System hygiene – play it safe with chlorine dioxide
Bacteria and cross-contamination set off all the alarm bells in food production! This article shows how manufacturers of poultry and salad products have used chlorine dioxide systems from ProMinent to efficiently overcome these problems.
Hygiene priorities
The prescribed cleaning of all areas and surfaces which come into contact with product after every production cycle is known as system hygiene or Open Plant Cleaning (OPC). However, open machinery cannot be cleaned with cleaning-in-place and sometimes it takes too long or costs too much to remove every device in turn.
A producer of ready-to-eat salads was repeatedly experiencing issues with listeria, the source of which lay in various parts of production. The company contacted a specialist cleaning firm, which in turn sought the advice of a chemicals distributor. But they couldn't solve the problem.
A poultry processing plant was looking for an efficient way to avoid cross-contamination and the growth of bacteria at critical points of production, such as on the plucking machines and when cooling the carcasses.
Both companies finally found an efficient solution with chlorine dioxide systems from ProMinent.
Key data
- Elimination of bacteria in the manufacture of salad products
- Avoidance of cross-contamination in poultry processing plant
- Disinfection of washing and process water optimises system hygiene and uses existing infrastructure
- Chlorine dioxide system Bello Zon® CDLb is the efficient and safe solution
Disinfecting process and rinsing water – here's how it works!
The disinfection of washing and process water is one way of improving hygiene standards in existing infrastructures.
The salad producer tested a Chlorine dDoxide System Bello Zon® CDLb and metered 0.4 ppm of ClO2 to rinsing water for the last stage of cleaning. In accordance with potable water licensing in the Netherlands, this concentration may be used without it then having to be rinsed with clear water.
A similar solution is being used in the poultry plant, where 0.4 ppm of chlorine dioxide is also added to the rinsing water. Furthermore, every morning 30 minutes before the start of production the system undergoes a “shock rinse” with a concentration of 2 ppm to ensure hygienic conditions at the start of production and to restrict the growth of bacteria during the course of the day.
In both cases, the water gets into inaccessible parts where the disinfectant gets to work continuously. A product such as chlorine dioxide, which has long-term stability, will continue to work in the pipework and systems for several days and also prevent microbial growth when production ceases.
Chlorine dioxide – the safe solution
The test results in salad production were impressive and within 18 months it was possible to significantly improve the water quality. The listeria problem was solved and values suitable for potable water were obtained in the bacteria measurements. Legionella was also eliminated so the cleaning firm threw away the special plan designed to combat that issue. By treating the process and rinsing water, the Dutch poultry producer was also able to successfully minimise the cross-contamination previously found.
Using the buffered chlorine dioxide, the Bello Zon® CDLb is not configured for its peak load but average consumption. This drastically reduces investment costs in comparison with conventional systems. The closed gas transport means that no chlorine dioxide can escape from the system, ensuring safe, cost-effective and environmentally-friendly operation with minimal use of chemicals. The two Dutch food producers are very pleased with the new solution and have since installed more chlorine dioxide systems from ProMinent.
- Effective elimination of bacteria growth and prevention of cross-contamination
- Economical use of existing structures for system cleaning
- Use of process and rinsing water to disinfect in a manner which is gentle on the system and environment
- Significantly reduced costs thanks to minimal use of chemicals
- Quick ramp-up time after production in the system has stopped thanks to the long-term stability of the chlorine dioxide liquid