Process hygiene
Process hygiene is an essential part of quality assurance, especially in sensitive areas such as food production. Our approach aims to ensure hygiene at every stage of production to prevent contamination and guarantee the safety of end products. By regularly monitoring and adapting processes, we ensure compliance with strict hygiene standards.
Dishwasher
Hygiene checks on dishwashers are important to ensure that crockery and cutlery are hygienically clean after the wash cycle.
Dishwashers that are not working or being operated properly can harbour a variety of bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms that can be potentially harmful to health. The hygiene of machines is particularly important in commercial kitchens, medical or care facilities, as the transmission of pathogens can have grave consequences.
The machines are being checked according to a precisely defined procedure. We require the following information before each sampling.
- Manufacturer and type of machine (fresh water, single tank, multi-tank)
- Which cleaning agent is used?
- How long does the cleaning program take? (at least 60°C Programme)
Sufficient crockery and cutlery must be available for the test. Before switching on the loaded machine, our sampler attaches 10 stainless steel bioindicators at various points in the dishwasher. These are contaminated with the test germ Enterococcus faecium.
Once the disinfection program has been completed, our sampler removes the test specimens and takes 10 samples from the surfaces of the wash ware using TSA contact plates.
In special cases, water samples are also taken from the rinsing water. All samples are analyzed in the laboratory. The procedure and scope of the analysis may vary and depends on the type of dishwasher.
Washing machine
Hygiene checks of washing machines are important to ensure that the wash ware is hygienically clean after the cleaning process. Washing machines that are not working or being operated properly can harbor a variety of bacteria, viruses and other micro-organisms that can be potentially harmful to health. Machine hygiene is particularly important in medical or care facilities, as the transmission of pathogens can have very serious consequences.
Regular hygiene checks ensure that these germs are killed, and that the laundry is hygienically clean after washing.
The machines are checked according to a precisely defined procedure. We require the following information before each sampling
- Manufacturer and type of machine
- Which cleaning agent is used?
- How long does the cleaning program take? (at least 60°C program)
Sufficient wash ware must be available at the time of testing. Before switching on the loaded machine, our sampler adds 8 bioindicators. These are contaminated with the test germ Enterococcus faecium.
Once the disinfection program has been completed, our sampler removes the test specimens and takes 10 samples from various items of laundry using TSA contact plates. All samples are analyzed in the laboratory.
Autoclave / stifling air sterilizer
Autoclaves and stifling air sterilizers are special devices used to sterilize medical instruments, laboratory equipment and other materials. They work at elevated temperatures and other high pressures to kill microorganisms and ensure effective sterilization.
If they do not function properly or do not ensure adequate sterilization, there is a risk of infection for the patient. For this reason, medical facilities and laboratories are subject to strict regulations and guidelines regarding hygiene and sterility. Regular testing is part of these regulations and serves to ensure that all requirements are met.
Bioindicators are one way of verifying sterility. These special test systems, which contain living microorganisms, are particularly resistant to sterilization processes. They serve as an indicator of the effectiveness of sterilization and enable the sterilization performance to be checked precisely. If these organisms are no longer viable after autoclaving, it can be assumed that other less resistant microorganisms have also been killed.
We can offer bioindicators for both sterilization processes.
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