FSIS Inspection And Mission (IM) Training Practice Test

Disruptive construction can create new routes and niches for Listeria by spreading dust and debris and by bypassing established cleaning and sanitation barriers in a facility. Risk factors are things that increase the chance Listeria will contaminate or persist in a ready-to-eat area during construction. Moving construction debris through an RTE area can directly disseminate contaminants. Removing drains can eliminate crucial drainage and harborage points, making areas harder to clean and more likely to harbor bacteria. Exposing areas that are usually not accessible for cleaning creates new places where Listeria can survive and eventually contaminate products. Regular thorough cleaning of drains, in contrast, reduces risk by removing potential harborage and preventing contamination, so it is not a risk factor.