The global pandemic has caused a dramatic increase in the use of chemical disinfectants and unfortunately, some of these include claims of residual efficacy against viruses. Many of these claims are false, and although EPA will pursue false claims, it can take time. In the meantime, it’s up to consumers and commercial disinfectant users to educate themselves about potentially false claims. 

In addition to maintaining safe levels of bacteria in a food processing facility, FSQA managers must also take measures to prevent physical contamination. Any object that is not supposed to be in a food product can qualify as a physical contaminant, no matter how it got there. Whether it’s a piece of an olive pit in a container of hummus or something an employee dropped in a mixing vat, physical contamination presents serious risks to both consumers and food brands.

Hiring an FSQA Manager is not a decision to be taken lightly. This person is responsible for ensuring that food quality and safety practices are correctly followed. When the right person is not in this role, the risks include a drop in quality and, in the worst case, an outbreak that negatively affects consumers and causes damage to your brand. In addition to the appropriate level of training and experience, the ideal FSQA Manager will also have certain qualities that make them more effective in their role.

Why D7 is Superior to other Products for Disinfection of SARS-CoV-2 D7 is an aqueous-based disinfectant that can rapidly neutralize highly toxic chemical and biological materials. The formulation: 

One of the amazing aspects of life on earth is the ability for organisms to adapt to their surroundings, sometimes through mutations that change the way they handle external threats. Although this is scientifically fascinating, from a food safety perspective, when bacteria adapt to become resistant to the chemicals used to kill them, it presents a potential health risk because it makes the sanitizing products food processors use less effective.

It’s common knowledge that a detergent cleaner removes more bacteria than water alone and that a sanitizer or disinfectant is more effective than just soap and water. However, what many people don’t think about is specifically how effective a product is and how that’s measured. What percent of bacteria are killed, and how many are left behind? Although these details might not be critical in a household, when it comes to food safety and biosecurity, log kills matter. 

Contamination is essentially the introduction of an unwanted element into an environment, whether through intentional or unintentional means, with potentially negative consequences. Contaminants can include a range of substances, such as bacteria, mold, poison, drugs, disease, and more. Depending on the context, the results can be devastating, including illness and death.

Ongoing research into bacteria and how it spreads has led to the identification of an enzyme that plays a critical role in its growth. A team at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) have been studying E. coli for the past decade in an effort to learn more about how cell walls develop during bacterial growth and division. This is important for food safety professionals because once the mechanism is better understood, it may be possible to develop technologies that inhibit it.

Daily sanitation is essential for keeping unwanted bacteria at bay in a food processing environment, but it’s also important to do periodic deep cleans. The intent of daily sanitation is to consistently keep bacteria at safe levels and to prevent the formation of biofilms on surfaces. By regularly treating work surfaces, equipment, walls, ceilings, and floors, bacteria are not able to rapidly multiply, potentially causing an outbreak. 

Those who work in farms or food processing environments must be concerned about the spread of disease, not just to workers and consumers, but also among livestock. When disease spreads among animals raised for consumption, the outcomes can be disastrous for herds and costly for business owners. Being aware of the potential risks and taking steps to prevent disease from affecting herds in the first place is the best way to keep animals healthy and protect your investments.