Root Cause Analysis of Coliform in RIA 1 end products

Define the Problem

There is a big issue in RIA 1 end products random coliform count. I think this is due to Human causes. So I hope to investigate this problem deeply.

1. I saw one labour took stick from the rework bucket and put into a mould to remove overfilled water ice mix from the mould. 2. I saw ion stick put in to the mould(which is using for remove bad quality ice cream sticks from the mould) a. Ion stick 3. I saw sucker tubes touching the mould(specially most of the time sucker tubes touching last two moulds) 4. I saw mixing stick that using for mix the chocolate bath put on the floor and improper cleaning during the production. 5. I saw overalls contact with the ice cream sticks 6. I saw RIA permanent workers using a bucket with anti bac to clean their hands and put ion stick. But problem is they remove anti bac from the bucket when it get colored (with the ice cream) and replace it by hot water. Collect Data 2012.7.20 Faluda stick Samples were taken in between 30 min interval Sample number 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 Coliform positive or negative negative negative negative positive negative negative positive positive

Time(am) 8.30 9.00 9.30 10.00

10.30 11.00 11,30 12.00 12.30 1.00 1.30 2.00 2.30 3.00 3.30

1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2

negative negative positive negative positive negative negative negative negative negative negative negative positive negative negative positive positive positive negative negative negative negative

I took swab from the rework bucket and it showed coliform Positive I took swab from the ion stick several days. Day and situation 2012.7.20(after CIP) Swab sample no. 1 2 2012.7.20(few hours 1 after CIP) 2 2012.7.23(online) 1 2 2012.7.30(after CIP) 1 2 2012.7.30(online) 1 2 2012.7.31(online) 1 2 Coliform result negative negative positive positive positive positive negative negative positive positive negative negative

I took swabs from the overalls of permanent workers several times. But all swabs showed coliform negative. I took swabs from the sucker tubes and also I took swabs from the touching moulds.

Day 2012.7.19(online) 2012.7.20(After CIP) 2012.7.20(online) 2012.8.2(after CIP) 2012.8.2(online)

Swab sample no 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2

Coliform result positive positive Negative Negative positive positive Negative Negative Negative Negative

I took swabs from the mixing stick (when it is in the floor) and took sample from the chocolate bath just after the mixing from the mixing stick. Sample Swab (mixing stick) Sample number 1 2 Sample from chocolate bath 1 2 Coliform result positive positive positive positive

I saw RIA permanent workers using a bucket with anti bac to clean their hands and put ion stick. But problem is they remove anti bac from the bucket when it get colored (with the ice cream) and replace it by hot water. I took this water sample and checked for coliforms. It showed coliform positive. I took one sample from the anti bac bath (which is using for equipment parts cleaning)it showed overgrowth when I checked for coliform(On Friday).Then I took another sample from the antibac bath on Monday. It showed coliform negative result. Then I was checked the effectiveness of the same antibac sample. (By adding diluted raw milk sample to the Petri dish contain antibac) It showed negative results.

Identify Possible Causal Factors According to these data, 1. Sticks that taken from the rework bucket is a contaminant agent

2. Iron stick that use for removing bad quality ice cream sticks is a contaminant agent 3. Improperly cleaned sucker tubes are contaminant agent. 4. Mixing stick that using for mix the chocolate bath is a contaminant agent.

5. Replacement of antibac by hot water basket causes contamination. 6. Violating antibac replacing procedure (twice per day) causes contamination. Identify the Root Causes Iron stick can contaminate via touching (In hand washing practices there is a error) and when they put into the hot water basket (after replacing anti bac by hot water). Sticks that taken from the rework bucket most of the time show coliform positive. It can cause coliform contamination via rework sticks. When it come to sucker tubes can cause coliform contamination if it touch the moulds. Accepted procedure is after washing with water and detergent sucker tubes must put in the antibac bath. But in some cases though it washes with detergent it can be a contaminant agent if it touch with moulds. Because when it touch with moulds it touch with ice-cream mix and if it touch with improperly cleaned hand it cause coliform positive tubes. Mixing stick that use in magic choc and chocopop production can act as a contamination agent depends on the place that is kept after the previous mixing. If it kept on the coliform positive area it gives coliform positive results for ice cream stick. When coliform positive stick put into the chocolate bath coliform bacteria washes away from the mixing stick. And when chocolate bath fill with new chocolate mix coliform positive chocolate mix become diluted and reduce coliform count. When it comes to changing antibac if it not changes anti bac bath also can be coliform positive. Because it react with coliform bacteria and after that anti bac concentration reduce according to the size of the coliform load. After it losing its effective concentration range it cannot act as an antibacterial medium. When they replace anti bac by hot water (in the basket near to the RIA1 that using for hand washing and dip iron stick).By this can contaminate hands and the iron stick. Then ice-cream stick get contaminate from it.

Recommend and Implement Solutions o The basket that contain anti bac must replace with new anti bac solution if they feel it is not good for hand washing (avoid replacing by hot water).From this solve the problem of contamination by labors hands (sucker tubes also) and iron stick by dipping it in anti bac basket. o Sucker tubes must dip in anti bac bath after washing with water and detergent and always keep sucker tubes not to touch with moulds. Sometimes they do this but most of the time they miss it. o Anti bac bath must replace twice per day. At the beginning of the week they do this but at the end of the week they sometime miss this. o When it comes to taking sticks from the rework buckets it is more situational action. I saw this behavior when RIA one produce bad quality ice cream and overloaded with bad quality ice-cream sticks. Best solution for this is if there is any errors stops the RIA machine and correct it. o Mixing stick must keep in an anti bac bath that locate near to the RIA 1.

More on hand washing practices Most of the production workers dont use antibac bath for hand washing saying that everyone wash their hand from this bath (unclean) and they wash their hands by concentrated anti bac solution (which is in the antibac can).This is not good for their normal flora on the hands we cannot imagine that they always wash their hands by anti bac which is in the larger can. Solution for this is change antibac bath in every 3 hours.

My view If production executives can spend more time with these guys, correct these actions and transform those into their habit we can get consistent good results. Unless it become a

habit after two three days they do the same situation. For that transformational leadership is required. Most of the contaminations can occur in on part of the mould or one hole of the mould. Ex: when we consider about the sucker tube contamination most of the time sucker tubes touch with the last few rows of the mould. According to the mould that sample taken can change the coliform result. (Depending on the mould).So then it gives random results.

Though this row get contaminate Sample may taken from other moulds.