12/9/2021

SEAFAST Center, and

Department of
Food Science and Technology

Food Processing Environment

Monitoring Program
Prof. Dr. Lilis Nuraida, MSc.

Outline

• Why EMP?
• Objective EMP
• Environmental sampling approach: Sampling location/zoning
• How to determine sampling frequency
• Sampling methods

Lilis Nuraida – Food Processing Environment Monitoring Program– December 9, 2021

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Processing Environment

• Maintenance of a hygienic processing environment

is essential for the production of safe and
wholesome food
• Microbiologically relevant considerations will vary
for different food commodities
• Although CCPs are monitored tightly, post process
contamination often occurred due to :
- Addition of contaminated ingredients after the
kill step or
- Contamination from the processing environment

Lilis Nuraida – Food Processing Environment Monitoring Program– December 9, 2021

Why Environment Monitoring Program?

Environmental monitoring is an
evaluation of the effectiveness of
the microbial controls (pathogens
Raw materials
and spoilage organisms) to prevent
contamination of food
products.
Quantity and
type
EMP: Testing of Process contaminant
processing environment in finish
goods

Monitoring
Processing Processing
Environment environment

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The Plant Environment

• Pathogens enter the plant in many ways (raw products,

ingredients, pests, workers).
• Once inside, they persist in niches and move through the facility
(dust, traffic flow, condensation).
• Grow/survive within the plant.
• This a perfect recipe for recontamination!

Contamination=spoilage, foodborne illness & recalls!

Lilis Nuraida – Food Processing Environment Monitoring Program– December 9, 2021

Example

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Objectives of the EMP

• Validation and verification of cleaning and sanitation programs.

• Procedures & frequency
• Measures the overall effectiveness of sanitary design, personnel practices, and
operational methods.
• Provides information (source and concentration) about indicator organisms,
spoilage organisms, and/or pathogens of concern in a timely manner
• Eliminate niches/harborages.
• Determine if plant maintenance is needed.
• Acts as an early warning system for microbiological hazards in both the production and
post-production environment
• Helps to identify harborage niches and hot spots in a plant that may act as a source of
contamination.
• Evaluate hygienic design of the facility.
Lilis Nuraida – Food Processing Environment Monitoring Program– December 9, 2021

Processing Environment Testing

• Food contact and Non Food Contact Surfaces

• To verify that the environment is under appropriate
hygienic control for the specific commodity
• Use of swabs or sponges or ATP-based assay
• Air
• To assure that air involved in processing is not a
source for (re)contamination
• Collected by sedimentation methods, impaction,
filtration or centrifugal methods followed by plating

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Environmental Sampling Approach:

Sampling location/Zoning

Zone 1: direct contact

surface
Zone 2: Non-product site
adjacent to zone1
Zone 3: Non-product site
adjacent to zone1
Zone 4: area remote from
zone 1
• Berbasis pada kedekatan
permukaan peralatan dengan
pangan
• Zonasi ini berbeda dengan zonasi
area berdasarkan hygiene tinggi
Lilis Nuraida – Food Processing Environment Monitoring Program– December 9, 2021

Environmental Sampling Approach

Zone 1 sites
• The most critical areas of cleaning and sanitizing,
primarily direct food contact surfaces.
• All direct food contact surfaces in the plant
• Exposed product prior to package sealing.
• Examples:
• Conveyors/buckets
• Utensils
• Employee hands (ex: sorters).
• Slicers/pitters.
• Hoppers/bins/bin liners.
• Fillers.
• Work tables Almond Board of California;
• etc http://www.almondboard.com/Handlers/Documents/pem%20book.pdf

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Environmental Sampling Approach

Zone 2 sites
• The critical areas of concern for cleaning
and sanitizing tasks focus on indirect food
contact surfaces, such as parts of
equipment, items or other surfaces that
personnel might come into contact with
near Zone 1.
• In general, this is the area where
environmental contamination is most likely
to affect the safety of the product
• Non-product contact sites adjacent to Zone 1.
• Examples:
• Equipment framework.
• Drip shields/housing.
• Control panels/buttons.
• Pipes over Zone 1.
• Computer screens.
Almond Board of California;
• Maintenance tools. http://www.almondboard.com/Handlers/Documents/pem%20book.pdf

Lilis Nuraida – Food Processing Environment Monitoring Program– December 9, 2021

Zone 2

Zone 1

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Environmental Sampling Approach

Zone 3 Sites
• Non-product contact sites adjacent to Zone 2 (not Zone 1).
• Cross-contamination risk.
• If zone 3 is contaminated with a pathogen, it could lead
to contamination of zone 2 through employees’ actions
or movement of machinery
• Examples include:
• Floors/walls/ceilings.
• Hoses/air handling units.
• Drains.
• Foot mats/baths.
• Forklifts.
• Brooms/mops
• Pallets.
• heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system
equipment, especially the filters, floors.
Almond Board of California;
http://www.almondboard.com/Handlers/Documents/pem%20book.pdf

Lilis Nuraida – Food Processing Environment Monitoring Program– December 9, 2021

Environmental Sampling Approach

Zone 4 sites
• Areas furthest away from production like hallways, entryways
and bathrooms
• Areas remote from Zone 1 (the product processing areas).
• Cross-contamination of Zones 1-3 from Zone 4 can occur!
• If zone 4 is not maintained in a good sanitary condition, it
can lead to cross contamination of zones 1, 2, and 3
• Examples:
• Locker/break rooms, offices.
• Warehouses/freezers/cold storage.
• Restrooms.
• Loading docks.
• Maintenance shop, maintenance equipment and tools
used by maintenance personnel who are on call
throughout the plant
Almond Board of California;
http://www.almondboard.com/Handlers/Documents/pem%20book.pdf

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https://www.aibinternational.com/aibonline_/www.aibonline.org/newsletter/Magazine/Nov_Dec2013/EPME
arlyWarningHazards.pdf
Lilis Nuraida – Food Processing Environment Monitoring Program– December 9, 2021

Example of milk powder manufacturer

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Perhatian!!

Taking Samples

• Samples of the plant environment may include:

• Surface swabs.
• Dust, scrapings.
• Water/air.
• Sampling Tools can include:
• Swabs (sponge)
• Sterile scoops, spatulas & sample cups.

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Sample Collection

• Work out from Zone 1 to Zone 4.

• Samplers must practice good
hygiene:
• Wash/sanitize hands.
• Put on sterile gloves before handling
swab.
• Change gloves/sanitize between
swabs.
• Sample site: non-sterile surface

Lilis Nuraida – Food Processing Environment Monitoring Program– December 9, 2021

Sample Collection

• The area sampled can vary:

• 40-200 in2 for indicators.
• 40-400 in2 for pathogens.

• Wipe Zone 1 sites with alcohol-based sanitizer after sampling.

• Always submit a negative control swab:
• Removed from bag & returned w/o being used.
• Submit samples promptly:
• Transport < 45 oF (7 C)
• Test <48 hrs.

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Mikroba yang dapat diuji pada EM

• Patogen:
• Yang relevan terhadap jenis industri dan produk:
• Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella, E. coli,
Campylobacter, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus,
etc.
• Pengujian pathogen: ada/tidak ada per unit tertentu (untuk
Salmonella).
• Mikroorgansime pembusuk:
• Kapang dan khamir merupakan mikroorganisme pembusuk
utama
• Pengujian udara dan permukaan penting dilakukan untuk
kelompok ini
• Mikrorba indikator: parameter monitoring dasar untuk mengukur
potensi keberadaan mikroorganisme patogen
• Aerobic plate count (APC), Coliforms dan Total
Enterobacteriacea (TEB).
• Indikator kontaminasi: Allergen, protein dan ATP

Lilis Nuraida – Food Processing Environment Monitoring Program– December 9, 2021

Indicator Microorganisms for Sanitation

and Hygiene
Hygiene Indicators Where applicable

Aerobic Mesophilic Count
(AMC)/APC/ACC
Enterobacteriaceae
(Now commonly applied as
process hygiene criteria in
EU regulations)
Coliforms
Faecal coliforms/ E.coli
Often applied to verify the application of processing steps such as
heat treatment.
It can also be used as an indicator for adherence to GMP/GHP.
As they are killed by heat processes used in food production and are
readily removed from factory equipment and environment by
appropriate cleaning, their presence is indicative of post process (re)
-contamination in heat processed material.
As above
Note: Coliforms are a poorly defined group and there is variability
between detection methods thus they are being systematically
replaced by Enterobacter
While low levels of fecal coliforms and E. coli may be present on raw
foods (produce, meat nuts seafood), high levels are indicative of
substantial fecal contamination.
EB has greater resistance to the
environment than the coliforms, can
Note: Fecal coliforms and E. coli should not be present in highly colonize areas where sanitation and
processed ready to eat foods. cleaning have been insufficient, and
They tend to die off quickly in dry foods and therefore are not
considered useful for dry products. members of this group are sensitive to
sanitizers.
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Sample Testing by Zone

• Zone 1 testing is typically indicators.

• If pathogens included, product has to be holds/recalls, until the results
obtained
• Indicators allow quantifying sanitation efforts.
• Sample after cleaning/before sanitizing.

• Zones 2-4 are tested for pathogens.

• Raw process areas will have some (+) hits.
• Usually taken during production.

Lilis Nuraida – Food Processing Environment Monitoring Program– December 9, 2021

Monitoring patogen di lingkungan area

bahan mentah
• Direkomendasikan melakukan monitoring terhadap total
Enterobacteriacae (TEB) counts sebagai indicator kemungkinan
keberadaan Salmonella
• area in sewaktu-waktu dapat terkontaminasi salmonella
• Korelasi TEB dengan Salmonella pada dry milk:

The coliform/E. coli and the total Enterobacteriaceae groups are not perfect indicators of the presence of Salmonella
spp. in the processing environment, they nevertheless are good indicators of cleaning and sanitation practices

https://www.aibinternational.com/aibonline_/www.aibonline.org/newsletter/Magazine/Nov_Dec2013/EPMEarlyWarningHazards.pdf

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Sampling Frequency

• Initial sampling is intensive to establish a baseline

• 25-50 swabs/zone/day for a month
• Routine sampling:
• Weekly in Zone 1 (# can vary).
• 10-15/week in Zones 2-3.
• 5-10/month in Zone 4.
• Rotate sites.
• Allow monitor discretion in site selection
• Test each site 4 times/year.

Lilis Nuraida – Food Processing Environment Monitoring Program– December 9, 2021

Tujuan dan jenis analisis pada EMP

Tujuan Jenis EMP Durasi

Mengurangi risiko terjadinya Pathogens EMP Kontinyu
keracunan/sakit pada Alergen EMP
konsumen
Mengurangi jumlah indikator ATP EMP Bulan-tahun
pada produk Indicator EMP
Spoilage EMP
Mengidentifikasi peralatan ATP EMP Kontinyu
yang tidak dapat dibersihkan Indicator EMP
Mengurangi jumlah recall Pathogen EMP Kontinyu

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How to determine testing frequency of

EMP?
• The “swabbing equation”:
• Potential Risk>>>= Frequency>>>
• Conduct Hazard assessment

Persistence of Hazard;
How difficult to clean?
Probability
How close
the hazard to
foods? High frequency
testing
Hazard One per
week/month
Low frequency
testing

Lilis Nuraida – Food Processing Environment Monitoring Program– December 9, 2021

Monitoring frequency

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EMP AND SAMPLING PLAN

Sampling Where to sample? Frequency What to look for Typical number of
sites of testing samples
Zone 1 Blenders, conveyors, Weekly Total plate count, coliforms, yeast and Line dependent
utensils, molds, enterobacteriaceae.
work tables, etc.
Zone 2 Equipment framework, Weekly Total plate count, coliforms, yeast 10-15
maintenance and molds, enterobacteriaceae, Listeria
tools, drip shields, housings, spp., and Salmonella spp.
etc.
Zone 3 Walls, floor, drains, air Weekly Total plate count, coliforms, yeast 10-15
handling and molds, Listeria spp., and Salmonella
units, etc. spp.

Zone 4 Office areas, locker rooms, Monthly Total plate count, coliforms, yeast 5-10
maintenance room, etc. and molds, enterobacteriaceae, Listeria
spp., and Salmonella spp.

Lilis Nuraida – Food Processing Environment Monitoring Program– December 9, 2021

Target analyses

Area Description Examples Possible targets Testing frequency

Zone 1 Product contact Conveyor, mixers, Indicators Weekly
utensils Allergens New production
Zone 2 Close proximity to Conveyor frames, Salmonella, Listeria Weekly
zone 1 surfaces equipment handles, Indicators
shileds and guards, Allergens
controller buttons,
maintenance tools
Zone 3 Interact with zone 2 Drains, walls, Salmonella Weekly
underside of tables and
equipment, lifts, pallets
Zone 4 Support areas not in Break rooms, rest- Salmonella Monthly
processing area rooms, lockerrooms,
offices

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Monitoring
Schedule
Based on the
Determinatio
n of Criticality
Factors.

http://microgenbiopro
ducts.com/wp-
content/uploads/sites/
8/2016/02/Path-Chek-
Guide-to-
Environmental-
Monitoring_09.05.08-
_9_.pdf

Lilis Nuraida – Food Processing Environment Monitoring Program– December 9, 2021

Higher Monitoring Frequencies

• Should be assigned to:

• Warm or ambient handling areas as apposed to cold rooms.
• Areas with sinks, drains or ongoing wetness as opposed to
dry areas.
• Areas where unprocessed raw foods are handled.
• Product filling.
• Packaging

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Methods of Sample Collection

• Contact plates and dip slides

• suitable for semi-quantitative
sampling but not for specific pathogen
detection in environmental samples.
• Dipslides sample about 10 cm2
• Contact plates (55mm diameter)
sample about 24cm2
• For contact plates, optimal results
have been obtained with a contact
time of 10 seconds and a pressure
obtained with a mass of 500g.

Lilis Nuraida – Food Processing Environment Monitoring Program– December 9, 2021

Methods of Sample Collection

• Swab sticks:
• suitable for semi-quantitative
sampling and for the detection
(presence or absence tests) of
specific pathogens but not for
foodborne illness investigations
where more powerful detection
methods are required.
• Size often 10x10 cm, but could
be widen

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Methods of Sample Collection

• Cloths and large swabs:
• are ideal for large area sampling and have the high level of sensitivity required
for foodborne illness investigations.
• ATP or protein swabs:
• Where results are required immediately, ATP swabs or protein staining
methods are appropriate.
• ATP is a chemical found in the cells of animals, plants and bacteria.
• Effectively cleaned food contact surfaces will have low levels of ATP.
• The detection of higher levels of ATP on a surface implies that food or bacteria
remain on the surface.

Lilis Nuraida – Food Processing Environment Monitoring Program– December 9, 2021

AIR QUALITY MONITORING PROGRAMS

• What to test for:

• Air is typically assayed for Yeast and Mold and Aerobic Plate Count (APC).
• In large volumes of air in open areas, detection of pathogens or specific
spoilage agents is unlikely due to the dilution effect.
• The best approach is to monitor airborne microbial populations for hygienic
indicators and take appropriate corrective actions when exceeding acceptable
levels.
• How to test:
• Exposure (or settle) plates (passive monitoring) 15 to 30 min.
• Centrifugal air sampling devices (active monitoring)
• APHA recommendation: 90 CFU/m3 for air sampler technique and 30
CFU/m2/week for settling plate technique

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Closing

• Important to compare the environmental sampling results against a

target level or a baseline.
• Any increase in microorganisms or pathogen number should be
monitored.
• These results signal a possible deviation in the sanitary conditions.
• An appropriate corrective action (e.g., change of sanitizers, change in
sanitizing frequencies, etc.) should be initiated to bring the values
close to or below the target/baseline.

Lilis Nuraida – Food Processing Environment Monitoring Program– December 9, 2021

s1

Thankyou

Prof. Dr. Lilis Nuraida, MSc.

SEAFAST Center and
Department Food Science and
Technology
IPB University
lnuraida@gmail.com

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s1 seafast; 14/02/2021