Plant hygiene – a vital part of the production process

Hygiene within a production facility is a critical factor in controlling and limiting microbial contamination of the finished product. Microbial contamination can cause a finished product to be compromised in terms of texture, appearance and smell. Certain microbes are hazardous to human health. For example, E. coli can cause nausea and vomiting, Staphylococcus aureus and some yeasts can cause skin infections and certain moulds and the spores they produce can cause skin allergies.

Ideally, products should be manufactured in a production facility that adheres to and complies with strict hygiene practices.

While this may not always be possible, there are methods that can be used to monitor hygiene levels within a production facility.

These include:

• monitoring of the raw materials used to formulate and produce products

• monitoring the manufacturing and cleaning equipment

• monitoring packaging equipment and the actual packaging containing the finished products.

Sources of contamination

Raw materials can be tested before use to determine the initial level of microbial contamination. A decision can then be made to use the raw materials as is, or whether further treatment is needed to remove microbial contamination. This is also dependent on the production process as some processes may inadvertently kill off any microbes present.

The equipment used in manufacturing is also considered a source of microbial contamination.

Cleaning protocols for manufacturing equipment and the actual equipment used to clean should be monitored to ensure that microbial contamination does not spread to different sections of the production process.

Reduce risk through audits

Hygiene audits are a way of monitoring hygiene practices on site. The aim of a hygiene audit is to identify any potential problem areas as well as the processes that are effective. A hygiene audit is performed by taking swabs of various points throughout a production facility. These include swabs of the surfaces of various equipment, of raw materials and intermediaries used in production, before and after cleaning protocols and of the production personnel.

The swabs are usually tested for the total bacterial count, which gives an indication of the levels of microbial contamination. The swabs can also be tested for specific microbes. Contact agar plates and dip slides with selective agar media can also be used to take samples. The selective agar media will grow specific types of micro-organisms.

Value-added service

A hygiene audit provides a snapshot of the hygiene conditions within a plant at the time of the audit. It also assists with monitoring and controlling microbial contamination across the production plant and with ensuring good product quality.

Hygiene auditing is a value-added service offered by AECI Specialty Chemicals to customers when they purchase biocides. As part of the service, advice is given by an expert microbiologist in terms of sanitisation measures and how to control contamination in the customer’s manufacturing plant.