I recently received a call from someone in the upper Midwest asking what to expect this winter with the changing weather patterns. The caller had been getting elevated micro counts when taking air samples inside and outside the food processing facility. I explained that seasonal harvest activities were probably creating increased dust in the air at the plant. We also discussed the likelihood of elevated mold and wild yeast counts as we enter the fall season due to rotting fruits and plant matter.
There are many other food plant issues related to the change of seasons that food plants can expect. There is always an elevated risk of microbiological hazards developing because of condensate that develops with changing temperatures within the facility and equipment, air handling units, roofs, bulk rail cars and silos. Also, there are often scaling issues because of the difference in outside and inside temperatures.
Pest issues also increase when the weather changes. Insects are increasingly attracted to the facility, particularly night-flying insects that are attracted to lights and heat from the building and species that are attracted to the damp and molding condition of some products. Also, rodents begin migrating toward processing plants seeking warmth and shelter when their habitats are destroyed by harvest activities.
Many food facility issues that seem to catch us off guard are actually very predictable. Generally, when there is a stable workforce and management staff, they are better able to predict such events because they deal with them every year. But, many facilities that deal with 24/7 schedules and employee turnover, do a poor job of recording the history of these predictable changes and preparing for them.
How many events could you incorporate for each season, month or week on a calendar of events for your facility? For example, spring more than likely brings rain and flooding, standing water, and runoff which require the facility to react to certain events. Holidays sometimes bring on certain events. One facility always had some vandalism as the result of Friday night football games at a field near them. They would add some security to ensure delivery trucks were not targeted. In certain regions of the country, Halloween inspires young people to be more creative in causing issues. When you think about it, all of us have dealt with these events. And many of them are predictable.
Create a calendar of events during your next food safety meeting. You will be surprised how many predictable events you can identify. Share these events with managers and employees, and be proactive in approaching the solutions ahead of the storm. If you would like, share your calendar with us, and we will share some of the feedback in an upcoming issue.
The author is Vice President of Food Safety Education, AIB International.
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