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Learn about the importance of Environmental Monitoring Programs (EMPs) in food safety plans. Understand how EMPs help in seeking out and eliminating potential pathogenic growth areas to improve factory sanitary conditions. Find out when an EMP is necessary and how it complements existing food safety programs. Discover key components of an effective EMP and how it is not just about generating clean results but about continuous improvement through corrective actions. Join the discussion on the significance of EMPs in verifying and enhancing food safety measures.
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Environmental Monitoring for Verification AFDO June 2014 Warren E. Stone, MBA Sr. Director of Science Policy Grocery Manufacturers Association
Acting on Results • In order to act upon EMP results the program needs to be an effective one. • Results are truly a result of environmental conditions and not from program shortcomings.
Should we have an environmental monitoring program (EMP)? • The decision to incorporate an Environmental Monitoring Program (EMP) into a company's food safety plan is done following a product and process risk evaluation • The EMP may not be needed in all manufacturing situations • Such a determination should be the outcome of a thorough, comprehensive and robust hazard analysis and risk evaluation
However... • An EMP is NOT a control program in itself • Verification program to ensure all other food safety programs are effective • Sanitary facility design • Sanitary equipment design • Hygienic zoning • Traffic patterns • Separation of RTE and non-RTE areas • Good manufacturing practices • SSOPs • Employee hygiene training
Seek and Destroy • An effective EMP program is a “seek and destroy” mission • Objective is to find potential niches of pathogenic growth and implement corrective action plans and mitigation steps to eliminate them • The objective is not to generate clean, consistently negative results • If all current sampling sites yield negative results, go look somewhere else • Positive results are viewed as an opportunity to correct and improve factory sanitary conditions