CHICAGO — Mickey’s Linen, a family-owned and -operated textile rental company based here, reports that it has achieved Hygienically Clean Food Safety certification through TRSA.
The company says the certification reflects its commitment to best management practices (BMPs) in laundering, as verified by on-site inspection and the company’s ongoing capability to produce hygienically lean textiles as quantified by regular microbial testing.
This certification indicates exceptional dedication on the part of Mickey’s Linen in supplying restaurants and other food service establishments with hygienically clean linen, uniforms and facility service supplies meant to keep its customers clean, healthy and looking their best.
“For 90 years, we have been committed to process improvement, implementing the latest technology and laundry processing standards to better service our customers,” says General Manager Peter Brown.
“Achieving Hygienically Clean is a testament to the hard work and efforts our team invests each and every day to produce the highest quality products and services, with the industry’s most recognized certification.
“Our team is extremely proud of obtaining this accreditation and continuing to raise the bar as a best-in-class laundry provider for our customers, and a recognition milestone amongst our people.”
Hygienically Clean certified laundries commit to cleanliness through third-party facility inspection and quantified microbial testing. This combination eliminates subjectivity by focusing on outcomes and results.
Inspectors verify that the textiles cleaned in these facilities meet appropriate hygienically clean standards and BMPs needed to serve hygiene requirements in various industries.
The Food Safety designation applies to products and services for full- and limited-service restaurants, hotels, hospitals, educational institutions and other locations where food is handled and served.
Inspectors assess washing procedures (detergent formulas, temperature, disinfectant, pH, extraction), drying, garment inspection and transportation.
Each certified laundry’s operational flowchart is evaluated, ensuring these procedures (pick up, unloading, sorting of soiled items, and sorting of clean laundry) are mapped. Employees’ use of personal protective equipment must be documented.
During inspections for Hygienically Clean certification, Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) practices are examined, including the laundry’s techniques for:
- Conducting hazard analysis.
- Determining CCPs, monitoring their control and correcting them if not under control.
- Validating and verifying HACCP system effectiveness.
- Documenting and record-keeping to show ongoing conformance.
To attain any of the Hygienically Clean certifications, the laundry must submit to a facility inspection, and laundered products must pass three rounds of outcome-based microbial testing, indicating that their processes are producing Hygienically Clean textiles and diminished presence of yeast, mold, and harmful bacteria.
Mickey’s Linen must pass quarterly RODAC (total microbial content) and semi-annual USP 62 (absence of specified microorganisms) testing to maintain their certification. This ensures that laundered product quality is consistently maintained as laundry conditions change (such as water quality, textile fabric composition, and wash chemistry).
Physical re-inspection occurs every two to three years.
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