A new multi-year study by the FDA in collaboration with the University of Arizona has found that “Airborne transmission of viable STEC (Shiga toxin-producing E. coli) was documented on numerous occasions…” indicating that this pathogen survives in the air and can pose a contamination risk. In the case of this study, the area examined was expansive, and genome sequencing was used to determine whether strains were related.
The air in food processing facilities and other environments where food and beverages are stored or sold has value being examined as part of a comprehensive hygiene program. According to Larry Keener, CFS PA IFT Fellow, “The air inside food production facilities is the largest food contact surface (zone 1) by both volume and surface area. It is also the most neglected surface of most environmental monitoring programs.” By cleaning the air that touches everything from ingredients to equipment, food processing businesses could help mitigate microbial contamination that may be missed with traditional cleaning methods.
Pyure neutralizes airborne microbes that are problematic in this industry, such as E. coli, listeria, salmonella, and more. Learn more here.
Read the FDA Study