Gem Scientific | Blog

24/11/2020
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Environmental Monitoring for BRCGS: ATP Hygiene Monitoring and Verification

Welcome to our Environmental Monitoring for BRC Global Standards for Food Safety (BRCGS) series. Download our free guide today. Residue from production which remains on a surface after poor cleaning can encourage microorganism growth which leads to spoilage, risk of food poisoning and shelf life reduction. ATP monitoring is ideal for use and an early risk indicator for inadequate removal of organic residue. As an established method of testing hygiene, it is used widely as a verification method for hygiene cleaning, but it cannot be used as a replacement for... Read More

17/11/2020

Environmental Monitoring for BRCGS: Hygiene and Housekeeping

Welcome to our Environmental Monitoring for BRC Global Standards for Food Safety (BRCGS) series. Download our free guide today. When looking to set your limits of acceptable and unacceptable cleaning performance, BRCGS Clause 4.11.3 defines a number of ways to do this. Once test points are established, area risks are assessed primarily on whether it needs to be a clean processing environment (where a ‘visually clean’ may be sufficient) or a sterile food contact surface (where all traces of allergen or other cross contaminants must be removed). Further environmental monitoring... Read More

09/11/2020
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Environmental Monitoring for BRCGS: How robust is your program?

There is no universal blueprint for an environmental monitoring program within the food production industry. Individual companies design and structure their programs based on their own specific manufacturing environment and hazard analysis. Whatever food you are manufacturing, from apple sauce to zwieback, a robust environmental monitoring plan is a cornerstone of working towards the BRC Global Standards for Food Safety (BRCGS). We have put together a free downloadable guide to the different tests we recommend to make your environmental monitoring program more robust. Over the next few weeks we will... Read More

04/11/2020

COVID-19: Company Update

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Gem Scientific has worked in conjunction with its suppliers and business partners to manage the impact of disruptions from the coronavirus regulations and restrictions during the past year.

26/05/2020
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Limiting infection and contamination through cleaning and verification in food manufacture

Studies conducted by the New England Journal of Medicine show that coronaviruses remain viable on plastics for 72 hours, stainless steel for 48 hours, cardboard for 24 hours and copper for 4 hours.  Residues remaining on surfaces can also sustain the viability of bacteria.  This highlights the significance of cleaning and verifying the cleanliness of your weighing machinery and work areas.