Meat&Poultry - August 2011 - 56

Sanitation Tips (Consejos Sanitarios)

Tools of the trade
The right equipment, chemicals and personnel lead to sanitation success
BY KIMBERLIE CLYMA
kclyma@sosland.com

nfortunately, there is no magical potion or cleaning compound that can clean and sanitize every corner of a meat and poultry plant. It requires a combination of various cleaning compounds in conjunction with different sanitizing equipment and a staff of committed workers to get the job done in the most effective and efficient manner. According to Norman Marriott’s “Principles of Food Sanitation,” a typical cleaning operation has the following breakdown of costs: labor, 46.5 percent; water/sewage, 19 percent; energy, 8 percent; cleaning compounds and sanitizers, 6 percent; corrosion damage, 1.5 percent; and miscellaneous, 19 percent. Labor is naturally the largest cost of cleaning. Investing in mechanical cleaning and sanitizing equipment warrants serious consideration because it can reduce cleaning time and improve efficiency. Labor costs could be reduced by up to 50 percent. Mechanized cleaning units can also more effectively remove soil from surfaces than manual methods performed by hand. But the right equipment isn’t enough. Skilled employees are required to operate any cleaning and sanitizing equipment. People are also required to perform certain handson sanitation tasks. Skilled sanitation employees, as well as a qualified manager to supervise the operations, are

crucial to getting the job done. Sanitation personnel should know not only how to perform the necessary cleaning, but understand the chemicals and cleaning agents needed to get the work done. Relying only on sales representatives from the companies supplying the cleaning chemicals and sanitation equipment to educate sanitation workers is ill advised. Don’t discount their knowledge, but make sure sanitation personnel are educated about the specifics and nuances of the facility as well.

Water and sewage are another sizable expense because large quantities of water are used to apply cleaning compounds in food operations and proper sewage disposal of the chemical cleaning compounds is crucial. The cost and availability of energy for generating hot water and steam are an important and necessary expense in the sanitation budget. Most sanitizing systems are most effective when water temperatures are below 55°C. Lower temperatures should be considered to help conserve energy

while decreasing the risk of injury associated with excessively hot water. Cleaning compounds are also unavoidable expenses in the sanitation process. The right combination of cleaning compounds, sanitizers and the proper equipment are vital to performing cleaning tasks properly. Chemical costs can be reduced if care is taken to use the correct amounts of cleaning solutions to perform each task. Meat and poultry operations contain a large amount of equipment constructed of stainless steel, galvanized metal and aluminum, which puts them at risk of corrosion damage if cleaning compounds and sanitizers are used incorrectly. Non-corroding cleaning compounds and sanitizers are available and should be considered to reduce these expenses. Miscellaneous expenses – estimated at 19 percent – are difficult to control because they vary. Administrative expenses, equipment depreciation, returned goods and operating costs are just a few miscellaneous costs that could be incurred. The best way to control these expenses is to have a well-managed and monitored sanitation program. ■
M&P’s Sanitation Tips are to be used only as guidelines for cleaning and sanitizing processing facilities. Specific issues and questions should be addressed by a sanitation crew supervisor. We would like to hear from you – to comment on this story or to request reprints, contact us by e-mail at meatpoultry@sosland.com.

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Meat&Poultry - August 2011

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