FOOD SAFETY INSIDER
Public Enemy #1: Biofilm
Sanitation efforts will/can be very challenging as the “quiet assassin” biofilm forms in the environment of the food processing facility. Al- though at times the sanitation team feels like they have a “thankless
job,” they are a key component of biofilm prevention.
Biofilm is composed of a complex aggregation of microorganisms that
grows on a solid sub-
strate. Biofilms affect
many parts of everyday
life. People experience
biofilm on a regular
basis: plaque that forms
on your teeth, causing
tooth decay, the “gunk”
that clogs drains or if you walk in a stream or river, you may slip on
biofilm-coated rocks.
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Sanitation Controls
As for sanitation, biofilm can be a challenge to hinder the production
of the quality/wholesome products you plan to deliver to the consumer.
Biofilms form when a bacterium adheres to surfaces in an aqueous
environment. They begin to excrete a slimy, glue-like substance (
polysaccharides) that anchor them onto surfaces. Biofilms may be present on
floors, walls, pipes and drains and surfaces on equipment, including materials such as stainless steel, aluminum, nylon, Teflon, etc. Food contact
surfaces such as conveyor belts, gaskets, dead spaces, as well as areas
that are hard to clean may harbor biofilms. Biofilm-forming bacteria include Listeria, Salmonella, Campylobacter, Escherichia coli and
Pseudomonas, which may occur as mixed cultures, but often, one species
will dominate.
Prevention of biofilms may be accomplished by avoiding conditions that
lead to cell attachment and selecting conditions that make the environment unfavorable for microbial growth. However, as we typically know in
sanitation, this is often not possible. Proper cleaning and sanitation work
best for biofilm prevention. These processes lead up to making sure your
sanitarians are properly trained to “fight back” the bacterial culprits.
Let’s use Listeria as our example. Does your sanitation crew know that
the size of Listeria, measured in microns, is so small compared to mold
or mildew that it is like finding “a needle in a haystack?” Do they know
that bugs multiply every 20 minutes—one bug at noon will multiply to
over 2 million by 7 pm? Do they know that bacteria like to “hitchhike”
around the building? Or have they heard the story of FAT TOM—Food, Acid
(bugs grow at a pH range of 4.1– 9. 6), Time, Temperature, Oxygen, Moisture—these are what bacteria need for growth. Thus, the better they think
like a “bug,” the more aware and prepared they will be to efficiently do
their job. In addition, do they know that Listeria has the capability to
“layer up” (view this as a “building block” process, one on top of the
other), which implies that sanitation crews must be very disciplined with
their scrubbing processes.
Controlling biofilm formation will take a dedicated team effort to
avoid cell attachment and the “slimy, gooey like substance” that adds to
the challenges with sanitation. The tradi-
tional way to assist with biofilm control is
the following:
• Use a proper cleaner, such as a high
alkaline and/or high alkaline, chlori-
nated cleaner
• Allow the product to have sufficient
contact time on the surface ( 5–10
minutes)
Conclusions
In closing, the solution to biofilm control will be “your choice.” As you have
read, there are very good options available, but it all comes back to the basics:
understand biofilm and the areas in
which it is prone to grow. Teach and train
your employees so that they are more
aware of what they are looking for and
why their responsibilities are so important to the process. Importantly, select
the right cleaner/sanitizer program that
fits your needs and expectations. In addition to using a traditional/fundamental
“cleaner,” there is no substitute for the
scrubbing action needed to disrupt the
biofilm. However, today’s new technology
certainly challenges that thought process
and can provide alternative
products/processes.
As we have all come to learn, there
are no shortcuts to administering an effective sanitation program. It is all about
making “the right choice” in taking ownership of your program. We are confident
that with your knowledge and the resources available to you, the “right
choice” becomes easier.
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