(no subject)

Ken hilderbrand (ken.hilderbrand@hmsc.orst.edu)
Mon, 16 Nov 1998 09:30:59

Rebecca, I don't think the question ever dealt with whether a
microbiologist would be a "useful" part of a firms sanitation program. Of
course they would be useful. I think the question was whether or not a
firm could have a good sanitation program (conducting simple tests) without
a micorbiologis on staff. And you are correct, hosing cold water around
does not make an adaquate sanitation program. FDA requires that 8 points of
sanitation be monitored and recorded - with or without the assistance of a
microbiologist. By the way, one does not have to have a 4 year degree in
microbiology to know enough about the subject to do simple swab tests. But
some training is always necessary.

Ken Hilderbrand

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At 04:09 PM 11/15/98 -0800, Robertson & Ross, Associates wrote:
>There has been some discussion about assessing sanitation in seafood plants
>including whether or not a microbiologist would be a useful part of the
>program. I find this discussion quite fascinating in that, in my capacity
>as a consulting microbiologist to food processors, my work so far with
>seafood plants indicates that many sanitation programs are woefully
>incomplete.
>
>The best assessments of a properly running sanitation programs would
>therefore be:
>1. Is there a written sanitation program?
>2. Does it adequately cover all aspects of the plant?
>3. What are employees actually doing?
>4. Are chemicals actually being ordered and do the ordering amounts match
>production?
>5. Does management budget enough resources?
>
>So far, I haven't found many seafood processors that I would put on a swab
>program - my partner and I are still working with them to write up a
>program and order proper cleaning chemicals. Hosing cold water around the
>plant is still considered a sanitation program.
>___________
>Rebecca Robertson
>Robertson & Ross, Associates
>210-13911 Maycrest Way
>Richmond, B.C. V6V 2J4
>ph: 604-270-4773
>fax: 604-270-4748
>
>
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Kenneth S. Hilderbrand Jr.
Seafood Processing Specialist
Oregon State University
Marine Science Center
2030 Sth Marine Science Drive
Newport Oregon 97365-5296
telno 541 867-0242 (and voice mail)
faxno 541 867-0138
email <ken.hilderbrand@hmsc.orst.edu> (NEW 6/1/98)

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