FOOD SAFETY INFORMATION Choosing hygienically designed cleaning and food handling tools - what are they and why it matters GLOBAL HYGIENE SPECIALIST DEBRA SMITH, VIKAN A/S, RÆVEVEJ 1, 7800 SKIVE, DENMARK WHAT ARE HYGIENICALLY DESIGNED CLEANING AND FOOD HANDLING TOOLS? The hygienic design of something is related to how easy it is to clean. It can also relate to the materials it is made of (1) . The principles of hygienic design have been defined by the European Hygienic Engineering Design Group [2] (EHEDG, see www.ehedg.org) and in the US by 3A [3] , (3A, see www.3-a.org) The Symbol of Assurance These principles state that equipment should be/have, • free of crevices and contamination traps e.g. use of smooth joins, absence of small holes, recesses, and sharp internal angles • a smooth surface finish (R a less than 0.8µm) • easy to clean (and dry) e.g. quick and easy to dismantle/re-assemble, or of one piece construc tion, or with easy access to all areas for cleaning and disinfection • made of food safe materials i.e., non-toxic (in compliance with EU food contact material legislation) • well constructed e.g. durable • non-absorbent • appropriately temperature and chemical resistant i.e. to dishwashing and autoclaving, to cleaning and disinfection chemicals. WHY HYGIENIC DESIGN MATTERS Thanks to these two organisations, many food manufacturers already appreciate the benefits of using hygienically designed production equipment, i.e. that it is quicker and easier to clean, and minimises the risk of product contamination by microbes, allergens, foreign bodies etc. This in turns maximises food safety and quality, reduces the risk of expensive product rejection or recall, and minimises food waste. However, when it comes to the equipment used to clean the food production environment and production equipment, very few cleaning and food handling tools are developed Vikan A/S - Department of Hygiene & Food Safety © 2016 Vikan A/S · Revised 2023 01
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