Why to Test?
Microbial testing can serve different purposes for your facility. Quality testing on both products and environmental samples can indicate how "clean" or "dirty" your products and surfaces and, ultimately, your processing environment are. Test results can be used to pinpoint temperature issues, sanitation problems and contamination risks, all of which can affect your product food safety and quality. Being proactive with your testing means not having to be reactive later. Keeping a record of your facility's results brings more awareness of the established procedures and can help to enforce proper practices. Ultimately this will lead to better products and greater customer satisfaction. A consistent testing program can help to track where problems may originate, help increase awareness of food handling and cleaning procedures and reinforce appropriate behaviors which are needed to maintain quality and safety of your products. Marketfresh offers next day results for pathogen testing using PCR technology.
To submit samples to MarketFresh for testing, print off a Sample Submission Form and send samples in an appropriate container (place perishable items in an insulated package with gel packs) to MarketFresh Food Testing Laboratory, 2920 Talmage Ave. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414, or call Alison at MarketFresh to discuss your testing needs.
What to Test?
Typical tests that are performed for quality testing include Aerobic Plate Count or "APC", coliform count and E. coli count. Other types of tests may be warranted when looking at specific types of products or looking specifically at a spoilage issue.
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