Food Safety Training Videos and Free Downloads

Let’s begin with the basics of implementing and operating an environmental monitoring program for food and food packaging facilities. To do so, we start with what an environmental monitoring program is for, and what the first steps are in setting the program up.

In Kellerman Consulting’s second episode of the Environmental Monitoring Program video series, we focus on determining how frequently a facility should swab for environmental pathogens or quality organisms in the facility.

In this episode we look at where to get environmental swabs, where to use environmental swabs, how to swab, how often to swab, and what to do with the results.

For facilities with established environmental monitoring programs, drains present a unique challenge and opportunity to monitor for organisms, and thinking through the approach to including or excluding drains from the swabbing schedule is important.

We continue our look at advanced practices in environmental monitoring in the 5th episode of this video series. We need to look at strategies and patterns for swabbing to assure that we are successful in tracking down pathogens, and to eradicate them before they get near areas where equipment or product is at risk.

In this video series we have focused on how to build an effective environmental monitoring program for food and food packaging facilities. Regulatory oversight in these programs often occur during infrequent visits that are conducted annually, or even less frequently. One major exception are facilities under FSIS jurisdiction, in which regular oversight occurs, often every day.

In this episode we turn our attention to what to do when swabbing uncovers the presence of pathogens or spoilage organisms in the facility.

In episode eight of Kellerman Consulting’s Environmental Monitoring Program video series, we shift our attention to indicator testing and quality testing, which have different requirements than pathogen testing.

Each of the major GFSI programs, SQF, BRC, FSSC 22000 and PrimusGFS programs all require fully implemented environmental monitoring programs to be in place as part of the safety and quality programs, including risk assessments justifying the approach taken in the facility.