Sanitation of Food Processing Equipment with GeoSIL

Introduction

Sanitation is commonly used in all food processing operations. Wherever a food product is moved by

pump, by air, or by mechanical means, cleaning and sanitation is required. Any vessel used to process or store food produce must be effectively cleaned and sanitised.

In the food processing industries, cleaning is the treatment given to all product contact surfaces following each period of use, to first remove all physical evidence of soil and to apply a bactericidal treatment to sanitise all surfaces. This process is often done by CIP (cleaning in place) techniques.

CIP is the term that describes procedures for cleaning and sanitising equipment without disassembling or removing it from the premises.

GeoSIL is an excellent choice for CIP sanitation. It is non foaming, remains active in all temperature ranges and is non corrosive when used at the correct dosage rate.  GeoSIL leaves no toxic residue, so it is not necessary to rinse the surfaces after treatment.

Technical

Although there are a large number of individual compounds available, most products used in the food processing industry can be classified into the following classes:

q       Chlorine compound

q       Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (QUATS)

q       Iodophors

q       and now GeoSIL

Each class has its own unique qualities. For instance QUATS are relatively non-toxic, chlorine compounds and Iodophors are rapid and toxic germicide’s, and GeoSIL combines the best of all three without being toxic and most importantly GeoSIL is environmentally safe.

Microbiological Control of Process Water with GeoSIL

Introduction

Microbiological control of process waters for industrial and food processing plants, is an important area of water treatment chemistry. As water is generally used in many food preparation processes where it either comes in contact with food or is used in the food preparation, microbiological control is critical in providing an acceptable product. For these applications chlorine has been the most commonly used disinfectant, however there are several technical problems associated with use.

GeoSIL  is proving to be a technically and environmentally superior disinfectant for treatment of water which is used in the food industry, and is rapidly gaining acceptance as a safe alternative to chlorine and other disinfection methods.

Industries in which GeoSIL may be utilised for process water include;

q       Soft Drink Manufacture.

q       Fruit Juice Manufacture.

q       Process Water for Canneries.

q       CIP Cleaning Systems

q       Process Flume and recycled waters

q       Poultry chilled water.

q       Retort water systems.

Basically, wherever chlorine or non-oxidizing biocides are used for sanitation or disinfection in the food industry, GeoSIL may be utilised, and will generally provide a very cost effective treatment.

GeoSIL Vs. Chlorine.

Treatment of water which is to be utilised in the product, such as soft drink manufacture, requires the stages of; disinfection, clarification, filtration and de-chlorination. Usually the water source for these processes is of good quality prior to treatment, therefore, chlorine could be acceptable as a treatment. However treating the water with GeoSIL will provide technically superior results.

Should any specific problems be encountered with a water source, such as trihalomethane generation, iron or manganese control or colour, then GeoSIL will be a technically superior treatment, and should be recommended. In areas where effluent discharge is a problem then GeoSIL will certainly be superior.

For food processing plants where water is used in reticulating bath to wash and to process food products, the organic contamination, and therefore microbiological problems are considerable. Chlorine has again been the main disinfectant used in these applications, however, its performance is far from satisfactory.

The main problems associated with using chlorine in these applications is that the pH is often in the range where chlorine is only available as the hypochlorite ion. This is due to chlorine dissociating in water to form hypochlorite ions or hypochlorous acid as determined by the pH. For example, at a pH of 8, approximately 80% of the chlorine will be in the form of hypochlorite which is a very weak disinfectant and oxidant, therefore requiring very high dose rates or long contact times to achieve satisfactory disinfection.

With these high levels of chlorine the main problem area includes:

q       A strong chlorinous odour is produced which is detrimental to the  process workers.

q       Chlorine reacts with the organic material in the flume water to produce dangerous chloro-organic compounds.

q       The high level of chlorine promotes and facilitates corrosion of food processing plants even when made from stainless steel.

q       The chlorine demand is very high due to the reaction with many of the organic compounds present and the subsequent forming of organo- chlorine’s.

GeoSIL is an ideal treatment for these systems, as it far less reactive with these contaminated recycled water systems, it is tasteless, odourless and colourless, has no harmful breakdown products and will not combine with any substance to form any by-products what so ever!

When using GeoSIL for these applications the following benefits are provided :

q                   GeoSIL is a selective oxidant

q                   Odour problems are eliminated.

q                   Does not produce tastes and odours associated with products.

q                   Due to the more effective disinfection, increased water recirculation rates are possible.

q                   With GeoSIL the cycles of concentrations in the recycle water may be       increased, therefore decreasing waste discharges and associated costs.

GeoSIL is an environmentally safe liquid sanitiser, ideal for a wide range of uses in the food processing and beverage industries.

GeoSIL has proven bactericidal, algicidal, fungicidal, sporicidal and viricidal efficacy. 

Features and Benefits.

q       GeoSIL does not form any harmful or toxic by-products, since its only decomposition products are water and oxygen.  It is therefore friendly to you and your environment.

q       It remains effective through a pH range of 2 - 9, and through a temperature range from 0oC to 95oC.  This means  you no longer have to make tedious and costly pH and temperature adjustments to ensure your sanitiser is achieving the expected results.

q       GeoSIL eliminates obnoxious odours arising from putrefactive processes, yet leaves no residual odours of its own.  The result is a more pleasant working environment.

q       GeoSIL is non foaming and has good rinse off characteristics