Food manufacturing is a challenging business because your priorities go beyond beating your competitors. You must ensure you’re making food products that are safe to consume while keeping up with the strict and ever-changing food safety regulations. Even if you have invested in high-quality food processing machinery with food-grade materials, it still needs routine cleaning and sanitation to avoid contamination and the risk of making people contract unwanted diseases. You also need to follow proper cleaning procedures to keep your equipment in optimum condition.

The goals of cleaning and sanitation

The purpose of keeping food processing machinery clean is to prevent contamination and the spread of disease. Make sure your employees know the best practices to physically get rid of particles, residue, unwanted smells, and dirt from equipment to destroy microorganisms and bacteria.

How to sanitise and clean equipment properly

Follow these simple steps to keep your food processing equipment clean:

⦁ Clean up after use: Remove any product residue with water or compressed air, or manually scrape off anything that won’t come off easily.
⦁ Pre-rinse equipment: Use clean water to remove deposits or loose soil like oils, fats, algae, fungi, and proteins.
⦁ Use a food-safe detergent or cleaner: Rinsing isn’t enough to clean the components of food processing machinery, as some residue and chemicals are invisible. Make sure you’re using a cleanser or detergent that is safe for the equipment.
⦁ Apply a safe disinfectant: This should help kill any remaining microorganisms that may have resisted washing.
⦁ Consider fogging: Aerial fogging can support other cleaning methods to get rid of airborne bacteria and particles on equipment.
⦁ Clean high-touch surfaces: Consider anti-bacterial wipes to sanitise frequently touched surfaces, like buttons and controls on the machinery.

Inspect regularly

After cleaning, take the time to inspect machinery and equipment for any missed soils or residue. It’s also an opportunity to identify problems that may have occurred during cleaning.

Get more cleaning tips from the experts.

Are you using food processing machinery from GEM? Get in touch with our experts for more advice on keeping it clean and properly sanitised!