Biofilms represent, at best, a persistent harborage for native microbes and, at worst, a source of ongoing contamination (and recontamination) with human pathogens.
Materials such as glass, metal, wood, plastic, bone, rocks and others are among those that the industry works very hard to keep out of raw materials, ingredients and finished goods.
In reviewing environmental monitoring programs for food manufacturing facilities, a common weakness is the investigation into the root cause of the positive test result.