Guidelines for hygiene across the food processing industry When designing equipment for food processing, it is important to place a massive emphasis on hygiene. In this article, we have collected a few principles that apply to designing equipment for sanitary food processing. Manufacturers of food processing equipment throughout all fields of the food processing industry can benefit from these principles. One of the principles is that the material of the food processing equipment must be compatible with the product, the environment, the cleaning methods, the cleaning detergents. The equipment materials have to have no negative reaction when it comes in contact with any of these things. The materials must be resistant to corrosion, absorption and non-porous.
All the various parts of the operating equipment should be easily available and accessible to its operators. But there are many other professionals who need to have equally easy access. There should be easy access for cleaning staff and the authorities who have the task of inspecting the equipment. Preferably, the equipment should be accessible by the staff without having to use tools to get access. This means that when manufacturers design equipment and the different parts, they should think about making it easy to assemble and disassemble the equipment for optimized cleaning. The more easily accessible the equipment is, the easier it is to comply with the protocols that the food processing industry is subject to.
The equipment should be designed in a way so that liquid is not collected in any place in the equipment. In other words, the food processing equipment should be designed in a way so that it is “self-draining”. Liquids have to be avoided entirely because it is a point where bacteria grow – it is a breeding ground for micro-organisms. And if the liquid evaporates after a while, it may leave behind a hardened crust. Then finally, there is a risk that foreign material will develop from this crust later. In this way, the liquid in itself might not pose a risk per se, but the liquid can give good conditions of growth for other organisms.
It is crucial when designing food processing equipment that you design in a way that leaves no special places behind for germs to live, hide or thrive. If a food processing company needs to change or replace parts in their equipment in their facility, it is of utmost importance that they choose parts that are hygienic, and that fit their equipment. It does not matter which part needs to be replaced. The same goes for the manufacturing companies – the ones who design the food processing equipment. When they design or buy parts, it is crucial that they are designed with a great emphasis on hygiene. It does not matter what it is – every last little thing in the equipment such as its feet or the nylon wheels. Hygiene is a must in all aspects of the design.