10 Essential Principles for Food Processors and How CLX Products Can Help
Each year, about 48 million Americans fall ill, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die from foodborne diseases, according to the CDC.
To combat this largely preventable threat, proactive food safety measures are essential. The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) was enacted by Congress in response to these challenges, introducing new standards that require food manufacturers to follow current good manufacturing practices (cGMPs) and upgrade their procedures.
Effective sanitary design enables food processors to mitigate food safety risks, protect their brand reputation, and avoid the costly consequences of failed inspections, recalls, or associations with foodborne illness outbreaks.
The meat and poultry industries, which are experienced in sanitary plant production, offer valuable insights. The North American Meat Institute (NAMI) established its “10 Principles of Sanitary Design” two decades ago. The objective was not only centered on improving sanitary design to reduce and eliminate potential harborage areas where undesirable microorganisms might gather, but also on maintaining and extending product shelf life and other product quality attributes.
These principles remain relevant and applicable to both meat and produce processing, guiding processors in complying with FSMA and protecting their products.
10 Principles of Sanitary Design
Principle 1. Cleanable to a microbiological level
Food equipment must be designed and maintained for efficient cleaning and sanitation to eliminate all food materials, preventing bacterial ingress and growth on both product and non-product contact surfaces.
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Principle 2. Compatibility of Materials
Construction materials must be compatible with the product, environment, and cleaning chemicals, ensuring equipment surfaces are inert, corrosion-resistant, nonporous, and nonabsorbent to minimize microbial harborage areas.
Principle 3. Accessibility for Maintenance
All equipment parts should be easily accessible for inspection, maintenance, and cleaning without requiring tools, optimizing sanitary conditions and facilitating effective cleaning protocols.
Principle 4. Elimination of Liquid Collection
Equipment should be self-draining to prevent accumulation of food product, water, or liquids, reducing microbial growth and contamination risks.
Principle 5. Hermetic Sealing of Hollow Areas
Hollow areas must be eliminated or permanently sealed to prevent moisture and food materials from collecting, minimizing microbial growth and cross-contamination risks.
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Principle 6. No Niches
Equipment surfaces should be free of pits, cracks, and recesses to eliminate microbial harborage points and minimize contamination risks during equipment modification or installation.
Principle 7. Sanitary Operational Performance
Equipment must operate to minimize unsanitary conditions and microbial growth during normal operations, ensuring product quality and safety throughout production runs, areasares near product contact surfaces should be treated as if they were contact zones.
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Principle 8. Hygienic Design of Maintenance Enclosures
Maintenance enclosures and human-machine interfaces (HMIs) including valves, handles, switches, as well as push buttons and touchscreens, should be designed to avoid the accumulation of product residue or liquid. Enclosures should have a slope or pitch, which helps prevent the area from being used as storage.
Principle 9. Hygienic Compatibility with Other Plant Systems
Equipment design should ensure compatibility with plant systems to minimize contamination risks and facilitate efficient operation and maintenance. Sanitation crews should assess both the equipment and its sub-systems together rather than individually. The first eight principles should be used in the evaluation of compatibility.
Principle 10. Validated Cleaning and Sanitizing Protocols
Cleaning and sanitation procedures must be clearly documented and proven effective, with recommended chemicals compatible with equipment and manufacturing environment, ensuring successful cleaning and sanitation practices.
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When an FDA Inspector Visits your Facility, Will You Pass the Test?
In response to mounting foodborne illness cases proactive food safety is critical. The FSMA mandates upgraded standards, emphasizing effective sanitary design to mitigate risks and protect brand reputation. Collaborate with Clean Logix for compliance and a culture of safety, safeguarding your products, employees, and reputation.
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