Sanitation Tips Regulatory requirements Meat and poultry plants are unique to other food processing operations because they are required to develop, maintain and adhere to written Sanitation Standards of Operational Procedures (SSOPs). The US Dept. of Agriculture’s Food Safety Inspection Service has developed sanitation regulations to address sanitary requirements for processing meat and poultry products, and within these regulations are requirements to use specific SSOPs. Sanitation supervisors should identify employees who will monitor daily sanitation activities, evaluate and document whether the SSOPs are effective and take appropriate corrective action if needed. SSOPs need to be periodically verified to ensure the systems are working correctly. Microbiological testing should also be conducted routinely on food and non-contact surfaces to verify the sanitation procedures. According to a fact sheet provided by the Purdue Univ. Extension called “Safe food guidelines for small meat and poultry processors: SSOP and GMP Practices and Programs,” the SSOPs for meat and poultry plants must meet the following regulatory requirements: 1. The plant must have written SSOPs describing daily procedures that will be conducted before and during operations to prevent direct product contamination. These procedures should address cleaning food contact surfaces, equipment and utensils. The SSOPs must state the frequency at which each procedure will be verified. 2. The SSOPs must be signed and dated by plant management or appropriate personnel. SSOPs should be reviewed periodically. 3. The plant must identify the individuals who will be responsible for implementing and monitoring SSOPs and the daily sanitation activities. 4. Written records of SSOP activi- 58 • Meat&Poultry • February 2012 • www.MeatPoultry.comhttp://www.riscousa.com