4 Tips For Preventing Contamination Issues in Your Food Processing Facility
People in the United States spend nearly $2 trillion on food each year. For the food manufacturing business owners in this country, finding a way to make money and provide quality products is a must. As anyone in this industry knows, having top-notch food processing equipment is the first step towards success.
Once you have the right equipment in place, keeping it clean and functional is crucial. Getting lax with the standards you have in place regarding the cleanliness of your facility is a recipe for disaster. Without strict and comprehensive cleaning policies in place, it is only a matter of time before your products become contaminated.
The following are some of the things you can do to prevent contamination issues in your food processing facility.
1. Clean Everything That Your Product Comes in Contact With
Some business owners think they only have to clean the machines their food products are manufactured with. In reality, any and everything that your product comes in contact with should be disinfected and cleaned daily.
This means things like the ramps and carts used to transport your products will need to be scrubbed thoroughly. Failing to do this will lead to the formation of harmful bacteria. This bacteria will spread throughout your facility via the cart and on the shoes of your employees. Instead of ignoring these areas, attack them head-on and keep them spotless to avoid contamination.
2. Keep Cleaning Supplies Organized
Having productive and efficient employees is essential when trying to keep your food processing facility in good shape. Providing these employees with specialized cleaning products for each area of your facility is crucial. Once you have the right supplies in place, you need to keep them separated and organized.
Using a particular brush, bucket and cleaning solution for one particular part of your complex can help to reduce the chance of contamination. Often times, food processing plants will color code these items to avoid any confusion.
3. Create a Cleaning Checklist For Your Team
The cornerstone of any successful business is well-trained employees. If your team is unsure about what needs to be done during the equipment cleaning process, chances are they will make mistakes. Instead of leaving this important task to chance, you need to create a comprehensive checklist for employees to follow.
This checklist should break down in detail what a person needs to do on a daily basis to keep the food processing equipment clean. By doing this, you can significantly reduce the number of mistakes your team makes.
4. Performing Routine Inspections
When trying to ensure your food processing equipment cleaning guidelines are being followed, you need to inspect these tools periodically. Going over these machines with a fine-toothed comb can help you see any problems that may exist. If you find that certain cleaning protocol isn’t being followed, your main objective should be correcting this negligence.
Your Hard Work Will Pay Off
Thoroughly cleaning and maintaining your food processing equipment is a tough job. However, the hard work you invest will pay off in the long run.