How to make sure your food handling equipment meets the demands for hygiene and safety
Hygiene and safety is very important for the food industry.
And in order to ensure an efficient production process it is of paramount importance that your conveyor systems and other food handling equipment are designed with that specifically in mind.
In this blog post we will elaborate on the important aspects you should consider when choosing new equipment.
Does the machine prevent accumulation of filth and bacterias?
Pay close attention to how the machines are made. There should be no, or a very limited number of, holes or crevices that can gather filth or dust. It is furthermore very important to consider whether the equipment is made of the right materials. Is the stainless steel of good quality – such as AISI 304 and AISI 316? Are the belts sturdy and made of long-lasting materials?
You furthermore need to consider if you have special hygienic requirements for the surfaces. Perhaps you need a polished surface for sanitation reasons? If the production environment is wet or humid you need to make sure the equipment is made of a water-resistant material that prevents the growth of bacteria and mold on the belt and edges.
Is the equipment easy to clean?
It is very important to make sure that your machines are easy to clean. This does not only ensure the quality of the products, but it also improves efficiency, as time is not wasted needlessly when cleaning the machines.
Make sure the units are compliant with the Clean-in-place (CIP) method, meaning that the interior of the machines can be cleaned without disassembly. This further improves the safety and efficiency, as workers are not going to dismantle the machine by hand for cleaning purposes. The machines should also have limited to no places that are difficult to clean, like holes or crevices. And the surfaces should be easy to sanitize.
Are critical parts easily replaced?
Make sure the conveyor systems are detachable and that belts and other critical parts are easy to change – preferably with no tools – and enable quick shifts in the production. In that way it enables you to sanitize the parts that you remove without causing downtime since their replacements allow you to continue production. And you can reduce the Mean Time To Repair (MTTR) significantly.
Is the equipment safe?
It is very important that the machines do not have any gaps where a foot, a hand or a finger can get stuck.
If that is not possible the hazardous area should be marked properly with hazard stickers. You should furthermore consider setting up guards to prevent any contact with the area – or even getting light sensors that stop the machine in case of disruption. Because nothing comes before the safety of you and your co-workers.
Quality conveyor solutions from NIKODAN
NIKODAN has many years of experience with creating quality conveyor solutions, custom process equipment and innovative stand-alone machines for many different types of manufacturers within the food, nonfood, and pharma industries. Together with our trusted business partners, we create complete automation solutions for our customers ensuring that all their needs and requirements for safety and hygiene are met.
Are you interested in knowing how we can help you?
You can book a product walkthrough on our website with no strings attached. We will base the walkthrough on your needs, no matter if you produce dairy products, muesli bars, meat-based products, or something else.