Food processing facility sanitation is an integral part of good manufacturing
practices. Effective sanitation aids in ensuring the wholesomeness, safety, and
quality of shell eggs. The negative impacts on food safety and egg quality
are a result of microbial growth. Research has shown that ineffective
cleaning and sanitation practices or programs can lead to reduced quality
duration or potential product contamination. Residual microorganisms
can lead to egg spoilage or foodborne illness. Most of this training series
will focus on the United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural
Marketing Service pre-operational sanitation inspection expectations.
However, remember that the Food and Drug Administration has oversight of consumer
shell eggs in the United States as stated in 21 CFR 117. Additionally,
customers accrediting organizations (such as Safe Quality Food, British Retail
Consortium Global Standard and others) as well as state and local regulatory
agencies may have additional facility sanitation expectations that can impact
your facility. AMS sanitation requirements are meant to protect the
integrity of the USDA grademark by requiring additional sanitation
expectations at facilities that utilize AMS voluntary grading services.
To meet these goals, AMS inspectors will assess for voluntary
grading program requirements during the pre-operational sanitation inspection
and throughout processing operations by utilizing organoleptic inspection
assessments. While AMS may review microbial test results as part of
certain export programs, AMS does not conduct nor require swabbing or
biological testing during routine sanitation assessments. So what is
organoleptic inspection? Organoleptic inspection assessments include sight,
smell, and touch. However microbial growth will not always be seen,
smelled, or felt.
>> Critical areas are defined as equipment with potential
surface contact with eggs or come in contact with wash water or air blown to
dry the eggs. Non-critical areas are defined as areas that are not likely to
imminently affect product quality. Non-critical does not mean is not
important. Non-critical unsatisfactory conditions
should be addressed after the processing line has been started unless unable to
safely do so during processing. In this module, the critical and non-critical
areas of the washer will be identified and discussed.
Additionally, examples will be used to illustrate the satisfactory and
unsatisfactory condition of the various components associated with the washer.
Egg processing facilities shall be thoroughly cleaned at the end of each
operating day. The term reasonably clean is applied during the egg processing
shift to indicate that equipment and processing areas are maintained with
minimum egg meat accumulation. More explanation of these terms is presented
in the introduction module. Beginning January 2020, all portions of the washer
which come in contact with the wash water are considered critical and must
be thoroughly cleaned each day during sanitation procedures. Any such portion
of the washer found to be unsatisfactorily clean will delay the start of the
processing line until sufficiently corrected. The washer generally begins as
the eggs cross the accumulator transfer plate onto the spools and ends as the
eggs exit the washer enclosure. Because of recirculating water throughout the
washer unit, only outer surfaces of the washer enclosure, auxilary components, and
legs are non-critical. More information on accumulator
sanitation and expectations is available in the accumulator training module.
Before a thorough assessment of the washer can be conducted, turn off the
washer completely, empty the water from the washer reservoir, open all the doors
and hoods, remove all screens and filters, open the heat exchangers, and make sure
there are no eggs in the washer. Panels should never be placed directly on the
processing room floor. A non-porous barrier should be in place. A cart or
table is also appropriate. Wooden pallets and cardboard are not appropriate since
they are porous and can absorb moisture and microorganisms. Clean doors and
equipment parts should always be placed on a clean surface. Facility personnel
may follow behind the inspector to close equipment and replace doors and panels
after an area has been deemed satisfactorily clean. Requirements for
alternative or reduced frequency washer and heat exchanger inspection programs
are detailed in AMS policy. Facilities interested in these programs should
contact their local AMS supervisor to discuss details. Some processing lines
may be equipped with a pre-wetting bar. Nozzles are mounted over the line to
mist water on the shell surface before entering the washer. In such systems, the
nozzles are considered critical because the water dispensed through the nozzle
is applied to the egg surface. The mounting bar and brackets for
pre-wetting nozzles are non-critical. Processing lines may also be equipped
with a pre washer. This self-contained portion of the processing line is a unit
placed before the washer containing spray nozzles to pre wet the eggs
without brushes. Outer surfaces of the pre-wash enclosure, auxilary components,
and legs are non-critical. All other portions and components are
critical since the recirculated wetting solution
comes in contact with all eggs entering the processing line. Spools should only
have limited surface abrasions since these can be growth reservoirs for
microorganisms. All surfaces of spools in the washer are considered critical. AMS
pre operational sanitation inspections will assess for residual chemical wash
water build-up and organic matter from the eggs. Depending on the processing
line design, a single or dual washer system may be present. All washers have
the following critical components which must be accessible for daily
pre-operational sanitation inspection: interior of lid or cover, spools, water
lines and manifolds, nozzles, nozzle mounts, brushes, brush mounts, interior
framing and structure, screen filters, inline filters, recirculating tank.
Externally mounted shell filters or drum separators may be present. This component
of the washer is also critical since water recirculates from the shell filter
back into the wash water. Some washers include a sanitizing rinse as eggs exit
the washer cabinet. In such cases, the nozzles will be critical and assessed with
the washer. More information on the inspection of sanitizer application
nozzles will be included in the sanitation systems module. Multiple
components within washing systems use nozzles to dispense water and chemicals
onto egg surfaces. This would include pre-wetting, pre-washing, washing, and
sanitizing. The nozzles are critical for all of these. On the left, we see nozzles
that are satisfactorily clean and critical. On the right,
we see that the nozzles have buildup of material that could be transferred to
the eggs during the spraying application. This would be an unsatisfactory finding
in a critical area and must be corrected before processing begins. Curtains or
shields may be present at the entrance and exit of washing systems to prevent
overspray. Curtains and shields are often made of metal or polymer materials which
should be sanitarily designed to facilitate cleaning. The portion of the
curtain or shield facing the interior of the washer would be critical,
whereas exterior facing portions would be non-critical. The outward facing
portion of the metal shield seen here appears to be cleaned and is
satisfactory in a non-critical area. Notice how the USDA grader in this
shot is inspecting the inward facing critical portion of the curtain for
compliance as well. This is a polymer curtain at the entrance of a pre washing
system. The exterior facing non critical portion appears satisfactory. The inward
facing critical portion should be assessed as well. On the exterior non
critical part of this shield, we see there is a film of material that is
beginning to flake off. This would be an unsatisfactory finding in a non critical
area. In systems which have curtains separating the sanitizing step from the
washing compartment, build up from the sanitizing chemicals on the curtains
would be an unsatisfactory critical finding. This curtain would need to be
cleaned before processing. Spools or spindles that pass through the washer
are critical on all surfaces. Here we see satisfactorily clean spools.
Small amounts of discoloration are not cause
for unsatisfactory findings. While small amounts of discoloration may not be
cause for unsatisfactory findings, large amounts of build-up, egg stone, and other
organic material that provide probable areas for microbial growth would be
unsatisfactory. In this picture, we see a copious amount of buildup on the yellow
portion of the spools. This would be an unsatisfactory critical finding. Spools
should not be allowed to reach this level of buildup. However, if this
condition is encountered, facilities should work with USDA on a timeline for
correction. Residual egg meat, as seen in this picture, would also be cause for an
unsatisfactory finding on a critical surface. This must be corrected before
processing begins. Cracks, abrasions, and divots in spools can create niches for
microbial growth and make cleaning spools more difficult. Facilities should
consider replacing spools with excessive wear and damage. However, for USDA AMS
assessments, spools are satisfactory as long as they are free from visible
buildup of organic material. These spools would be considered unsatisfactory in a
critical area due to visible debris. The areas of debris would need to be cleaned
to achieve a satisfactory finding. The spools seen here appear to be free of
any visible buildup of egg meat or organic matter and would be considered
satisfactory. The assessment of the washer will also include the brushes
used to clean the eggs. As we look closer at these brushes, we see they are clean
of any egg meat or organic material. This would be a satisfactory finding on the
critical brushes. Brushes with residual egg meat and debris
would be unsatisfactory. Washer assessments will also include the piping,
framing, and structural components within the washing system. These are all
critical components. The washer seen in this shot appears to have satisfactorily
clean piping and framing components. Soap scum and other residual buildup on the
piping and framework is not acceptable. The washers we see in these photos would
be unsatisfactory, and the residue would need to be removed before processing
begins. Inline water filters should be fully removed each day for assessment
and placed on a solid impervious surface, never on the processing area floor.
Filters should be free from debris. This is a satisfactorily clean inline filter
which is free from debris. This, however, shows debris remaining in the filter
which would be an unsatisfactory critical finding. Debris is often caught
at the end of inline filters, necessitating the full removal of the
filter for assessment. Tray type filters also remove large particles before the
wash tank. Residual debris such as this would be an unsatisfactory critical
finding. Newer washing units may also contain a drum filter that removes
additional particles before recirculating through the washer system.
This is a satisfactorily clean drum filter that is free from large debris.
This is a drum filter with debris remaining. This would be an
unsatisfactory critical finding. The inline water filter will often be near
the heat exchanger which should also be assessed. Washer systems use various
types of heating elements for heating water. Heat exchanger systems use hot
water from a boiler system to transfer heat and are housed external of the
washers instead of in the recirculating tank. To assess an inline heat exchanger,
the endcaps must be open. A facility employee should make the heat exchanger
available for inspection. Proper assessment includes shining a flashlight
in one end while looking in the other end for residual build-up. The heat
exchangers shown here are satisfactory. Alternately, wash systems may have
heating coils in the washer tanks. Heating coils are metal tubes within the
recirculating tank through which hot water from the boiler system is pumped
in order to transfer heat directly to the wash water in the tank.
This shows satisfactory conditions of the heat exchanging coils. While general
discoloration would not be cause for unsatisfactory findings on the coils,
large amounts of build-up and residual debris would be cause for unsatisfactory
findings. These are unsatisfactory critical conditions. Recirculating washer
tanks are yet another critical area in the washing system. Debris from
production will build up in these tanks and must be cleaned out daily. This is a
well cleaned tank that has had all material removed. This is a satisfactory
finding. Here we see a tank containing residual organic matter. This is an
unsatisfactory critical finding. Material must be cleaned before processing begins.
Non-critical areas of the washer would include the exterior surfaces of the
unit and additional features such as: feet,
pipes and tubes, framework, exterior panels, pumps, and motors. The non critical
components of the washer seen here appeared to be satisfactory. This washer
has green supply hoses mounted above the washer. Closer inspection of these hoses
shows a buildup of grime which is unsatisfactory condition in a
non-critical area. When assessing washer sanitation, it
is important to remember all internal components of the washer are critical
due to wash water contact and must be cleaned prior to startup. Only exterior
components of the washer are non-critical. This module has presented a
general overview of sanitation assessment of the washer. Each facility
has a unique design. Remember, non critical conditions are sanitation
deficiencies that are not likely to materially affect product quality but
when allowed to continue or combined with other non-critical conditions may
result in diminished product quality.