The Reduction of Microbial Spreading: Little Details, Great Effects

The eradication or the limitation of microbial contamination into food industries and dedicated warehouses may be reduced by means of a multidisciplinary and integrated management approach. In the ambit of the so-called ‘Hazard analysis and critical control points’ plan, different instruments and procedures may be applied with interesting results. The reliable selection of raw ingredients, including reusable (recycled) waters and packaging materials, has to be perceived as the first pilaster of a well-designed and implemented HACCP plan. Moreover, other aspects correlated to the prevention and minimisation of microbial spread into food production areas have to be considered: the separation between different areas in the same industry; the problem of cross-contamination between different lines, including the necessity of limiting aerosolised suspensions; the possible survival (and transfer) of microscopic life forms via cloths, hands, utensils and food refrigeration equipment; the creation and implementation of correct cleaning and sanitising procedures. These aspects of the modern challenge to microbial spreading and contamination episodes in food industries are briefly discussed in this chapter.