Food Safety
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Food Safety
  • NEWS
    • Latest News
    • White Papers
  • PRODUCTS
  • TOPICS
    • Contamination Control
    • Food Types
    • Management
    • Process Control
    • Regulatory
    • Sanitation
    • Supply Chain
    • Testing and Analysis
  • PODCAST
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Food Safety Five Newsreel
    • eBooks
    • FSM Distinguished Service Award
    • Interactive Product Spotlights
    • Videos
  • BUYER'S GUIDE
  • MORE
    • ENEWSLETTER >
      • Archive Issues
      • Subscribe to eNews
    • Store
    • Sponsor Insights
  • WEBINARS
  • FOOD SAFETY SUMMIT
  • EMAG
    • eMagazine
    • Archive Issues
    • Editorial Advisory Board
    • Contact
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!

How does air affect food safety in snack and bakery facilities?

How does air affect food safety in snack and bakery facilities?

Megan Coy

May 15, 2018

The air around your product should be maintained just like all equipment and product itself. The air intake system should be part of your sanitary design program, evaluating the design to ensure inspection and cleaning hatches are installed at various points for proper maintenance.

Air intake systems pull the air from the outside into the plant, along with many possible contaminants, such as dust, water, bacteria, chemicals, mold, insects, off odors and other chemical, physical and microbiological contaminants. If the outside air enters the facility untreated, it could contaminate your product. The air handling system should filter the air to provide a clean production environment.

Positive air pressure is a best practice for air within a facility. Air should flow from cooked or pasteurized areas to raw or uncooked areas. How do you know if your facility has positive air pressure? Open a door between two areas and see if you can feel the airflow. The air should be flowing out of your facility, or from low risk areas to high risk areas. You can also use devices that will monitor airflow in feet per minute from one room to the next. Without positive air pressure, the simple act of opening a door can allow outside air to enter the facility and potentially contaminate the product.

Testing air quality is critical. Microbiological testing for yeast and mold, and particle count testing, is recommended. Testing methods include air sedimentation plates and mechanical air samplers. Air sedimentation plates are standard petri dishes containing the culture media. The plate is exposed to the air for a predetermined amount of time. The plate is then incubated for five days and the results are reviewed for mold and yeast growth. Mechanical air sampling runs air through a device to test for microbiological contamination and/or particle count. The air is moved over or around a culture media plate, which is then incubated for five days. The results should show little to no yeast or mold to ensure the air is free of potential risks. There is no regulated limit for these counts, but you should establish your own limits.

Air handling units should have filters in place to remove particles of a defined size. The pre-filters on the air handling units should be minimally capable of removing airborne particulates of 50 microns in size or a minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) of 4 or larger. The higher the number on the MERV rating, the smaller the particle size it can filter. If air is used for direct product contact, additional filtering should be put in place. Compressed air should be filtered to 5 microns or less. Replace filters at predetermined frequency to ensure proper operation. Air handling units outside, such as on the roof, might require changing more often based on seasonal changes or conditions, such as construction.

Air makeup systems and ductwork should be cleaned on a routine basis to prevent any dust, debris, moisture and other contaminates from accumulating. This accumulation could cause environmental concerns in production or other areas of the facility or, depending upon the type of product, mold or insect concerns. Vacuuming the units is a good first step. Additional cleaning could also include use of chemicals and sanitizers. Air plate monitoring activities will help determine the proper frequency. Inspection of the units should include functionality, cleanliness, filter placement and air monitoring, which is typically managed as part of the preventive maintenance program. Random verification of how well your program is working can be included as part of monthly self-inspections.

You also want to address the air leaving your facility, or the ventilation. A positive air system will send air out of your facility, with openings for the air to escape. Exhaust fans are common ventilation units. These openings should seal when the fans are not in operation. Other ventilation areas should be screened to allow air to escape, but not allow anything into the facility.

Areas storing hazardous chemicals should be properly ventilated to prevent hazardous fumes from reaching personnel or product. Restroom ventilation is also critical. Negative air pressure should be in place in restrooms. The air should flow into the restroom and be vented out of the building. This will help control odor and microbiological issues. Restroom doors also should not open directly into production, packaging or storage areas.

This article was originally posted on www.snackandbakery.com.
KEYWORDS: quality assurance quality control sanitation

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • people holding baby chicks

    Serovar Differences Matter: Utility of Deep Serotyping in Broiler Production and Processing

    This article discusses the significance of Salmonella in...
    Meat/Poultry
    By: Nikki Shariat Ph.D.
  • woman washing hands

    Building a Culture of Hygiene in the Food Processing Plant

    Everyone entering a food processing facility needs to...
    Food Prep/Handling
    By: Richard F. Stier, M.S.
  • graphical representation of earth over dirt

    Climate Change and Emerging Risks to Food Safety: Building Climate Resilience

    This article examines the multifaceted threats to food...
    Management
    By: Maria Cristina Tirado Ph.D., D.V.M. and Shamini Albert Raj M.A.
Manage My Account
  • eMagazine Subscription
  • Subscribe to eNewsletter
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Website Registration
  • Subscription Customer Service

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Food Safety Magazine audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Food Safety Magazine or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • Two men standing in a produce storage facility having a discussion.
    Sponsored byOrkin Commercial

    Staying Compliant With FSMA

  • Deli Salads
    Sponsored byCorbion

    How Food Safety is Becoming the Ultimate Differentiator in Refrigerated and Prepared Foods

Popular Stories

Corporate manager talking with factory employees

Turning Resistance into Opportunity: Motivating Change in the Food Industry

Image of baby being fed infant formula

HHS Budget Request Beats Familiar Drum

Two men standing in a produce storage facility having a discussion.

Staying Compliant With FSMA

Events

June 26, 2025

How to Design and Conduct Challenge Studies for Safer Products and Longer Shelf Life

Live: June 26, 2025 at 2:00 pm EDT: During this webinar, attendees will learn how to conduct challenge studies for microbial spoilage and pathogen growth, including the common challenges encountered, laboratory selection, and use of predictive models.

July 15, 2025

Hygienic Design Risk Management: Industry Challenges and EHEDG Guidance

Live: July 15, 2025 at 11:00 am EDT: From this webinar, attendees will learn the importance of hygienic design to ensure food safety and sanitation effectiveness.

May 11, 2026

The Food Safety Summit

Stay informed on the latest food safety trends, innovations, emerging challenges, and expert analysis. Leave the Summit with actionable insights ready to drive measurable improvements in your organization. Do not miss this opportunity to learn from experts about contamination control, food safety culture, regulations, sanitation, supply chain traceability, and so much more.

View All

Products

Global Food Safety Microbial Interventions and Molecular Advancements

Global Food Safety Microbial Interventions and Molecular Advancements

See More Products
Environmental Monitoring Excellence eBook

Related Articles

  • Managing air circulation in snack and bakery production is critical to food safety

    Managing air circulation in snack and bakery production is critical to food safety

    See More
  • Investigating air quality

    Snack and bakery facilities revamp ventilation systems to address common issues

    See More
  • Establishing effective infrastructure maintenance plans for snack and bakery facilities

    Establishing effective infrastructure maintenance plans for snack and bakery facilities

    See More

Events

View AllSubmit An Event
  • December 3, 2024

    Facilities Focus: Food Safety Factors to Consider in Hygienic Design and Infrastructure

    On Demand: From this webinar, attendees will learn important factors to consider when specifying hygienic design requirements for equipment and facilities.
View AllSubmit An Event
×

Never miss the latest news and trends driving the food safety industry

eNewsletter | Website | eMagazine

JOIN TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Directories
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing