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Bacterial management - tiny organism, big problem

Teknomek Ltd News and PR from Teknomek Ltd - Published 25 April 2018 Last year, I advised readers that it’s good practice to think like an auditor when planning your hygiene regime.
. I’ve been reflecting on this and, while this is an effective way to pass audits, the motivation should always be to remove any potential risk – no matter how tiny – for your customers. And when we say ‘tiny’, we really do mean microscopic: this means ‘thinking’ like a bacterium.

Far from it for me to say that a single-celled organism knows more than a professional auditor, but the risk is youÂ’re always at risk of getting bacteria crawling over your facility than auditors.

So, minimising risk means understanding the bacterial lifecycle and building your hygiene processes around this. The first point to bear in mind is bacteria spores are tough – really tough: bacteria rest until they are reactivated by humidity, warmth, or most significantly, a food source. Many species are extremophiles and can survive in climates of less than 10 per cent humidity, some thrive in radioactive waste, or around hydrothermal vents in the depths of our oceans. The fact is, when we first detect life beyond this planet, there’s a good chance it will be bacterial.

A welcoming environment for bacterium
This presents a challenge to food manufacturers, weÂ’re dealing with organisms with a determined grip on life and are invisible to the naked eye. Moreover, we present them with their ideal living conditions - food and warmth. This is where the problems start: in a nutrient rich environment, a bacterium grows and when it reaches an optimum size it splits. This process continues exponentially, and a colony can double in size roughly every ten minutes.

Clearly the best bet is not to allow bacteria to gain a foothold – I’m speaking loosely – in your facility. Easier said than done though, bacteria can enter via dust motes or survive for weeks on dry clothing subsisting on sloughed skin cells. As such, this should go without saying - clean staff’s workwear regularly and don’t allow anyone access to areas of the facility where food is present unless they are appropriately attired.

Given the tenacity of bacteria, prevention will only go so far and the emphasis should be placed on cure, that means continual and unrelenting cure. Regular and thorough cleaning processes have to leave no place for bacteria to hide and develop.

Apply a risk assessment before you buy
Before implementing a standard operating procedure, consider where bacteria could lurk. Every piece of furniture or equipment should be risk assessed for trap points, areas where food detritus or dirt could collect that bacteria could live on. Do remember bacteria are very small indeed, even a ledge or gap of 1mm constitutes a risk.
Before implementing a standard operating procedure, consider where bacteria could lurk

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