Environmental Pathogen Monitoring Training

INSTRUCTOR: Gözde Yeşildere

OBJECTIVE OF THE TRAINING

Under the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), it has become mandatory to implement an environmental pathogen monitoring program as part of the preventive controls for human food. Facilities producing ready-to-eat foods must include environmental pathogen monitoring in their food safety plans, with ongoing monitoring and compliance ensured by preventive controls and trained personnel.

This training is organized with the support and collaboration of SETBİR – The Turkish Dairy, Meat, and Food Industry Association.

When designing an Environmental Pathogen Monitoring (PEM) plan, it is essential to establish a sampling program, determine the sampling locations, frequency of tests, target microorganisms (e.g., pathogens or indicator microorganisms), test methods, procedures for recording and evaluating results, setting control limits, and defining corrective and preventive actions to be taken in case of non-compliance, as well as procedures for verification and review activities.

CONTENT OF THE TRAINING

• How should a PEM plan be designed specifically for facilities?
• What is hygienic “zoning” and why is zoning needed?
• Examples of “zones” and risk analysis.
• What is PEM and why do we need it?
• Potential sources of pathogens in the factory, indicator microorganisms, and environmental controls.
• Determining the sampling points, sampling frequency, timing, and method of sample collection.
• Recording, evaluating test results, and setting acceptance criteria.
• What actions should be taken in case of non-compliance? What are the verification and review activities?

PARTICIPANT PROFILE

All personnel involved in quality assurance, quality control, and quality management systems in the food industry, food microbiology laboratory staff, and auditors involved in internal and external audits.

DURATION OF THE TRAINING

1 Day