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(780) 450-3957
A microbiology result rarely tells the entire story.
Whether the issue involves:
Listeria monocytogenes
Salmonella spp.
Escherichia coli (E. coli)
Bacillus cereus
Clostridium perfringens
Elevated Aerobic Plate Count (APC)
Yeast & Mold
Shelf-life failures
The most important question is often:
Why did this happen?
Root cause investigations help food manufacturers move beyond the test result itself and identify the underlying factors contributing to contamination, spoilage, or quality issues.
The objective is not assigning blame.
The objective is preventing recurrence.
PBR Laboratories helps food manufacturers understand testing results and support decision-making through microbiological testing, environmental monitoring, and food quality investigations throughout Alberta, Western Canada, and Canada.
A root cause investigation is a structured process used to identify the underlying reason an issue occurred.
Rather than focusing only on the immediate result, the investigation evaluates:
People
Processes
Equipment
Ingredients
Environment
Storage Conditions
Manufacturing Controls
The goal is identifying the true source of the issue rather than treating symptoms.
Root cause investigations are commonly initiated after:
Examples: Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7
Examples: Aerobic Plate Count (APC), Total Coliforms, Enterobacteriaceae, Escherichia coli (E. coli)
Examples: Listeria spp., Salmonella spp., Recurring environmental findings
Examples: Mold growth, elevated yeast counts, product deterioration, packaging failures
Examples: Off odors, off flavors, visible spoilage, product defects
Many investigations stop at:
"What Was Found?"
Instead of asking:
"Why Was It Found?"
Finding contamination is only the beginning.
Preventing recurrence requires understanding the cause.
Examples:
• Inconsistent procedures
• Training gaps
• Employee traffic patterns
• Hygiene practices
Examples:
• Difficult-to-clean surfaces
• Equipment damage
• Harborage sites
• Maintenance issues
Examples:
• Cooling deviations
• Time and temperature issues
• Production scheduling
• Process variability
Examples:
• Supplier issues
• Incoming contamination
• Ingredient changes
• Storage concerns
Examples:
• Condensation
• Drain contamination
• Airflow issues
• Traffic patterns
Examples:
• Seal failures
• Moisture ingress
• Oxygen ingress
• Packaging damage
A facility receives a positive environmental result.
A poor investigation concludes:
"Listeria Was Found In The Drain."
A better investigation asks:
Why was it found?
Has it been found there before?
Is moisture accumulating?
Is sanitation reaching the area?
Are nearby surfaces affected?
The second approach provides actionable information.
A product receives elevated APC results.
A poor investigation concludes:
"The APC Was High."
A better investigation asks:
Were ingredient sources changed?
Were temperatures controlled?
Is the trend increasing?
Did shelf-life change?
Were sanitation procedures modified?
The objective is identifying contributing factors.
A product develops mold before its intended shelf life.
Questions may include:
Did water activity change?
Was packaging effective?
Were storage conditions controlled?
Did ingredients change?
Were environmental counts elevated?
Multiple contributing factors are often involved.
Laboratory testing often provides critical information during investigations. Common testing includes:
Evaluate overall microbial populations.
Evaluate spoilage trends.
Assess hygiene conditions.
Assess sanitation and process controls.
Evaluate contamination risks.
Identify contamination sources.
Assess microbial growth potential.
Evaluate product consistency and stability.
Clearly identify: What happened? Where? When? How often?
Review: Laboratory results, production records, environmental monitoring results, sanitation records, maintenance records.
Evaluate: People, processes, equipment, ingredients, environment.
Ensure conclusions are supported by evidence. Avoid assumptions.
Address the underlying cause, not just the symptom.
Use follow-up testing and monitoring to confirm improvement.
Assumptions often lead to ineffective corrective actions.
Most food safety issues involve multiple contributing factors.
Trend analysis often reveals recurring problems.
Additional testing may be necessary.
Long-term verification is often required.
The purpose of testing is not simply identifying problems. The purpose is understanding:
Why the issue occurred
What contributed to it
How to prevent recurrence
Strong root cause investigations transform laboratory results into actionable improvements.
This aligns directly with PBR's approach:
The lab that helps clients understand results and take action—not just receive data.
A structured process used to identify the underlying cause of a food safety, quality, or process issue.
Following pathogen detections, environmental monitoring positives, shelf-life failures, elevated indicator organism results, or recurring quality concerns.
Laboratory results, production records, environmental monitoring data, sanitation records, maintenance records, and process information.
No. Additional investigation is often required.
Recurring issues often reveal underlying causes that individual results do not.
Testing provides objective data that helps identify contamination sources, process issues, and product stability concerns.
PBR Laboratories provides food microbiology testing, food pathogen testing, environmental monitoring, shelf-life studies, food quality testing, and contamination investigation support throughout Alberta, Western Canada, and Canada.
Contact PBR to discuss microbiological results, contamination investigations, environmental monitoring programs, shelf-life challenges, and food safety objectives.
Choose PBR – Because Precision Matters, Defining Excellence in Laboratory Services Since 1984.