The checklist

Raquel Lenati

Protecting companies and brands while maximising productivity is essential; however, providing the highest quality product is paramount. Together with up-to-date Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) and prerequisite programs, many food and beverage processors have proven proactive environmental monitoring and regular product testing are long-term money and time-savers. These are also essential steps to ensuring people consume high-quality, safe and wholesome food products. A variety of microbiology testing methods and hygiene monitoring solutions are available to help meet processing plants’ needs and ultimately improve their overall profitability. When considering microbiological testing of environmental and product samples, identifying cost-effective options that best utilise facilities’ available labour will affect the method companies select.

“The ability to produce environmental and product microbial test results in-house awards manufacturers the power and freedom to further investigate their processes.”
-Raquel Lenati

Internal versus external

Typically, two options exist for microbiology analysis: in-house testing, which involves starting or using an internal lab, or third party testing whereby all work is contracted to an external laboratory.

Besides situations where regulatory agencies require samples be tested in an accredited laboratory, sending some environmental and food samples to a third party lab for testing has its advantages. For instance, some testing methods may demand expertise beyond the scope of internal staff while other tests may require special equipment that companies do not have or may not be ready to acquire.

Fortunately, plenty of quality assurance and food safety checks exist, which can be easily done in-house. These include microbial and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) testing. The methods that do not require enrichment steps and offer low to no risk of cross-contamination in the lab are the best options for starting an in-house microbiology testing venture.

Offering the quality and standardisation of rigorous manufacturing processes available in the market, many in-house testing methods are simple, provide quick results and are cost-effective as shipping costs and time in transit are eliminated and they do not require highly trained technicians.

The ability to produce environmental and product microbial test results in-house also awards manufacturers the power and freedom to further investigate their processes, materials and equipment. With this data readily available, food and beverage processing plants have a better understanding of potential contamination sources and can use such data to track any latent hot spots or growth niches of microorganisms over time. Should plants wish to take testing a step further, effective data management, tracking and trending can help identify imminent issues, offering the opportunity to identify and prevent larger food safety and quality issues associated with the environment, ingredients or processes.

Testing in-house, however, does have challenges. It is not easy to keep up with regulatory changes, international trends and new methodologies. By taking time to talk to suppliers, food industry colleagues, related industry associations and food safety experts, facilities will find the best solution for food safety and quality verifications for their needs.

Certification and education

Upon selecting a testing method it’s important to ensure it is properly validated and approved for the type of commodity and environmental surfaces being tested. Review whether the method is accepted by internationally recognized organizations, such as the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), Association of Analytical Communities (AOAC) and the French national organisation for standardisation, AFNOR, as well as domestic regulatory bodies, or provincial regulators. If exporting product, governing bodies of other countries will need to be consulted.

Further, learn about Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) by referring to guidelines such as ISO 17025, which specifies the general requirements to carry out tests and calibrations, including sampling. Understand the microbial limits the processing environment, raw materials and finished product samples should meet. International guidelines such as the Codex Allimentarius and the International Commission on Microbiological Specification for Foods (ICMSF) as well as regulators’ guidelines are great starting points to set microbiological specifications for environmental and product results.

Biography

Raquel Lenati is a microbiology professional services advisor for 3M Canada. 3M is a trusted global leader of food and beverage safety and quality monitoring solutions. Lenati has earned a M.Sc. in microbiology and B.Sc. in food sciences. She worked within the food industry with HACCP and quality assurance programs before joining 3M.