title: Microbiological sampling plan based on risk classification to verify supplier selection and production of served meals in food service operation.
abstract: Food service operations are confronted with a diverse range of raw materials and served meals. The implementation of a microbial sampling plan in the framework of verification of suppliers and their own production process (functionality of their prerequisite and HACCP program), demands selection of food products and sampling frequencies. However, these are often selected without a well described scientifically underpinned sampling plan. Therefore, an approach on how to set-up a focused sampling plan, enabled by a microbial risk categorization of food products, for both incoming raw materials and meals served to the consumers is presented. The sampling plan was implemented as a case study during a one-year period in an institutional food service operation to test the feasibility of the chosen approach. This resulted in 123 samples of raw materials and 87 samples of meal servings (focused on high risk categorized food products) which were analyzed for spoilage bacteria, hygiene indicators and food borne pathogens. Although sampling plans are intrinsically limited in assessing the quality and safety of sampled foods, it was shown to be useful to reveal major non-compliances and opportunities to improve the food safety management system in place. Points of attention deduced in the case study were control of Listeria monocytogenes in raw meat spread and raw fish as well as overall microbial quality of served sandwiches and salads.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Food Preservation and Food Microbiology, Department of Food Safety and Food Quality, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links, 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium. Electronic address: evy.lahou@ugent.be.
authors.forename: Evy
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lahou
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Food Preservation and Food Microbiology, Department of Food Safety and Food Quality, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links, 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Liesbeth
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jacxsens
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Food Preservation and Food Microbiology, Department of Food Safety and Food Quality, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links, 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Filip
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Van Landeghem
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Food Preservation and Food Microbiology, Department of Food Safety and Food Quality, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links, 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Mieke
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uyttendaele
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis; D005516:Food Microbiology / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D005522:Food Services / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000592:standards*; D005525:Food-Processing Industry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000592:standards*; D064088:Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points / Q000379:methods*; D012494:Sampling Studies; D000078329:Workforce
keywords: Food service operation; Microbial risk categorization; Sampling plan; Supplier selection