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Hygienic
Cleaning
Even if cleaning in a processing plant does not require
a critical control point (CCP), it is suggested that
a clear and unambiguous program be fashioned for each
individual area, and that a specific criteria be spelled
out, written down and implemented to eliminate: 1.)
physical waste products such as grime, slime fungus,
scale and other residue; 2.) chemical residues; and
3.) microbiological contamination in the various forms
of pathogenic bacterium and/or fungus.
One
of the first places for contamination is from workers'
hands, gloves and equipment surfaces. Simple, but good
hand washing procedures can eliminate crosscontamination.
It is recommended that the brush employed be comprised
of 100% polypropylene fused filament and block, in order
that bacteria can not enter the filament and be later
transferred to another employee using the same brush
for washing at a later time. Also, it is advised to
color-code the brush so it is not removed and taken
into an area where it would be used for cleaning other
than one's hands.
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Color
Coding
Color-coding has become an accepted way for identifying
many cleaning items: chemicals and their concentrations,
mops, circular floor pads, gloves, brooms and brushes.
Using color-coding within the brush industry has be,
come a way of preventing cross-contamination from one
area associated with a hazard to a totally different
area, (e.g. raw food preparation area and packaging
of the final prepared food product). If one cleans the
walls, outside surfaces of equipment and floors with
brushes and brooms having yellow filaments, it immediately
designates to the user that he or she can not use the
brush or broom in,any other cleaning area.
In
this manner, no contamination of any substance, whether
it be pathogenic or just grim. can be transported, physically
to another sector within the plant. Likewise, a brush
used for cleaning and removing raw food particles from,
a. cutting board area would not be transported to another
area, even if it were to be sterilized. There are no
hard and fast rules for color-coding other than once
a written and agreed upon procedure employing color-coding
is adopted, it must be practiced without deviation.
Lewis
JC, Brushware: For Food Processing Facilities:
maintenance Supplies/ Feb. 1995; 23-26
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The
Codex Alimentarius Commission, the international standards
- setting organization with participation by more than 145
countries and with numerous committees of relevance to the
US food industry, has recognized HACCP as being beneficial...
and capable of being applied worldwide.
