Episode 2: Deciding How often to Perform Environmental Monitoring

Environmental Monitoring Programs

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.

As a part of this review we will talk about risk assessments for environmental monitoring, trending analysis after swabbing and review of those results to update the swabbing frequency over time.

The most important issue in determining the frequency of swabbing in a facility is to understand that each facility is different and there is no set number of swabs or number of times each month or year that is right for everyone.

Instead, you have want to make sure you have an understanding in the facility as to why you have selected both the number of swabs you will use each time you perform an environmental monitoring action, as well as how often you need to perform these swabs to keep the food or food packaging safe in regards to pathogens, as well as keeping your customers satisfied when you are swabbing for quality hazards in operation.

No matter what type of food or food packaging facility is under consideration, it is the opinion of Kellerman Consulting that every facility should perform at a minimum one environmental monitor action with at least one swab each year. The reason why this is important is because this will make sure someone in the facility is aware of what lab is to be used, how to order swabs, how to use the swabs and how to receive results. This is the minimum requirement for validating an environmental monitoring program and is the practice necessary to make sure the facility is prepared to amplify the program in a case where a regulator, auditor or customer demands environmental monitoring happens regularly.

With all of the consideration for how frequently swabbing should occur, we need to introduce how to actually conduct environmental monitoring.

In our next episode, we will dive into how to perform environmental swabbing based on a schedule, and this will include where to purchase environmental swabs , types of swabs, how to swab, and how to submit them to a lab to get proper results.

Thank you for watching. For free downloads to accompany this video series, visit the free training videos & resources page of our website.

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