Analysis of packages

Packages and packaging materials can exercise considerable influence on the microbiological cleanliness of foodstuffs as they are an excellent medium for microorganisms to thrive and thus even the smallest contamination of packaging may pose threat during foodstuffs' storage.

Microbiological contamination may take place during:

• production,
• transport,
• storage before packing,

Contaminations of packaging of products with high water activity are especially dangerous. These are:

• drinks,
• fruit and vegetable preserves,
• products with high content of protein (dairy and meat products)
  
  

Microbiological tests of packages should constitute an element of quality maintenance at producer's on the level of production process control, as well as maintenance of safety and quality of foodstuffs at plants producing and packing grocery products via the microbiological cleanliness control of packages used.

Our laboratory uses the following methods of package testing:

• smears from surfaces limited with a stencil and a non limited one,
• submersive method,
• lixiviation method,
  
  

We conduct tests for:

• the general number of bacteria
• yeasts and moulds,
• Listeria monocytogenes,
• Salmonelli spp.
• Escherichia coli and coli group bacteria,
• Coagulase-positive staphylococcus,
• other bacteria on client's request