Microbiological Performance of a Food Safety Management System in a Food Service Operation

Abstract

The microbiological performance of a food safety management system in a food service operation was measured using a microbiological assessment scheme as a vertical sampling plan throughout the production process, from raw materials to final product. The assessment scheme can give insight into the microbiological contamination and the variability of a production process and pinpoint bottlenecks in the food safety management system. Three production processes were evaluated: a high-risk sandwich production process (involving raw meat preparation), a medium-risk hot meal production process (starting from undercooked raw materials), and a low-risk hot meal production process (reheating in a bag). Microbial quality parameters, hygiene indicators, and relevant pathogens (Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella, Bacillus cereus, and Escherichia coli O157) were in accordance with legal criteria and/or microbiological guidelines, suggesting that the food safety management system was effective. High levels of total aerobic bacteria (>3.9 log CFU/50 cm(2)) were noted occasionally on gloves of food handlers and on food contact surfaces, especially in high contamination areas (e.g., during handling of raw material, preparation room). Core control activities such as hand hygiene of personnel and cleaning and disinfection (especially in highly contaminated areas) were considered points of attention. The present sampling plan was used to produce an overall microbiological profile (snapshot) to validate the food safety management system in place.

Microbiological Performance of Dairy Processing Plants Is Influenced by Scale of Production and the Implemented Food Safety Management System: A Case Study

“…A poor result (level 1) was defined as when legal criteria or guideline values were exceeded and improvements were needed for multiple control activities of the FSMS. The total sum of these levels gave the MSLP score (33,44). The maximum MSLP score for CSL1 through CSL6 was 18 (six microbiological parameters with a maximum MSLP score o f 3 for each) and that for CSL7 was 15 (five microbiological parameters with a maximum MSLP score of 3 for each).…”

The heterogeneity in the type of shelf life label and storage instructions on refrigerated foods in supermarkets in Belgium and illustration of its impact on assessing the Listeria monocytogenes threshold level of 100 CFU/g

“…From the challenge test results it was noted that the indigenous lactic acid bacteria also showed significant outgrowth after 13 days storage although they could not inhibit the growth of (artificially inoculated) L. monocytogenes. The lactic acid bacteria dominated the microbiota on the cooked meat product but at the expiry data numbers present were (just) below the 7.0 log CFU/g (at 4 C and 7 C) and thus near but not exceeding the threshold level for causing adverse sensorial properties of the product (Lahou, Jacxsens, Daelman, Van Landeghem, & Uyttendaele, 2012). As such the expiry data was appropriately set with respect to the spoilage organisms and did not lead to a deteriorated product throughout the recommended shelf life.…”

Phase II Study of the Safety of Ready-to Eat Foods Served in Privately Owned Delicatessens: A Confirmatory Examination

“…Several studies conducted internationally provide definitive evidence that insufficient decontamination actions are a primary cause of pathogenic contamination. Food handling and personal hygiene research has shown the most common factors in pathogenic contamination for food service operations to be: improperly cleaned or not cleaned knives, faucets, serving utensils, and cutting boards; crosscontamination between use with different products; and barehanded food contact [29][30][31]. Even when gloves are worn they are often unchanged between food and customer contact with the result that the gloves themselves are found over time to be the cause of pathogen transfer [32].…”