WHITE PAPER be an expectation that any contamination collected by the cleaning tool is subsequently removed as part of the cleaning process. However, unpublished data from Campden BRI used to establish guidance on effective microbiological sampling of food processing areas3 showed that 47 percent of the cleaning tools sampled were positive for Listeria monocytogenes. More recently, in 2017. Schäfer4 determined that: 67% of equipment and utensils used in a poultry processing plant were contaminated with L. mono, even after cleaning. Whether these observations was due to poor hygienic practices or to the poor hygienic design of the cleaning tools (or both) is unknown. Regardless, these observations have given rise to the concept of cleaning tools as major ‘collection’ points for the isolation of pathogens. Decontamination of your cleaning tools – general information To minimise the risk of cleaning tools becoming a source and vector of cross-contamination they must be appropriately cleaned, disinfected, and maintained. With regard to this, • Cleaning and disinfection methods/protocols should be developed and validated for cleaning tools, as appropriate, based on risk assessment. • Cleaning and disinfection of cleaning tools should be conducted to an appropriate, defined frequency/schedule, based on risk assessment. • Documentation and records of these actions should be kept so that they can be used internally and in support of audits and due diligence defence, if required. The methods and frequencies of cleaning tool decontamination will depend on many things, including: • What is being cleaned, e.g., environmental or food contact surface. • Type of contamination, e.g., microorganisms, allergens, foreign bodies, product residues (e.g., meat or fish species, organic or non-organic). • The risk level of the food being produced, e.g., low risk, high care, high risk, ambient stable. • Type of food product/environment, e.g., wet, dry. • Type of clean, e.g., interim, daily, weekly, periodic deep clean. • Type of consumer, e.g., infants, elderly, allergic, health compromised. Wet cleaning In general, food industry cleaning tools used in wet environments are decontaminated at the end of the production day, or more frequently if required, through immersion in warm water containing a detergent; by use of a hose (low, medium or high pressure); and/or use of manual cleaning; or by loading it into an onsite cleaning system, like a tray washer. These actions are usually followed by the application of a chemical disinfectant, before the equipment is rinsed and hung up or placed in an oven to dry. During the day, cleaning tools may also be placed in a ‘sanitiser bath.’ The sanitisers used in these baths tend to be a combined detergent-disinfectant chemical that is perceived to help remove soiling and disinfect the tools simultaneously. However, the organic soiling on the cleaning tool can quickly reduce the efficacy of the disinfectant component Vikan A/S - Department of Hygiene 03 Copyright © 2018 Vikan A/S · All Rights Reserved
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