Page 41 - FoodFocusThailand No.158 May 2019

STRONG QC & QA
Air Quality in Production Facilities

The development and evolution of room where post-processed product is being packaged and sealed, and toward other
Food Safety Plans for each individual areas of the plant. This air gradient direction will mitigate the contamination of airborne
microorganisms from the raw ingredient areas into finished product solely from the air.
food production facility has included Overall, it is important to understand the state of air flow and quality within each
the implementation and the upgrading production facility. In measuring, at predetermined frequencies, the QA/QC staff can
of environmental monitoring programs maintain a pulse on the presence of yeast, mold, and bacteria that are airborne and
translocating throughout the facility.
(EMP). The goal of an EMP is to Furthermore, by understanding the management and flow of the air, preventive
gauge and monitor the presence measures can be put in place (i.e. air flow gradients) to minimize product contamination.
of microorganisms within the By minimizing product contamination, the goal of providing a safe and high quality product
to the consumer is attained without the presence of harmful microorganisms or
manufacturing site. microorganisms that could lead to spoilage.

When considering air quality at a production
facility, one of the first steps to take is to assess
what the quality is. The two most popular and
easiest to perform are sedimentation and impactor
systems.
Sedimentation applies to the natural downward
settling of air particles over time. A petri dish
containing agar and a medium consisting of
nutrients beneficial to the target (i.e. yeast, mold,
bacteria) is prepared and then placed at a location
within the production facility. Due to natural
gravitational forces, air particles will settle onto the
petri dish.
The impactor system method is more precise
but requires the purchase or rental of specialized
equipment. The Impactor system employs a
mechanical sampler that uses a jet or vacuum to
draw in air streams at a known rate and thus volume.
The air that is mechanically collected is then directly
applied onto a petri dish within the Impactor system.
This allows for the operator to normalize across
sampling events and standardize as to how much
air volume is collected, based on the jet or vacuum
setting.
In addition to measuring and observing the
presence of microorganisms, additional steps can
and should be taken to further minimize the potential
for product contamination. This includes, but is not
limited to, two approaches. The first approach is
the use and upkeep of a proper HVAC (heating,
ventilation and air conditioning) and filtration system
for the air moving throughout the plant. The HVAC
system allows for the management of temperature
and humidity within the production facility as well
as air flow direction and pressurization. By
controlling the temperature and humidity, microbial
growth is mitigated as long as the temperature is
kept lower than that considered ideal for most
microorganisms. In controlling the humidity,
moisture control is in place. To this end, by
managing the humidity and air moisture, reaching
the dew point can be prevented or lowered.
The second approach to managing further
spread and contamination of product is the use of
air pressure gradients. Such gradients will prevent
cross-contamination between the raw ingredient
area, production area, packaging and warehouse
storage. A gradient is established due to the kinetics
of a higher air pressure state flowing into a lower
air pressure state without any bi-directional flow.
In applying this, one can take advantage of air
flow directions to have air flowing outward from the
MAY 2019 FOOD FOCUS THAILAND 41

40-41_Strong QC&QA_Inddoor Air.indd 41 22/4/2562 BE 19:14