Establishing the Critical control points for ensuring safety in food-grade Flexi Intermediate Bulk Containers

Abstract:Introduction: The purpose of food packaging is to protect food, but it can also become acontamination source if the hygiene controls fail. This study focused on identifying Critical Control Points (CCPs) and establishing an effective risk management strategy for food-grade Flexible Intermediate Bulk Containers (FIBCs). Methods: A microbial assessment was conducted from 2017 to 2019 using swabs, solid liners, and environmental samples collected from 27 sites across five categories: personnel, gloves, floors, machines, and liners. Samples were analyzed microbiologically, and workers' hygiene practices were assessed to trace the contamination pathway. Results: Results showed that no Escherichia coli and Salmonella were detected, but Staphylococcus was the main hazard. Operators' gloves were more contaminated than hands, with 44.4% of gloves containing Staphylococcus compared to 26.7% of hands. The operator's gloves had heavy contamination in 2018 (4.52 log CFU/unit), while the operators' hands were clean (0 log CFU/unit). Staphylococcus and coliforms were also confirmed by enrichment tests in certain samples with a quantitative count of zero. The "Clean Room" was a hot spot, and in 2018, clean liners were found contaminated with the "Air Wash" system (1.34 log CFU/unit, Total Aerobic Bacterial Count). Yeast & Mold was also discovered as a new threat in 2019 (4.48 log CFU/unit). Conclusion: The results suggest contamination of food-grade FIBCs was mainly caused by system control failures, particularly gloves, air-washing, and clean-room operations. Regular glove replacement, UV sterilization, proper sanitization, enhanced air filtration systems, and strict clean-room hygiene can reduce the contamination levels.