Pet Food Processing - January 2024 - 50

EQUIPMENT
said. " The equipment we carry is easy to operate, but if
operators are unsure of when and how to perform cleaning
operations, it's all for naught. "
When to clean
Bako recommends that all of BAK's equipment in any
food operation is cleaned after every batch processed,
and all employees should be trained on the proper cleaning
process for all of the equipment in a facility.
" Additionally, tools used for processing each batch
(e.g., buggies, pallets, smoke sticks, bins, etc.) should be
cleaned and sanitized after each use, " he said.
Giganti agreed that a basic cleaning protocol must be
implemented daily in any processing operation.
" Some operations need continuous intensive cleaning
while others require a deep cleaning just at the end of
the shift, " he said. " The optimization of sanitation procedures
permit optimization in the use of equipment,
labor and energy, making sure that the result of cleaning
can be guaranteed throughout the entire facility. "
As for deep cleaning, while it brings up the dreaded
Digital capabilities
and monitoring
systems throughout
pet food processing
environments allow
processors to get
automated alerts
on risks before fullblown
food safety
issues arise.
Ecolab
For example, the Protech Automated Spiral Cooking,
Smoking, Freezing System's liquid drencher features CIP
functionality. The liquid smoke/brine drencher can run
cleaning solution with water to clear any liquid smoke or
brine residue/buildup from pipes, valves, vessels and more.
Overcoming challenges
Aging facilities are likely the root of common sanitation
challenges for many processors. The typical pet food
manufacturing plant is often a bit older, and that means
the infrastructure itself, as well as the processes and workflows,
are a bit less conducive to modern sanitary design.
If you install equipment that
is very difficult to clean, you are
setting yourself up for failure. "
Nathan Mirdamadi, Commercial Food Sanitation
" One of the most current and important sanitation
challenges is the control of procedures, " Giganti said.
" More production processes in the food industry are
monitored in real time in order to optimize times and
identify deviations that may affect food safety. Sanitation
operations can contribute to improving the overall sustainability
of the production process, ensuring the correct
use of equipment, labor and water. "
One of the most important tools a facility can have in
its arsenal is a strong training program with consistent
compliance.
" Whether or not a machine can clean itself doesn't
matter if operators aren't trained on how to do so, " Bako
50 PET FOOD PROCESSING | January 2024 | www.petfoodprocessing.net
term, " downtime, " it's important to be absolutely certain
that processors are doing everything they can to protect
the consumer's safety.
" The only term worse than 'downtime' is 'recall,' " Bako
said. " A proper deep cleaning of all food processing equipment
should be regularly scheduled with maintenance at
set intervals as dictated by the processes. Whether this
operation can be performed as a CIP function on equipment
or manually performed, deep cleaning and sanitizing
equipment can stop bacteria growth before it spreads. "
Operations should also consider that not only does
deep cleaning help avoid contamination, but it also helps
ensure the longevity of equipment.
Alder noted that deep cleaning, also called periodic
cleaning, should be based on the risk. That might mean
periodic cleaning happens weekly, monthly, or even
yearly, or by need.
" That periodic cleaning frequency should be supported
by data and experience, " he said. " Bacterial counts
from swab samples are an excellent way to track and
support periodic cleaning frequencies. For example, the
plant can set an upper limit of allowable bacteria from
a piece of equipment. It can track counts on that piece
of equipment until they exceed the allowable limit. The
time it takes for a piece of equipment to exceed counts
from a full breakdown and cleaning would be the interval
or frequency chosen for periodic cleaning. "
As for cleaning intervals, this is often dependent on the
type of product being processed. For operations processing
stickier products that are more likely to start building
up, deep cleaning will be necessary more regularly than
those processing more liquid-based products.
PFP
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Pet Food Processing - January 2024

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