Sanitary Design of Equipment

Sanitary Design of Equipment With the ongoing implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), prevention is becoming a key buzzword across the processes and practices of the industry, and sanitation is no exception. Attaining these certifications also offers the manufacturer with advanced sanitary-design education. Also important is the ease of breakdown of equipment, particularly the power to break it down without the use of tools. Trustem: Two of the most important aspects of sanitary design of equipment are visibility and clean-ability. Equipment needs to be designed so as to allow visibility and allow the sanitation crew to easily clean it and verify its cleanliness. Not only do you have to clean it, nevertheless, you also need to access it for sampling and inspection. This means that the design allows visibility of the framework and product-contact surfaces during production without disassembly; then, when not in production, it can be easily disassembled for cleaning, inspection, and reassembly without excessive downtime. Trustem: For ease of cleaning, always check the surface finish of the equipment, as this will play a major role in removal of solids and residues. I do see this, though, as eventually coming full circle once companies start recognizing the true risks and indirect costs associated with equipment which is not designed with sanitation in mind. Q. All of the documents on HACCP, sanitation, allergens, pest control or environmental monitoring will be worthless unless employees are engaged and passionate about their job requirements to make safe food. Also ask the equipment manufacturer about any certifications they have attained, such as that of the USDA, NSF, or BISSC. Anytime an operator has to use a tool, it is more difficult to do and takes additional time. Although these certifications isn't required for many installations, the certification provides an assurance that the manufacturer conforms to specific standards. Trustem: FSMA hasn't completely translated to a significant increase in sanitary-designed equipment being purchased, in part, because much of the processor's time and effort toward compliance is being focused on documentation and traceability. However, with regulatory access to review food safety records and environmental monitoring results, one could be certain that if problems are continually evident in a food plant or an industry, it will lead one to the root cause—which may be poorly designed equipmentor facilities. While this is important, it may not be getting to the root of the problem—which is contamination. Most companies are working on documentation along with their food safety plans, that are core to meeting the expectations of FSMA. Without the right culture, FSMA will be a paperwork exercise that will increase regulatory actions against the industry without improving food safety statistics. If you have to dedicate what can be a full production shift to cleaning and sanitation rather than producing food, it carries a tremendous expense. Although documentation is important, it is also critical to focus on changing the culture in plants and companies to engage the hearts and minds of all employees. Trustem: An additional advantage of sanitary design that companies don't always realize is its contribution to a reduction in changeover time and the associated cost benefits of that. Some of the savings of sanitary design gets clouded by the upfront cost of the equipment, but over time, the hours which are saved in proper cleaning and sanitization will add up speedily to more than make up for the initial cost difference. If you can't see it, you can't clean it or sample it. The best way to describe it is: equipment and facilities easily accessible and cleanable to a high level of effectiveness and efficiency. Surfaces such as polished and bead-blasted stainless steel and extruded plastics, will generally be more cleanable. Sanitary Design of Equipment Trade News selected by Local Linkup on 04/04/2012