situated on site,are theybeingmaintained,whatis theircurrentsanitary
situation?Are eating/chewing/drinking/smokingpolicies appropriateto the
zone,in placeand implemented?
∑ Cleaning/sanitationprocedures and the use (includingstorage) of water/
chemicals/utensils. Designingand maintaininga sanitation systemto cope
with different conditions (dry/wet environment, targeting to be micro-
biologicallyclean,ready for an allergenrelated change-over, removing par-
ticulate matter or colours,etc.) is a challenge that increases with the
complexity of materials, processes and tight production schedules. The
sanitationsystem shouldbe one of the primarytopicsfor the auditteam.This
includes everything fromdirectfoodcontactsurfaces to generalareas.For
effectivenessof cleaningof non-visible foodcontact areasthe team will have
to openup some equipment immediatelyaftera cleaning cycleand inspect it
directly. Particularcareshouldbe taken withdifficultto cleanareas,e.g.
pumps, poorly designedequipment.
∑ Temperature controlis not alwaysnecessary(oneof the itemsfor the audit
team's consideration),but in coldconditionspeople's protective clothingin
itself maypresent a hygienechallenge,and in veryhot conditionstheremay
be an issuewithkeepingdoors/windowsconsistentlyclosed.
∑ Air qualityand filtering for directproduct contact (air maybe usedas an
ingredient).Air flow,including aerosolsand dust, will be a potentialconcern
where zoning is concerned.Ventilationsystemsprovidea conduit in/out of
the facility and maybe difficultto clean internally.
∑ Water (includingsteamand ice) qualitycan varysignificantly depending on
its source (well,river, municipal system) and fromplaceto place and timeto
time. Whileuseful distinctionscan be made to ingredient waterand non-
ingredientwater(cleaning, heating,cooling),the ongoingpotable statusof
waterin the plant for all purposes should be a concern of the auditteam.
∑ Pallets are wellknown for beingdifficultto track,cleanand controland for
turning up in places in the plantwhere theyshouldnot. Palletpolicies and
practices,and theirrolein zoning requirements, maybe key elementsin
managingcontaminationroutes.
∑ Silos and tanks that are continuallytopped up. Are theybeing cleanedon a
regular basis? Is there evidence to demonstrate that the methods and
frequencyare appropriate?
∑ Forklift trucks,wheretheyare allowed to go, whattheycarry fromone zone
to another,whattheyspreadaround as exhaust fumesand oil leakages,and
where theyrefuelor reloadtheirbatteries.
∑ Incoming trucks,trainsor ships and the issuestheybringwiththem,in terms
of carry-overs of previous cargoes, cleaning chemical residues, pests,
potentiallyunsanitary pallets and worker-relatedhygiene issues.
∑ Drains, theirdesign,general stateof cleanliness and the integrityof the
drainagesystem.The status of the underground part of the drainagesystemis
oftenunknown, especiallyin older plants.The audit teamshould investigate
what is known aboutthis aspect and to whatextentit could potentiallyimpact
694 Handbookof hygiene controlin the foodindustry