The last two months have seen the rapid spread of a deadly strain of E. coli throughout Europe.   The number of people being diagnosed with E. coli has risen to over 3000, and the infection has claimed around 50 lives.  Now, food hygiene specialists are suggesting that hygiene reforms must be made to prevent a disaster like this from happening again.

Escherichia coli, known commonly as E. coli, is a bacteria found in the stomachs of humans and animals.  The type that resides our gut is usually not harmful, however the rare O104 strain discovered in Germany in May, swept across Europe producing some terrifying symptoms:

The patient develops a gastrointestinal infection which causes diarrhoea.  Their kidneys are also affected, as the bacteria release toxins which cause them damage.  Some of the patients in Hamburg clinics also suffered epileptic fits and slurred speech a few days after falling ill.  The characteristics of the strain allow it to stick to the gut very effectively, which means it can grow in the gut and remain in the system for longer.  The World Health Organisation (WHO) remark that that the strain has been discovered in humans before, but there has never been an outbreak like this.

Since May, various agencies have made accusations about who is responsible for the outbreak.  Infected cucumbers in Germany were identified as the cause, but their source was under question.  Spanish produce did come under some scrutiny, as did some British, but the most up-to date investigations point to a bean sprout farm in Uelzen, Germany.

Although finding the source of the infection is of the highest importance, to prevent it from happening again we must know how the bacteria infected people.  Any E. coli, not just the O104 strain, is associated with contaminated meat, as livestock can carry it in their gut.  Vegetable products are affected when an infected cow’s manure is used to fertilise crops; the bacteria will rest on the vegetable surface if improperly washed.

This disaster has prompted experts in food hygiene and preparation industries to give advice, suggesting changes to be made to prevent a repeat occurrence.  Patrick Wall, the former chairman of the European Food Safety Authority, argues that it takes a disaster like this to identify weaknesses in the system, and to prompt a response.

Patrick Wall names several causes of the spread of food-borne infections, such as E. coli.  These include:

Lack of knowledge and training of staff:
If staff are unaware of legislative the hygiene regulations and procedures that will stop the spread of bacteria and infection, they will be unable to follow them.  The appropriate training of the staff who prepare the food, and knowledgeable food factory cleaners, will reduce the likelihood of mistakes.

Contaminated ingredients:
The surface of raw ingredients becomes contaminated if infected manure is used as a fertilizer.  Bacteria can also reach ingredients if they are fed with infected water; the roots can draw up the bacteria, taking it within the plant.  It is important to be aware of the ways in which E. coli and other food-borne illnesses can reach your ingredients, so you know how to prevent it.  Wall suggests that you ensure that your irrigation water is clean, and that you heat your manure and compost to temperatures which kill bacteria, you can help to prevent your ingredients getting infected.

Inadequate food and hygiene facilities:
In the areas in which food is prepared, it is essential that every surface is immaculate; if bacteria remains on any surface it can contaminate ingredients and contaminate people.    Hiring a food factory cleaning contractor to take care of cleaning issues may be one way to tackle this, as they are specially trained to treat this kind of environment and up to date on all legislations.

Cross-contamination of cooked products from infected raw products:
If raw ingredients which are infected come into contact with cooked ingredients, they will contaminate them too.  Keeping cooked and raw products separate, including in packaging and transportation, is one way to prevent this.  For example, in the spread of this E. coli strain, it would only take one contaminated cucumber to contaminate a whole box.

Inadequate cooking of the ingredients:
If a raw ingredient is contaminated, the bacteria can still be killed if it is cooked to above 70 degrees Celsius.  Cooking the food at this temperature will destroy the bacteria present in the food.  If the food is not cooked properly, the harmful bacteria could still remain on the food.

Storage and refrigeration facilities:
The alleged cause of the outbreak, a German bean sprout farm, used steam drums of 38 degrees Celcius to grow the bean sprouts.  This is the ideal temperature at which bacteria breeds, experts argue.  Therefore knowledge of storage temperatures is very important.  Chilled food must be stored below five degrees Celsius, to make sure the bacteria is dormant and not being nurtured.

To consumers in Germany and the surrounding areas, the advice was to avoid eating salad products until the E. Coli source had been identified.  Now that control has been established, consumers should prioritise washing their fruit and vegetables before eating.  This may appear like obvious advice, but a simple rinse with cold water removes a large variety of bacteria from the surface.

For help with bacteria prevention and hygiene in your food factory, Newlife Cleaning Systems welcome your enquiries.  Visit www.newlifecleaning.com or contact 0800 0189099 for more information.

Sources
www.bbc.com/news
http://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/news/2011/06/german-e-coli-outbreak-may-trigger-new-food-regulations.aspx

“We want residents and visitors to the borough to be able to enjoy their food safe in the knowledge that it has been produced, stored and prepared in a hygienic manner.”

This was spoken to the Government’s News Distribution Service after Mr Chitta R. Das, owner of frozen food company Euroversal International released a statement last week which assured the public that his produce was safe to consume. This came after his factory was exposed for being unhygienic earlier this month. The Food Standards Agency discovered a mouse infestation in the factory and traces of mouse droppings were found inside food packaging, on shelves and in the food itself. The company was charged with six food hygiene offences, fined £5,730 and had their ‘Mithaighar’ yoghurt product recalled.

In areas where food is prepared, packaged and distributed to the public, the hygiene and cleanliness of the building and the staff who work in it must be impeccable.  Any dangerous bacteria must be removed from all surfaces, even if they are not in direct contact with food; harmful bacteria can cause food-related illnesses such as salmonella, listeria and E. coli.

It is the responsibility of business directors who run food factories to adhere to constantly updated rules, regulations and legislations which are monitored by a number of official bodies.  Firstly, the Food Standards Agency, an independent Government department, was set up to monitor food production in the interest of the consumer’s health.  They set guidelines for food preparation, which they monitor and enforce frequently. The BRC, British Retail Consortium also sets a standardised level of hygiene that retailers expect from their suppliers.  They modify the rules frequently and a sixth edition of their regulations is due in 2012.

With all of these pressures on owners of food production factories, it can quickly become impossible for them to keep up. With so many other aspects of running a business to think about, the easiest way to make sure it is done properly, and with minimum fuss, is to get a cleaning contractor to do it for you.

Cleaning contractors are often highly experienced when it comes to working in industry. They are subject to stringent hygiene, safety and cleanliness regulations as part of their job; making it important for them to be knowledgeable in the latest food hygiene and cleanliness laws.

They will have specially-trained teams to set to work, who will be very experienced at working in industrial units.  The contractor will be responsible for staffing issues, including ensuring that staff are up to date will all legislations. The procurement of any specialist equipment and supplies will also become the responsibility of the contractor.

Another issue for owners of food production factories is the time constraints against them; to maximise the company’s productivity they need to be open for business for long periods of time. Some specialist cleaning processes require time and potentially an emptied factory, which could clash with production times. A cleaning contractor will fit in with the company’s schedule and requirements to make it as convenient as possible.

Alongside daily cleaning, there are some special services that a contract cleaning company can offer.  Firstly, there is high level cleaning, which requires experienced staff cleaning hard-to-reach areas, making every surface spotlessly clean. They will also be trained in machinery and process parts cleaning, an essential process that removes the residue of bacteria and it keeps the machines working efficiently; dirty machines break down which makes the factory lose money. Many insurers now also want ventilation and duct cleaning and testing to be undertaken by professional contractors, which they will also be able to help with.

Hiring a cleaning contractor to do your food factory cleaning can therefore ensure that the factory maintains the highest standards, will remove the stresses from a business owner and will undertake regular daily cleaning as well as specialist tasks.

If you would like to know how hiring a contract cleaner can help your business, Newlife Cleaning Systems welcome your enquires on 0800 018 9099, or visit www.newlifecleaning.com.

While the streets of London are definitely not paved with gold the pavements the streetscape of most of Britain’s towns and cities including Borisland appear to be suffering from a virulent attack of measles or chicken pox.

Next time you’re in a queue or simply ambling along window shopping cast your eyes downwards and play the game of counting the number of bits of trodden in chewing gum that you can see. Yes all those black or white stains are simply trodden in gum, spat out by Joe Public and there are millions of them out there.

This scourge is increasing exponentially as anti-smoking initiatives drive people to change their habits but older habits die hard and just like ciggie butts used to be discarded without a thought so it is with gum despite the exhortations’ on the packaging.

It has been estimated that the ongoing clean up war against gum costs local authorities – that is you and me the taxpayer, between £150 – £200m a year to remove. Even then the effectiveness of the removal is only visible for a matter of days.

Also this cost doesn’t take into account the disruption caused by the use of steam cleaners, pressure washers and the esoteric range of chemicals used to dissolve the offending staining. There is also the initially unseen damage caused to block paving and the de rigueur expensive pavoirs s by the ‘blowing out’ of the sand between the blocks. This causes the loss of the integral strength of the walkway leading to slumping and movement of the actual blocks themselves which in turn is further exacerbated by the weight and torque of mechanical street cleaning sweepers leading to ruts and potentially expensive ‘slips and trips’ claims.

The answer may be at hand though with the development of a new form of chewing gum polymer which it is claimed does not effect the chewability or ‘mouth texture’ of the gum and which doesn’t require any changes in the actual production process of making the ‘chewie’ This last point is crucial if there is to be any form of take-up by the major international manufacturers who are governed by the bottom line and the need for affordability with such a spur-of-the-moment purchase.

These new polymers, if adopted, will lead to gums which are either easier to remove using simply water and abrasive action or which will degrade within 6 months to a fine powder. These benefits are not restricted solely to hard surfaces but are also effective on clothes, shoes and hair which will delight any mother who has children.

Approved by U.S. food safety authorities and currently going through the final stages of European approval it is hoped that the product could soon be adopted by the big names in the gum world such as Wrigley or Kraft. Alternatively, if the take up requires extra momentum, we could take a leaf out of the 10 year old, successful Singaporean method of addressing the problem and simply make the import and sale of non-medicinal gum illegal and backed up with heavy fines.

Columbus Dixon Jan 2011

First published 5 years ago Crisis in Cleaning by Scott Young is an invaluable tool for any cleaning contractor or manager with responsibility for premises cleaning especially where hard floors are involved.

In it he willingly shares 56 years experience in the industry with a career spanning window cleaning to building cleaning contractor then on into manufacturing of cleaning equipment based and designed on his many years of practice in the field.

What this book is about is one mans quest to explain the importance of professional cleaning.

It is mandatory reading for all Newlife Cleaning Systems Area Managers which is the highest endorsement we can give.

It doesn’t matter whether you have just started your first commercial contract or you’re a facility manager with a ‘slip and trip’ problem in your client’s kitchens. The answer is in this personal journey to excellence.

A limited number of copies are available, P+P free, to the first 50 readers who register their interest.

please email sales.national@newlifecleaning.com with your postage and contact details

Columbus Dixon Aug 2010

An Irish hospital has specified hygienic copper door handles as part of its plan to reduce healthcare-associated infections – the first in the world to do this throughout its facility.

St Francis Private Hospital in County Westmeath made the decision after examining compelling evidence from the clinical trial at a hospital in Birmingham, UK. This showed that copper surfaces such as taps, toilet seats and door pushplates can reduce microbial contamination by 90-100 per cent.

General manager and director of nursing Noeleen Sheridan explained: “All healthcare facilities are acutely aware of the risks from the spread of germs and the high costs of negating them. As it is estimated that 80 per cent of infections are spread by touch, keeping surfaces like door handles as germ free as possible will impact on the spread of infection.”

Professor Tom Elliott, who led the copper clinical trial at the Selly Oak Hospital, believes copper could play a key role in helping to contain healthcare associated infections. “Laboratory research has shown that MRSA and Clostridium difficile microbes die much more quickly when they come into contact with copper-based surfaces than on the usual surfaces you find in a hospital,” he explained.

The use of copper as a preventative health measure is becoming increasingly well recognised – it is the first solid surface material to be registered with the US Environmental Protection Agency as having proven public health benefits, helping to reduce contamination between cleans. Antimicrobial copper surfaces have been shown to kill more than 99.9 per cent of specific bacteria (including the MRSA superbug) within two hours, and to continue to kill more than 99 per cent of these bacteria even after repeated contamination.

Noeleen Sheridan concluded: “Copper touch surfaces serve as an extra line of defence in addition to the hospital’s accredited hygiene measures.”

www.eurocopper.org

Columbus Dixon May 2010

Giving your age away by referencing a Gerry Anderson cartoon character from the 50’s could make you appear a Saddo but anyone of a certain age will remember Twizzle with fondness. With his extending arms and legs he constantly went from one high level escapade to another. www.televisionheaven.co.uk/twizzle.htm

The cleaning industry was exactly the same not that long ago. I remember the days when we used to have a squad undertaking high level cleaning works in a crisp factory every Saturday, cleaning factory overheads contaminated with grease from the fryers from one stage of the cooking process to encrustations of ‘flavourings’ at the other. The disappointed at discovering that all those favourite tastes on my Tudor Crisps were simply powders sprinkled onto the cooked potato has never left me.

Just like Twizzle our squad could perform seemingly superhuman acts, accessing the shadowy voids above the lights over the production floor like acrobats in a Big Top.

The deceptively simple act of slinging 24 foot Newman boards between greasy purloins to access the ceilings 35 feet above the still hot fryers was only surpassed by the choreography of 5 men working in tandem. Standing on the board which twisted and dipped keeping time with their movements as they reached as high above themselves as they could to spray and scrub the roof panels, coated with layer after layer of greasy gunk. All the time being serviced by a ‘gopher’ on the factory floor that would be rinsing and throwing back the wipes which they constantly threw at him as they got clogged up with grease.

Fond memories of a good hard-working team of people but how lucky we were. It’s hard to imagine in this day and age when “high level” means anything higher than you can reach from floor level what it was like.

Five of you working from a greasy, slippery plank, 18″ wide that moved like a ship bobbing in a stormy sea. No side rails and only wimps clipped on their safety belts, which would have disembowelled you if you had fallen anyway. Working away, covered in degreasant which matted your hair and slowly worked its way down your arms and through your overalls so you were constantly damp from sweat and chemical.

How we never had an accident I will never know but that was the way it was done in those days. Customers weren’t interested in the factory cleaning process, only in the result and the cost. So, perhaps, on reflection, those good old days weren’t as good as they appear.

Fast-forward to 2010 and while some things haven’t changed, as customers still want the lowest cost possible but what has changed is how ‘elf ‘nd safety has improved the lot of our industry.

Not only has it heightened the requirement for planned maintenance cleaning in every industry as the skills aren’t available to do it inhouse now, which has grown the cleaning market, but it also dictates that cleaning is carried out in a far more planned and professional manner.

This can only be of benefit to our staff, our customers and the cleaning industry itself.

For our customers it simply means a more professional job. “Duty of care” imposes a lot of responsibility on their shoulders and yes, they do want value for money but they also want Method Statements, Risk Assessments, COSHH sheets on the products being used (can you really use this cleaning product in a food factory?), training records and a thorough knowledge of ‘pedigree’ a s a company so that they can have peace of mind that they are getting a pukka job which they don’t have to worry about.

For our cleaning staff the changes within the industry mean that they can be recognised as being professionally competent. What I mean by that is that they are no longer just the cleaners. Competency in my eyes means that elusive combination of practical experience combined with formal training to recognised standards, which in turn further reinforces their practical experience. A win-win situation!

This means an experienced “hand” will have had time and money invested in them to equip them with both the practical skills to do the job but also formal training to prove their competency in doing the job. This could range from PASMA training to even be allowed to build an access tower to IPAF certification to use “cherry-pickers” then there is the multitude of testing to prove competency to work in confined space, use high pressure washing equipment, then the knowledge of what to do if there actually was an accident so first aid training. The list is endless and from the operatives point of view can show the regard that their employer actually holds them in as all this training is ‘portable’ i.e. it’s in the workman’s name NOT the company’s name.

So yes it would be nice to employ a few Twizzles but in reality the ‘good old days’ of the cleaning industry weren’t as good as our memory would have us believe. Through Health & Safety legislation lives have been saved and injuries minimised but also the marketplace has greater barriers to entry put in position as the need for professionalism within the cleaning workforce has increased which in turn leads to a better job for our clients. All in all I believe this can only be for the greater good.

Columbus Dixon March 2010.

Ultrasonic sound is sound with a pitch so high that it exceeds the normal threshold of human hearing. Sound waves in excess of 18 kHz are referred to as ultrasonic. The ones used in industrial parts cleaning tend to range from around 20 kHz to 50 kHz. As environmentally friendly cleaning practices become more popular, the attractiveness of using ultrasonic technology for industrial parts cleaning begins to grow.

When this eco-friendliness is combined with highly effective cleaning of industrial parts it is not hard to see why this technology is gaining popularity. Alongside this, ultrasonic cleaning is perfectly suited for batch style cleaning arrangements which increases the cost efficiency of the parts cleaning process. This not only minimises cleaning time but also maximises the effectiveness of aqueous solutions used during the industrial parts cleaning process.

By manipulating sound waves ultrasonic cleaners are able to blast particles from contaminated industrial parts through the processes of compression and rarefaction. These processes offer an unparalleled level of cleanliness which makes them ideal for industrial parts cleaning where even light contamination of components can result in dire consequences.

It is quite early days in terms of the technology behind this aspect of industrial parts cleaning. Regardless of this, when utilized in the correct way, ultrasonic cleaning offers the chance to dramatically increase both the speed and the efficiency of a cleaning process whilst minimising its environmental impact. As the technology develops and people become aware of the numerous benefits of ultrasonic cleaning then it is inevitable that its popularity as an industrial parts cleaning process will grow.

A new report from MTW Research on the UK Contract Cleaning Market has found that 45% of contract cleaning companies experienced growth during the last 12 months.

Despite tougher trading conditions in 2009, rising investment in public sector construction should offer some optimism for the market in the short term, particularly from RMI and new build construction projects within the Health and Education sectors.

The new market report, based on sales returns from 80% of the industry, found that the contract cleaning industry in 2009 is likely to be characterised by a decline in capital expenditure and spending on equipment coupled with a growing ’squeeze’ on assets as sales revenues contract over the next 12-18 months.

For suppliers to the contract cleaning market the report highlights the growing need for more focused marketing in order to target those contract cleaners who are continuing to perform well in the industry at present.

MTW Research also found that 30% of contract cleaning companies are considered ‘at risk’ in late 2008, with the report highlighting the growing problem of customer retention.

Customer loyalty is becoming less prevalent according to MTW, and clients of contract cleaners are increasingly seeking more competitive prices before renewing contracts.

This growing trend in the market is driving price competition in a sector where volume demand is now declining as smaller and medium sized firms in particular are internalising certain cleaning duties, rather than outsourcing.

With business confidence at a particularly low ebb in a number of key markets at present, indications are that suppliers to the contract cleaning sector will experience more difficult trading conditions as contractors are less willing to invest in capital equipment during a period of sustained low demand.

Despite the likelihood of a downturn, however, there is likely to be some continuation of capital investment by the industry, albeit at much lower levels than recently experienced, with total assets forecast to rise by just under 4% in 2009.

The report goes on to forecast a recovery in mid-late 2010, with the market set to experience a relatively fast paced return to ‘real term’ growth, followed by a rising level of expenditure on capital goods and equipment.

The industry in general remains in good financial health with borrowing levels representing around 35% of total revenue, reflecting a relatively low ratio and one which is likely to be sustained in the long term.

Longer term prospects are more positive for the contract cleaning sector, with more optimistic growth forecast by 2012 as the industry regains some ground lost in 2008 and 2009.

The report provides a comprehensive review of contract cleaning market and industry trends in late 2008 as well as ranking the cleaning companies and providing sales estimates enabling market share estimation.

In addition, MTW have also produced an effective method of profiling each company and illustrating their key financial performance indicators through their ‘at a glance’ charts.

The report also includes mailing, telephone and contact details for each company providing comprehensive industry analysis and a useful sales and marketing tool.

The report is available to purchase from GBP375 from MTW Research’s website where a free sample is available to download or by calling 08456 524324.