CIP cleaning: BRC 4.11.7.3

Hello there,

We are getting a CIP system in place. Now, I have a question on what the standard means with the following:

Detergent tanks shall be kept stocked up and a log maintained of when these are drained, cleaned, filled, and emptied. (this part is understandable to me).

Recovered post-rinse solutions shall be monitored for a build-up of carry-over from detergent tanks.

Can somebody explain to me what its meant with build-up of carry-over?

Thanks!

Dear R. de Boer,

After reading it a few times, I have made an analysis of it.

Recovered post-rinse solutions shall be monitored for a build-up of carry-over from detergent tanks.

Build-up = Increase of concentration over the time.

Carry-over = Contamination by means of the carry-over principle (with detergent in this case).

The term "carry-over" is normally used for additives. It means that an additive may come together with an ingredient. Simple explanation: An additive which has a function in the ingredient, but not in he finished product.

By post-rinsing a tank, one removes all the detergent rests and by reusing this rinsing water, there may be traces of detergents in it. And this last thing has to be monitored, to avoid that there are detergent rests going into your product. (There has been a case, I am not remembering exactly, a few years ago, with ice-cream).

I hope this can help you further. Maybe other members can be helpful to give more practical information on how they handle this. However, there are indicators to easily detect detergent rests.

Kind regards,

Gerard Heerkens

Thanks a lot Gerard, this explains it well for me i think. So, basically what I need to test is if the post rinsing water is free from detergents which can possible contaminate the product :).

Dear R. de Boer,

Indeed, that looks the right solution. In the meanwhile I have found the article I was referring to. It's from 2012, however more based on smaller ice-cream shops. But relevant in this context.  

http://www.missethor...in-ijs-10191755

If you have any questions about it, as it's in Dutch, please don't hesitate to ask me. (Note: the NVWA, named by its old name VWA in the article, is the Dutch Authority for Food and Goods).

Kind regards,

Gerard Heerkens

Thanks Gerard. Dutch won't be a problem since i'm a Dutchie too ;)

Nice to meet you ! :-)

Hi Gerard/rdeboer,

Please remember that the formal language for use on this Forum is English.

the attachments in a parallel thread to this one on CIP systems / validation, may be of some use, eg -

http://www.ifsqn.com...ip/#entry115706

JFI here is a different but analogous example for detergent carry-over in a stepwise bottle-washing apparatus  -

bottle washing apparatus.pdf   5.63MB   80 downloads

similarly to post2, the near-final, post-rinse step is critical -

Stage 6: post rinse

 

Once the bottles emerge from the last main soaking compartment, they pass to the rinse soak compartment. This compartment contains little detergent, and here, the bottles are gradually cooled and the detergent remaining on the bottles is slowly neutralised.

 

As the carriers [bottle holding units] move through the machine, a certain volume of liquid, attached to the chains, carriers, pockets and bottles is being transferred from one compartment to the other. Through this carry-over the rinse soak compartment, originally filled with fresh water, becomes filled with a low concentration detergent solution.

 

The carry-over of liquid can increase the detergent concentration to unacceptably high levels. To prevent this, the rinse soak tanks are normally continuously dosed with water overflowing from the rinse sprays, to ensure that the detergent concentration does not build up too high. A maximum of 0.5% caustic soda is normal, above which point water should be manually added to the rinse soak tank to dilute it.
 

morning Charles,

Thanks for the advice. And of course, will only speak English ;)

Dear Charles,

Thanks for your note! And for the additional information about carry-over of detergent rests.

Kind regards,

Gerard Heerkens

Thank you very much for this!

Is this relative to CIP only? We deal solely with dehydrated vegetables (granulation, metal detection, sieving etc.) and don't carry out wet cleaning that often. When we do we dismantle the machines - there is no CIP. A customer auditor has now told us to check the rinse water for traces of detergent. Are there simple methods to do this e.g. pH test strips?

Looking forward to receiving any help  :smile: !

Thanks so much,

Eva

The specific BRC clause, 4.11.7, relates to CIP, but the general principle of checking rinse water to ensure that you've removed all of whatever cleaning chemical has been used could be applied elsewhere.

You'll need to understand what feature of your cleaning chemical(s) is easiest to test for, so I'd recommend talking to your chemical supplier. If it's an alkaline or acidic product then it may be as simple as checking the pH of the rinse water and comparing this to the pH of your source water.