RAPID DIAGNOSTIC METHODS: MINIMIZATION OF PHYSICAL, CHEMICAL AND MICROBIOLOGICAL RISKS
December 9, 2020 Webinar Results

On December 9, the Food Safety team held the penultimate this year, a webinar on the topic "Methods of express diagnostics: minimizing physical, chemical and microbiological risks"

While preparing this webinar, we realized that this topic is so relevant and significant, and most importantly, very voluminous, that it is simply impossible to fit all the questions into one program. Therefore, we reviewed some methods for express diagnostics of various risks, as well as the best practices for minimizing them.

We talked about the use of metal-detectable products as a way to minimize physical risks.

Told about the importance of minimizing the presence of chemicals using various fluids in food production: lubrication, labels removing, other various contaminants.

Discussed the topic of microbiological risks and what methods of monitoring the effectiveness of the measures taken for cleaning and disinfection exist.

And in our special Best Practice section, we presented solutions for
color zoning system, and for kinds of inventory can be used in a food business.

More details about the speakers of the webinar and the topics they covered in their speeches at the webinar on December 9:

There is no need to say much about the relevance of this topic: according to statistics, 70% of consumers will give preference to brands that demonstrate concern for food safety. Moreover, after a negative review, 66% will not purchase brand products even after 6-12 months.

Artem spoke about the types of foreign inclusions, the threats associated with their presence and how they are detected in food, as well as 6 basic steps to protect against foreign inclusions:

• Understanding the mechanisms of contamination
• Detection of risk areas on the production line
• Taking effective protective measures
• Choosing the right technology
• Aligning with future challenges
• Use of digital technologies

Then he talked about the equipment used, trends, about the choice of a method depending on the enterprise specifics. Among the trends, Artem highlighted:

• Increased sensitivity
• Automation
• Use of digital technologies
• Waste reduction

He highlighted the main problems of using conventional stationery knives and the associated risks for food products, such as damaged reputation and the cost of compensating for obscene products.

Spoke about the advantages of using Martor safe metal-detectable knives.


For example, the use of such knives reduces or eliminates the release of harmful substances from plastic, the ingress of plastic into the product without the possibility of detection, as well as the ingress of paintwork and blade particles into food. In addition, the significant risks are rust on the blades and the transmission of infections between employees are also excluded by the use of Martor knives.


Among the advantages of safe metal-detectable knives are:

• metal and plastic suitable for contact with food
• lack of paintwork
• short and non-segmented stainless steel blades
• the ability to clean the knife, as it does not have extra cavities

Olaf then presented Martor knife options for a variety of operations, from which you can select the one that suits your specific needs, from cutting thin materials (film) to thicker ones.

He talked about protective coatings for returnable containers (pallets, boxes, trolleys-vats, trolleys-hairpins)

and highlighted the Best Practice section on the use of protective coatings.

CRC Industries supplies a wide range of NSF approved products to various food processing industries. CRC products will support existing HACCP programs or assist in the formation of a new HACCP system, and the unique color coding makes it possible to improve the monitoring of critical control points in the process.

Sergey showed CRC solutions for food enterprises: safe lubricants, cleaners and degreasers, with the help of which you can effectively and safely increase the operation of equipment, as well as minimize the time spent on service.

The products have been tested and approved for use in those industries where it is necessary to minimize the risk of harmful effects on consumer health.

Then Danila Malov spoke about the identification of pathogenic microorganisms and the control of the cleanliness of surfaces and equipment after washing and disinfection. Among the issues he highlighted were:

• What is biosafety?
• How to identify and reduce biological risks?
• How to create a secure production environment?

He also spoke about the types of dangerous biological agents and the methods of their analysis, such as:

• Visual control
• Classical microbiology
• ATP-luminometry
• Indicator tests

Having considered all the methods, Danila settled on ATP luminometry, as the most optimal method for analyzing and diagnosing pathogens for a number of reasons.

Among the arguments were ease of use, manufacturability and time optimization.

Furthermore, options for specific products were presented with a classification according to the methods of application: tests for allergens, to check water treatment systems, UMP, identification of E. coli, etc.

He highlighted the requirements for cleaning equipment and told what equipment can and which cannot be used in food production. He also mentioned the importance of color zoning and its features.

Told about the main mistakes when choosing and using inventory, such as:

• Use of equipment not intended for work in food enterprises
• Inconsistency of the selected inventory with the operations being performed
• Lack of inventory markings (or use of poorly readable markings)
• Labeling inventory in a way that increases the risk of product contamination (scotch tape, stickers, tags, etc.)