WHITE PAPER of the sanitiser, and act as a protective barrier to the microorganisms present. Consequently, if the tools are not (at least) rinsed before immersion in the sanitiser solution, or the sanitiser solution is not changed at an appropriate frequency, the bath can become a ‘soup’ of food debris and microbes that can actually increase the risk of cross-contamination from the cleaning tool. More recently, some manufacturers have started to use industrial dishwashers or washing machines to effect both cleaning and a thermal disinfection step into the decontamination process for cleaning tools. A few food manufacturers also use an autoclave to subject the tools to a thermal sterilisation step following cleaning. Dry cleaning In some dry goods industries cleaning tools are not wet cleaned at all, for fear that the moisture introduced by the cleaning may not be completely removed by drying, subsequently leading to microbial growth and increasing the risk of cross-contamination. Instead tools, are used until they are deemed ‘unfit for purpose’ and then thrown away and replaced. In some high risk dry goods environments, like baby formula manufacture, brushes are sometimes used once and thrown away rather than risk the possibility of cross-contamination. This is an expensive and wasteful practice but it has been deemed the best way to ensure food safety for this critical consumer group. The decision tree shown below provides a generalised overview of the cleaning processes that could be Generalised cleaning process decision tree Dry and wet cleaning Brush, shake or knock the brush to remove gross debris Wet cleaning Wash in detergent and water Rinse in clean water Low risk Dry cleaning end *Disinfect & dry Dry Wet cleaning Low risk end * Reduce the level of microbes to an acceptable level ** Kill all microbes High risk *Disinfect **Sterilise Dry Wet cleaning High risk end Vikan A/S - Department of Hygiene 04 Copyright © 2018 Vikan A/S · All Rights Reserved
Download PDF file