When it comes to defining “clean” in the food industry, an objective definition does not exist, and each facility must recognize that what is deemed clean now may not stay clean when subjected to the environment.
Food companies and regulators have become increasingly vigilant for environmental pathogens in manufacturing facilities, with problems triggering swab-a-thons and even recalls.
Trending environmental monitoring data can help with a root-cause analysis to uncover the origins of the positive finding and may inform the mitigation strategy.
For ready-to-eat food processors, developing and implementing pathogen environmental monitoring programs are important parts of their sanitation controls.