Processing environment monitoring in low moisture food production facilities: Are we looking for the right microorganisms?

• Published in: International journal of food microbiology 2021-10, Vol.356, p.109351-109351, Article 109351
• Main Authors: Bourdichon, François, Betts, Roy, Dufour, Christophe, Fanning, Séamus, Farber, Jeffrey, McClure, Peter, Stavropoulou, Despoina Angeliki, Wemmenhove, Ellen, Zwietering, Marcel H., Winkler, Anett
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: B. cereus; Contamination; Cronobacter spp; Dry foods; Enterobacteriaceae; Environmental factors; Food contamination; Food production; Food safety; Listeria monocytogenes; Microorganisms; Moisture; Monitoring; Outbreaks; Pathogens; Processing environment monitoring; Product safety; Recontamination; Safety; Safety management; Salmonella spp
• ISSN: 0168-1605; 1879-3460
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2021.109351

Processing environment monitoring is gaining increasing importance in the context of food safety management plans/HACCP programs, since past outbreaks have shown the relevance of the environment as contamination pathway, therefore requiring to ensure the safety of products. However, there are still many open questions and a lack of clarity on how to set up a meaningful program, which would provide early warnings of potential product contamination. Therefore, the current paper aims to summarize and evaluate existing scientific information on outbreaks, relevant pathogens in low moisture foods, and knowledge on indicators, including their contribution to a “clean” environment capable of limiting the spread of pathogens in dry production environments. This paper also outlines the essential elements of a processing environment monitoring program thereby supporting the design and implementation of better programs focusing on the relevant microorganisms. This guidance document is intended to help industry and regulators focus and set up targeted processing environment monitoring programs depending on their purpose, and therefore provide the essential elements needed to improve food safety. •Finished product testing is of limited interest in case of low prevalence contamination.•Prevalence of pathogens of concerns for low moisture foods is considered through investigation of the reported foodborne outbreaks.•Processing environment monitoring through surface swabbing is a proactive approach of interest to anticipate product contamination through identification of harbourage niches.•Sampling should consider both product proximity and priority depending on hygienic conditions, place in the process (before or after heat treatment).•Genetic characterisation of isolates provides interesting insights for understanding the difference between resident and sporadic strains in a processing environment.