Pest Management and Cleaning Systems - Essay Example

Task: Pest Management and Cleaning Systems: Cleaning Report Introduction Food hygiene is an important factor when it comesto the production of food and food products. In addition to that, food hygiene is a very critical factor to the business. As such, manufacturing companies have to take the responsibility of ensuring that the food they distribute to people and/ or food outlets is safe from risks to food safety such as: cross contamination – where the juices from the raw meats and/ or germs from the unclean equipment get into contact with meat and/ or other products that have already been prepared and are ready to eat; food poisoning and outbreaks – where an individual swallows meat products that already contain pathogens and bacteria such as E. coli (Food Safety, 2014; FDA, 2013). The effects that are related to the risks to food safety include: having an unpleasant working environment where the staffs would not feel comfortable to work in an environment that is unclean as it poses a risk to their health. This would also be a propagator to low staff morale. Other effects are related to the daily business operations of the meat processing company as well as their reputation to the general public. The manufacturing company in this instance is responsible in the process of producing cook chill meat products. As such, the chain of production involves a number of sensitive processes all of which need to be monitored closely as they can be the source of food poisoning from common pathogens such as E. coli 0157. E. coli 0157 has been noted in many cases of food poisoning and outbreaks and its presence is facilitated by compromised hygiene practices in the chain of food production. The procedures in the manufacturing of the cook chill meat products include: vacuum processing – which was determined to be subject to microbial contamination by E. coli 0157. The next processes were labelling, packing and distributing of the products to the food outlets. As a Food Hygiene Manager, I established that there was urgent need for cleaning practices as well as a cleaning schedule that would be followed upon by the Cleaning Manager. Benefits of cleaning As noted by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) (2013), periodic cleaning as well as sanitation of the meat processing facility and equipment is a critical task in ensuring that Good Hygienic Practices (GHP) have been adhered to. Based on that, the benefits (positive effects) of cleaning the factory processing areas mentioned above include: Reduce the likelihood of the pathogens breeding. Prevent cross contamination. Prevent food poisoning and food bourne diseases. Prevent the likelihood of pests such as rats and/ or mice breeding. Reduce spoilage of the meat products. Increase the shell life of the manufactured meat products – this also improves the taste of the meat products. Chemicals to be used in the meat manufacturing process as well as their justification The cleaning was conducted using detergents, disinfectants and sanitizers. Detergents were used since they simply required the use of water regardless of whether it was hard or soft water. Secondly, detergents had fewer reactions to minerals that were contained in water; hence, the detergent in use did not leave residual compounds on the surfaces and equipment that had been cleaned. The benefit of this attribute in detergents was that it helped to prevent food contamination based on the chemicals that were contained in the detergent and the meat juices or meat products that were being placed on the surfaces or in the equipment (Melrose Chemicals, N.d). Cleaning not only involves the use of detergents but also disinfectants. Based on that, disinfectants were essential in the meat manufacturing process as they aided in the killing of existing micro organisms after cleaning had been conducted using the detergent liquid. In addition to that, disinfectants aided in the control of food bourne diseases as well as the spoilage of food which mainly occurred through cross contamination. As noted by Melrose Chemicals (N.d), disinfection highly reduces the bacteria and pathogens count by ensuring that their multiplication is terminated. Lastly, sanitizers were used to boost the functionality of the disinfectants. That is, they were also used to kill existing and dangerous micro organisms and pathogens that could be resident on the meat cutting surfaces and equipment. As noted by the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) regulations, sanitization helps to optimally treat food surfaces by completely destroying the vegetative cells of pathogens as well as micro organism without affecting the meat products that is being handled (Dyson, N.d). As such, consumers will never encounter food poisoning as well as cross contamination of the products that the meat processing company is selling into the market for consumption. The best detergent was determined to be one that has a sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) compound. As such, the most preferred was the Cleaner FP (Spartan Chemical, 2011). This was based on the reason that it was perfect for the removal of grease, oils, fats and protein deposits from the surfaces as well as the equipment. The best disinfectant was determined to be Germi – Clean from Apex Chemicals Limited (Disinfectant Info, N.d). In addition, heat disinfectant treatments were also considered as they simply involved the use of steam. Moreover, disinfectants with quaternary ammonium compounds (Quats or QACs) were also considered due to their effectiveness while dealing with E. coli 0157 as well as their non reaction on skin contact as well as food. Lastly, the best sanitizer was determined to be one that had quaternary ammonium compounds (Quats or QACs). This was based on the fact that the QAC compound was effective in the fast removal of any remaining greases, fats and protein deposits. A good example was Cleenol (Disinfectant Info, N.d). Based on that, meat manufacturing companies ought to use chemicals that have the following product attributes: Effectiveness in the removal and elimination of protein deposits, greases, oils and fats from the surfaces, equipment, walls and floors. In addition, the products should be effective in the elimination of pathogens that could be resident on the meat cutting surfaces as well as the equipment. Secondly, the cleaning agents should be cost effective. Thirdly, they should be handy – that is, easy to mix with water. Fourth, they should have a maximum effect time of five minutes so as to reduce on the time needed to perform the cleaning procedures by the staffs. Fifth, they should be safe to use in the meat manufacturing environment as well as in the handling of meat products. That is, they should be approved by either the Environmental Protective Agency (EPA) or according to the BS 1276 and BS EN 13697 standards. Hence, becoming suitable to be used around food as well as hand contact. The table below indicates the chemicals that were used in the cleaning process at the meat processing company. In addition, the table also indicates the reasons as to why the chemical was selected and how it works (Holchem, N.d). Table 1: Cleaning chemicals (agents) and their justification Chemical Used Reasons for Choosing it How it Works Chemical detergents - Caustic Cleaner FP Heavy duty detergent; high foaming alkaline cleaner (has sodium hydroxide); can be used in a variety of water systems; remove soils such as dissolved proteins, fats, greases on equipment, walls and floors; can be used on stainless steel equipment; economical to use; not to be mixed with other chemicals for optimal cleaning (Spartan Chemical, 2011). General cleaning requires a mixture of 1: 128 (1 oz. /gal. of water) to 1:32 (4 oz. /gal. of water). It is used on equipment, floors and walls. Needs thorough rinse when used (Spartan Chemical, 2011). Non chemical disinfectants - Heat treatment Readily available when water is available too; economical; hot water kills micro organisms; its non corrosive (Schmidt, 1997). Water is heated to above 77 degrees Celsius. It is passed through an outlet to the equipment and surfaces to be cleaned (ADPH, N.d). Chemical disinfectants- Germi - Clean It is a non-tainting and low toxicity disinfectant. Its price is fair. It’s the ideal chemical for the removal of E. coli. Germi - clean can be used on hard water. It contains water softening additives which enhance performance. 1 part in 50 parts of water used in wiping surfaces. This delivers 1000 mg/litre of solution. For a concentration of 500mg/litre the contact time should be 5 minutes. This is the ideal contact time for bacteria such as E. coli, Enterococcus hirae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. Further rinsing is not important. Quaternary ammonium compounds in disinfectants They are active agents; odourless; colourless; stable in water; little or less corrosion on equipment; effective in the elimination of gram-positive bacteria as compared to gram negative bacteria (FAO, 2013). In addition, these compounds are effective while dealing with E. coli 0157 and L. monocytogenes (Holah et al., 2002). Mixed with water to desired concentrations. It is worthy to note that these compounds are active in the presence of organic matter. However, their effectiveness is minimized by anionic detergents, inorganic polyphosphates and soaps. Lastly, equipment should be thoroughly rinsed (FAO, 2013). Quaternary ammonium compounds in sanitizers – such as Cleenol Contains positively charged ions which eliminate bacterial proteins which are negatively charged; Can be used to clean and sanitize the surface; costs are inexpensive; it’s non –toxic; non-corrosive and non – irritating. One part is mixed in 36 parts of water. Sanitizers are only used after cleaning has been done with detergent. This is to remove fats, greases and oils from the surfaces and equipment. Effective cleaning schedule Area description and cleaning equipment The areas that needed urgent cleaning included: the meat cutting surfaces, the floors, the walls and also the equipment. The equipment to be used in the cleaning process included: high pressure water cleaning equipment– where pressurized water is sprayed using special spraying lances (FAO, 2013) on all the surfaces to be cleaned. In addition, the water should be maintained at a bar unit of between 30-70 bar to ensure effective removal of the fats, greases and protein deposits that could be in cracks and crevices. Moreover, the spraying nozzle should be 15cm away from the surface being cleaned (FAO, 2013). The second equipment was the hot water cleaning equipment – where the water was maintained at 55 degrees Celsius so as to remove fats, greases and oils from the surfaces; pressurized steam/water-mix equipment (FAO, 2013). Other cleaning equipment included brushes with long handles as they were effective in reducing the effort needed while cleaning as compared to brushes that had shorter handles. Responsibility and frequency The cleaning task was a responsibility by the company staff. It was supposed to be conducted on a regular basis of three (3) times per day. The justification of this was based on the fact that E. coli was prone to breed in the slightest of unclean equipment and surfaces. Methodology (chemicals used and contact times), Health and safety considerations and personal protective equipment (PPE) The detergent, disinfectant and sanitizer contact times were five minutes. This was effective in the prevention of downtime while cleaning. The dilution of the Caustic Cleaner FP detergent was supposed to be 1 part of the detergent into 128 parts of water (Spartan Chemical, 2011). In addition, the disinfectant Germi – Clean was supposed to be mixed in the ration of 1 part into 50 parts of water (1:50) (Disinfectant Info, N.d). Lastly, the sanitizer was mixed in the ratio of 1 part into 36 parts of water. The cleaning was conducted as per the Health and Safety (H & S) considerations (HSE, N.d). These include the wearing of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) such as hand protection; hearing protection; protective foot wear; head protection; eyes and face protection; body protection; thermal protection; respiratory protection (BMPA, 2014). The justification for this was based on the fact that PPE were prone to reduce risks that occurred in the food manufacturing premises while cleaning was being conducted. Signature justification in the cleaning procedure and effectiveness of monitoring the cleaning procedures being undertaken To ensure that the cleaning was conducted as per the Health and Safety standards, there was a requirement that the Cleaning Manager was supposed to sign a record sheet that would indicate that the cleaning was conducted as expected. This was guaranteed and/ or justified by the fact that the manager has to put a signature to the record sheet. In addition to that, the Cleaning Manager was to monitor the cleaning process and ensure that the staffs were using the cleaning agents as required. In addition, monitoring ensured that the staffs responsible were using the correct PPE. Lastly, monitoring ensured that the cleaning was rigorously conducted. Staff training and pest management Staff training on the use of chemicals (methodology, dilution and contact times), the need for cleaning, equipment use, cleaning frequency and cleaning checks and records Training staff to use cleaning agents is very crucial. This prevents the likelihood that the staffs are going to commit errors in the methodology of the cleaning agents as well as their dilution and usage. As such, the technique that was used in teaching the staffs about the safety use of chemicals was based on previous staff’s experience. That is, staffs who had previous experience were the ones who had the responsibility of conducting the cleaning and teaching the under experienced staff more about the cleaning agents. With regard to dilution, the staffs were trained using the product manuals which were provided by the cleaning agent distributor. These manuals clearly indicated what was to be mixed with what as well as what was not to be mixed with the cleaning agent. In addition to that, the dilutions and contact times were also provided in the cleaning agent manual – which again was provided by the manufacturer. During the cleaning process, the staffs were notified on the essence of cleaning and disinfection. Some of the reasons that were provided were based on the prevention of the breeding of micro organisms; killing of pathogens and improving the shell life of the meat products. Moreover, the reason for disinfection was solemnly based on the need to kill the microorganisms that survived during the process of cleaning with the detergent. During the staff training, the equipment to use while cleaning was outlined. These included the high pressure water cleaning equipment as well as the hot water cleaning equipment. This equipment was majorly used to spray the water onto the equipment, the floors, the surfaces and the walls. The technique for this was entirely spraying onto the surfaces for a period of five minutes and the cleaning would have been done. The frequency for the cleaning was set to be 3 times a day in the event that the premises were busy. Lastly, to ensure that the cleaning was conducted, a cleaning sheet was maintained by the Cleaning Manager. This sheet contained information such as: the fact that the Health and Cleaning standards were fully met and the cleaning was conducted using the appropriate PPE. Moreover, the sheet had a signature which confirmed that the manager oversaw the cleaning process. Requirements for pest control management The presence of pests (rodents, flying insects and cockroaches) in the meat processing company is risky since these pests carry dangerous microorganisms that are responsible for food bourne illnesses as well as food contaminations. For example, the house fly is a listeria and salmonella disease and pathogen carrier. As such, pest control programs aid in the management and elimination of pests in the meat processing company. Some of the main items of consideration that are contained in the pest management program include: pest control procedures – these are the activities that should be carried out in a bid to prevent the various types of pests. As such, written procedures should be spelled out and the frequency of the procedures should also be determined by the Cleaning manager; record keeping – where each activity that has been conducted is checked in the cleaning record sheet. To justify that the procedures have been undertaken and inspection has been conducted, the Cleaning Manager has to sign that sheet; individual responsible – these are the people concerned with the pest control procedures and the tasks related to recordkeeping; deviation – where the existence of a pest problem has to be handled by the specialists; corrective measures – these are the steps that are to be carried out in the event that there is any form of deviation from the pest management program; verification and validation – these are evidence statements that proclaim that the pest control procedures are effective in the elimination of pests in the meat processing plant. Moreover, the verification documentation also includes the visual inspection by the Cleaning Manager for pest’s evidence in the meat processing plant (Purdue University, N.d). Auditing process for your cleaning schedule Cleaning is a task that a Cleaning Manager must foresee else the Health and Safety standards shall not be fully observed. In addition to that, some staffs may not fully adhere to PPE protocols. Based on that, the cleaning schedule was designed to be very simple and clear to implement. To begin with, the schedule outlined what was to be cleaned – that is, the surfaces, the equipment, the floors and the walls. This enabled the staffs to have in mind what was the scope of the cleaning process. Secondly, the staffs responsible for the cleaning process were also listed. Thirdly, the cleaning frequency was outlined so that the staffs responsible would know what times the cleaning was to be initiated. The methodology for the cleaning was also outlined. This came in the form of the equipment to be used; the cleaning agents; their dilution and their contact times. Finally, the schedule made it a priority to follow the Health and Safety considerations. Lastly, the cleaning progress was maintained in a record sheet which was signed by the Cleaning Manager once the cleaning was finalized. Bibliography Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH). (N.d).CLEANING AND SANITIZING. [Online]. Available from: https://www.adph.org/environmental/assets/CleanAndSanitize.pdf [Accessed 18 May 2014]. British Meat Processors Association (BMPA). (February 2014). Health and Safety Guidance Noted for the Meat Industry. [Online]. Available from: http://www.bmpa.uk.com/_Attachments/Resources/971_S4.pdf [Accessed 18 May 2014]. Cleenol. (N.d). Bactericidal cleaners and surface sanitizers. [Online]. Available from: http://www.cleenol.co.uk/range/bactericidal-cleaners-and-surface-sanitizers/ev3-evolution-surface-cleaner---sanitizer---1.5-litres/?page=1#.U3oasXaGldg [Accessed 18 May 2014]. Dyson, C. (N.d). Module 7: Sanitary Operations: Cleaning and Sanitizing. [Online]. 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Basic elements of equipment cleaning and sanitizing in food processing and handling operations. University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agriculture Sciences, EDIS. Read More