Authors: Mojca JEVŠNIK, Andrej OVCA, Peter RASPOR
Corresponding author: Mojca JEVŠNIK
Type of paper: Original scientific article
Issue: Volume 11 | number 1 – 2017
Abstract:
The aim of this study was to evaluate three different cleaning procedures routinely applied in processes to prevent microbiological product contamination. The evaluation was done in the context of their hygienic suitability and cleaning effectiveness according to defined surface hygiene standards. Furthermore, the suitability of a generic testing method to monitor cleaning effectiveness was investigated. The results of this preliminary study revealed discrepancies between the results acquired with a generic method compared to the conventional microbiological surface examination in the context of surface hygiene monitoring. The results demonstrate the higher efficiency of the semi-automatic system in comparison to the mechanical system on surfaces with the same characteristics. The results also indicate that in both of applied the semi-automatic systems, cleaning effectiveness depends on the surface accessibility and cleaning direction. Based on the results presented, we can conclude that for maximum benefit, visual, non-microbiological, and microbiological methods should be combined as an integrated cleaning monitoring strategy.
