Environmental pathogen control is a vital part of everyday safety and product quality management in food processing facilities. According to the CDC, about 48 million people in the U.S. (1 in 6) get sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die each year from foodborne diseases. Most of these illnesses and deaths are preventable. How do you ask? Proper cleaning and sanitation programs, including strong sanitation standard operating procedures (SSOP).
The FSMA and Food Safety: Why Does It Matter?
Since the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) was signed into law on Jan. 4, 2011, it has provided specific oversight and application of cleaning and sanitation methods that have delivered better public health protection by strengthening the food safety system. What makes this so significant? Everyone has to eat, and as trends in U.S. consumer behaviors move towards more processed or partially processed foods, production must evolve with it. Before the food even reaches the store shelf or table, it will have been through many different productions, processing, and packaging systems, all that require specific cleaning and sanitation procedures.
The Seven Major Rules
Throughout many different points of the supply chain, the FSMA has seven major rules to ensure the safety of consumers:
DISCOVER RULE-FOLLOWING SOLUTIONS
How Can Modern Cleaning Technologies Help You Achieve Optimal Safety?
Manufacturers and food producers are constantly looking for the latest technology to meet and exceed FSMA guidelines and requirements. One of the most innovative and disruptive technologies in the last decade introduces “dry” steam technology. Dry steam has been superheated to deliver the benefits of steam (removes oils, allergens, kills bacteria, etc.) but with only 5%-10% moisture content. It makes it ideal for cleaning production surfaces, especially in water-sensitive and “dry clean only” environments.
With dry vapor steam cleaning, you don’t need to use chemicals to clean equipment. Additionally, it leaves equipment dry and ready for immediate use because of the cleaning method’s low moisture content. Substances such as stubborn grease, oil, dirt, and other residues can be cleaned from all kinds of surfaces, even small holes and crevices, with only water and without any need for chemicals.
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- Dry vapor steam dissolves oils, fats, sugars, oils, and more without harsh scrubbing.
In food and beverage processing facilities, dry vapor steam cleaning is a great solution to dissolve grease, oils, or other types of residues on stoves, hoods, burners, vents, and even ceilings. Steam is excellent for cleaning small parts, tubes, switches, sensors, moving parts, or areas that can’t be reached with wiping. Machines like our commercial vapor steam cleaner with vacuum make it easy to sanitize and clean at the same time.
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- The steam process can sanitize machinery, conveyor belts, and packaging equipment while reducing changeover times, in some cases eliminating changeovers.
With dry vapor steam cleaning on conveyor belts, it’s not necessary to dismantle parts or, in some cases, even to stop production. Steam delivers amazing labor-saving technology by decreasing sanitation time and increasing productivity with faster changeovers. Learn more about our fixed brushless belt cleaning solutions.
Bottom line? Steam is the solution you’ve been looking for to use in your cleaning and sanitation procedures.
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