Food Plant Sanitation Principles

Food Plant Sanitation

• Sanitation is a moral and legal obligation to produce food in clean surroundings.
• Each employee is responsible for upholding sanitary standards.
• Sanitation is the responsibility of everyone in the plant.
• Sanitary conditions prevent health authority inspections from finding problems.
• Sanitation should be an ongoing policy, not just met to satisfy municipal requirements.
• Sanitation removes foodborne illness worries and the potential for food poisoning.
• Proper sanitation leads to a defect-free product.
• Waste and spoilage are eliminated with good sanitation.
• Food is deemed adulterated if contaminated with filth or rendered unhealthy.
• Good sanitation leads to a better product and more efficient operation.
• Sanitation is directly linked to employee productivity and fewer accidents.
• Plant cleanliness is a reflection of the overall factory conditions.

Plantkeeping (Exterior)

• Grounds must be graded for natural drainage.
• Eliminate litter, waste; control weeds and insects.
• Keep roads free of dust, using gravel, cinders, or oil-covered surfaces.
• Equipment storage must be neat and orderly.
• Parking areas must be kept orderly with daily debris removal.
• Parking spaces should be arranged and marked.
• Buildings must be clean and maintained from the outside.
• Screen and seal exterior openings to prevent rodents.
• Ensure the roof is leak-proof and no uncovered openings.
• Remove spilled/spoiled products from the premises immediately.

Plantkeeping (Interior)

• Construction materials should be easy to clean (e.g., smooth, watertight, sloped floors)
• Floors should be sloped 1/8" to 1 1/4" per foot to drains spaced approximately every 10 feet.
• Drains must be capable of handling waste material, including removable gratings for easy cleaning.
• Walls, doors, partitions, pipes, and ceilings need to be clean and painted if necessary.
• Proper ventilation prevents mould and deterioration of paint/structures.
• Windows, doors, and openings should be screened for appropriate sanitation.
• Adequate lighting improves cleanliness and makes sanitation easier.

Equipment

• Equipment needs to be easily cleaned, non-porous, and preferably stainless steel.
• Pipelines and fittings that handle food must be sanitary.
• Minimize sharp corners in tanks, flumes, etc. to facilitate cleaning.
• Provide direct access for cleaning, or implement CIP.
• Open equipment (tanks, hoppers, etc.) should be covered.
• Multi-floor areas require floor curbing around chutes.
• Use clean containers for food transport.
• Do not nest containers before cleaning.
• Clean equipment after lubricant use.
• Remove unused and under-repair equipment from the processing area.
• Proper waste containers with lids.

Storage

• Keep aisles clean and marked.
• Protect food materials from insects, dirt, etc.
• Store products away from walls in appropriate temperature ranges.
• Clean storage areas weekly.
• Inspect incoming goods for damage and infestations.
• Maintain frequent inventories and evaluations of warehouse products.
• Adequate space and proper FIFO practices.

Employees

• Employees should maintain a sharp appearance and attitude.
• Employees must wear caps/hairnets, and remove pins, jewelry, etc.
• Do not carry items like pens, pencils, watches in pockets above the waistline.
• Protective clothing is mandatory.
• Smoking, chewing gum, and eating must be contained to designated areas.

Employees (continued)

• Employees need to report any skin blemishes or breaks to a supervisor.
• No band-aids or adhesives that might become loose without glove protection.
• Employees need to be aware of safe conduct (no horseplay, running, etc.).
• Maintain lockers and washrooms in a clean and orderly fashion.
• All employees should be clean and healthy and avoid contagious illnesses.
• Document and display sanitary needs like smoking/eating restrictions, hygiene requirements.

Special Areas

• Provide clean uniforms, towels, etc.
• Operate designated areas for storage of equipment, supplies, garbage.
• Maintain clean toilets, lockers, and restrooms.
• Ensure proper upkeep and sanitation in these areas reflects overall plant cleanliness and morale
• Use proper soap and disposable towels.
• Use drinking fountains or taps with disposable cups.
• Provide first aid and locker facilities to full-time employees.
• Toilets should have double doors, screened vents, and not open directly into food processing areas.
• Appropriate toilet/restroom facilities (men, women), and sufficient space.
• Minimum lunchroom facilities, even if vending machines only.

Materials

• Incoming materials require careful inventory and quality assurance.
• Outgoing materials should be correctly identified and categorized.
• Prevent losses in warehouses from poor housekeeping, breakage, and pilferage.

Sanitary Organization

• Management is responsible for sanitation.
• Plant managers need to delegate authority to a sanitarian.
• Sanitarians should be knowledgeable in microbiology, chemistry, parasitology, and sanitary engineering.
• The sanitarian should report directly to management.
• The sanitarian should coordinate with other technical personnel with care.

Sanitarian Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain a sanitation program.
• Secure management and employee support for the program.
• Improve the sanitation program constantly.
• Study sanitary problems and evaluate results.
• Report on new developments to management.
• Supervise matters of personal hygiene.
• Maintain adequate cleanup.
• Eliminate rodents and insects.
• Supervise water supply, sewage, and waste disposal.
• Ensure sanitation in company lunchrooms.
• Maintain sanitation in rest rooms and toilets.
• Supervise the sanitary storage of raw and finished products.

Plant Inspection

• Inspections can be conducted by company/auditing bodies.
• Daily inspections are necessary and should include written reports.
• Inspections should cover both inside and outside areas of the facility.
• Improvement needs are listed, and standards must be documented in a manual
• Outside groups may notice areas local staff overlooks.

Sanitation Evaluation

• Physical cleanliness is defined as the absence of visual waste, foreign matter, etc.
• Chemical cleanliness is the absence of chemicals (cleaning compounds, germicides).
• Microbiological cleanliness is the most critical factor in modern sanitation.
• This involves controlling microorganisms present on products, equipment, buildings, and people.
• Proper sanitary cleanups are necessary.

Sanitation Suppliers

• Suppliers should provide needed sanitation services.
• Chemical suppliers can help design the cleaning program or the necessary cleaning supplies.
• Suppliers can review a facility for effective sanitation needs and efficiency.
• Labour costs typically account for a significant portion of cleaning budgets.
• Supplier representatives act as quality controllers and cost managers.
• Supplier services include proper equipment and planning for future needs.

Sanitation Program

• Review performance of sanitation crew regularly.
• Consistent training and retraining of sanitation staff are extremely important
• Every training program should break down tasks and stress repetitive activities.
• Focus on the quality of the work being done.
• Check the equipment in the workplace for proper operation.
• Ensure a moral and legal obligation for all sanitation-related tasks.