Standard operating procedure
The written sequence for produce & packing. Adapt the concentrations and frequencies to your validated protocol; the sequence itself should not change.
- Maintain a measurable free chlorine residual in wash water at all times
- Monitor continuously — organic load consumes the oxidiser fast
- Set dwell time by commodity
- Sanitise contact surfaces between lots
- Treat hydrocooler and dump tank water on the same basis
- Record residual, pH and turnover; these are what auditors examine
Concentration reference
| Application | Concentration | Contact time | Verification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Food-contact surfaces | 50–200 ppm | Per protocol | Test strip, each shift |
| Environmental surfaces | 100–200 ppm | 1–5 minutes | Test strip, daily |
| Process and wash water | 50–100 ppm residual | Continuous | Meter, continuous |
| Fogging | 100–200 ppm | Per cycle | Test strip, per batch |
| Drains and biofilm | 200–500 ppm | 5–15 minutes | Test strip, per application |
Verification and records
Record date, time, location, measured concentration, measured pH where applicable, and the initials of whoever took the reading. Verify at the point of use rather than at the generator — the number that matters is the one at the surface, not the one at the machine.
Training
- Why precleaning is not optional, with the oxidiser-consumption explanation
- Correct concentration for each application, and how to check it
- Contact time discipline — visible wetness for the specified duration
- Application technique, including electrostatic coverage where used
- Record-keeping, and what an auditor will ask for
- Basic system operation: salt, alarms, when to escalate to maintenance
Validation
Swab before you change anything. Swab afterwards on the same schedule and the same sites. The comparison is your evidence, it is what an auditor finds persuasive, and it is what tells you whether the protocol needs adjusting before a problem arrives.
Escalation
Define in advance what happens when a swab fails or an outbreak is declared: which concentration, which frequency, which areas, and who authorises it. Deciding that during an incident is how incidents become events.