Reduce the risks of listeria

13 Nov

Monday 13 November 2023
By: BOONS FIS
Category: Hygiene equipment

The food processing industry attaches great importance to the permanent monitoring of hygiene regulations. The risk to food safety is therefore enormous. Not only the health of the consumer is at stake. A food processing company risks that production will come to a standstill, but the health of its employees is also of very important.

One of the consequences of poor industrial hygiene is listeria. This rod-shaped bacterium causes listeriosis, which usually results in vomiting or diarrhea. But make no mistake, listeria can also kill individuals with a weakened immune system.

Tackle the hotspots

To reduce the chance of listeria spreading within the company, an appropriate hygiene and cleaning process is chosen. This process is achieved by mapping the possible risk points within the (different) production area(s). Listeria bacteria use a biofilm to adhere to the environment and equipment. The focus in combating/preventing listeria should in other words be on professional cleaning of high-risk areas for biofilms; drains, water pipes, food scraps, work tables, ... These bacteria hotspots must be treated according to the prescribed cleaning process.

Some tips to reduce the risk of listeria:

A thorough hygiene process within your company: BOONS FIS specializes in (de)central cleaning systems for optimal cleaning and disinfection.
Personal hygiene within the company: To reduce the risk of contamination, hands and footwear (soles) must be cleaned / disinfected before entering the production area. View the complete hygiene range of BOONS FIS.
Provide the production areas with materials with a hygienic design. Don't give biofilms a chance due to rounded corners and beveled surfaces.
The cleaning material and equipment comes into contact with contaminated surfaces and parts. This material must also be cleaned regularly. Keep cleaning materials and equipment strictly separated per department.
Avoid standing water. Drains and ponds are ideal breeding grounds for listeria. So use those floor pullers in the production areas and clean drains regularly.
Provide regular training for employees within the company. Knowledge of the cleaning process and timings is crucial.

Stay vigilant

This type of contamination indicates inadequate hygiene control and the need to adapt cleaning, disinfection and control protocols to ensure the quality and the safety of processed foods.

The common disinfectants in the food industry are effective against listeria under normal conditions of use. However, resistance of pathogens to biocides has been established. It is important to remain vigilant and to continuously apply cleaning processes and hygiene protocols. Early detection is essential!

BOONS FIS offers the right solutions

Listeria is a constant threat to food processing companies. BOONS FIS has years of experience and the know-how to tackle this correctlhy; The cleaning systems 'by BOONS FIS' and the range of hygiene equipment offer the solution to combat listeria (and other bacteria) in a professional and efficient manner.

Ask our sales department for all information.

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