

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Transmission of Microbes
By People gt walking gt moving carts gt using
tools Moving from a raw to finished area
without handwashing, cleaning equipment, etc.
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Transmission of Microbes
By Vehicles
Could this Hi-Lo move microbes around?
What is happening here?
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Transmission of Microbes
Condensation is a real threat!
Condensation
Exposed product
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Outside Factors
Not just open doors, but any openings that
facilitate insect or rodent and ultimately
microbial movement.
Black Mold entering from leak in column
All cracks/gaps should be sealed
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Bulls Eye Approach to ControlDirect Product
Contact

• Filling or packaging equipment
• Conveyors
• Chilling solutions
• Slicers, dicers, shredders, blenders (after
  heating, before packaging)

• Collators
• Racks
• Hand tools
• apparel
• Spiral/blast freezers
• Bins, tubs, or baskets

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Secondary Level of Concern, Indirect Product
Contamination

• Equipment framework and other equipment in the
  area
• Floors
• Drains
• Walls and ceilings, especially if cracked

• Overhead structures, catwalks
• Condensate
• Insulation in walls or around pipes
• Walkways
• Cleaning tools
• Maintenance tools

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Tertiary Level Recontamination of Processing Area

• Traffic in the processing and packaging areas
• people
• equipment such as trolleys and forklifts
• Unscheduled equipment maintenance

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Niches, the Dark Holes of Lm Control

• Fibrous or porous conveyor belts
• Conveyor scrapers, especially if in poor
  condition
• Open bearings in equipment

• Hollow conveyor rollers
• Slicers, dicers
• On/off switches
• Rubber seals around doors
• Damp insulation

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More Niches

• Hollow implements, including box cutters
• Trash cans and other ancillary items
• Standing water in production areas
• Cleaning tools, including mops and sponges

• In-line air filters for compressed air
• Wet, rusting or hollow framework
• Motor housings
• Walls/crevices of spiral freezers
• Ice makers

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Lm Control in Niches

• Good control involves identifying the source or
  niche of the Listeria contamination and
  eliminating it.

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Some Conditions That Have Caused Problems

• Moving or significantly modifying a packaging
  line
• Installing used equipment brought from storage or
  another plant
• Equipment breakdown

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More Red Flag Situations

• Construction or major modifications in an RTE
  area.
• A new employee, unfamiliar with the operation and
  L. monocytogenes controls in the RTE product area.

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Keep in Mind.

• Initially most equipment is of a sanitary design
  however, over time it has been welded, repaired,
  re-positioned to the extent that the sanitary
  design has now been lost...

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LISTERIAEnvironmental survey reported
at the AMI List. workshop

• Drains Trenches 355 samples 133 37
• Floors 269 samples 79 29
• Condensate 265 samples 19 7.0
• Walls Ceilings 114 samples 6 5.0
• Exhaust Hoods 23 samples 5 22
• Brine system 24 samples 2 8.0
• Cleaning Aids 86 samples 21 24
• Wash Areas 17 samples 4 24
• Potable water 25 samples 1 4.0
• Compressed air 25 samples 1 4.0
• Product contact surfaces 740 samples 152 20
• Others 333 samples 50 21
• TOTALS 2276 473 21
• 60 monocytogenes
• 40 Other Listeria (All areas Post Processing)

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Top Ten

1. Drains, Floors.
2. Cleaning equipment.
3. Exhaust hoods.
4. Condensation.
5. Wash areas.

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Top Ten

1. Unsanitary welds and niches.
2. Tools.
3. Staff, operators, maintenance.
4. Gaskets.
5. Aerosols, high pressure cleaning.