6 replies to this topic

[danh@nutmegspice]

We are a spice re-packager, no milling/blending/drying of any sort. Just taking already processed herbs/blends and putting them into smaller bottles. Our current cleaning procedure for our auger filling rooms consists of attaching an explosion proof vacuum to the fill head of the auger filler and using compressed air in the hopper room above to blow all excess particulate into the vacuum. I dont feel that this is doing as good of a job as it should be doing, and trying to come up with a better solution that does not involve a wet clean.

 

I know salt can be an effective cleaning agent in removing buildup from from different surfaces, i am wondering what your thoughts are on using salt to pour down our hoppers, in hopes that it will do a better job of loosening up particulate. Is this a known strategy in the food manufacturing world?

[GMO]

I've heard of it being used in spice blending operations but normally accompanied with frustration that the process isn't better.  Are there any allergens or protein residues in what you're cleaning off so you can validate it using ELISA?

[Jeffrey Ort]

Have you thought of using a company that does Dry Ice Blasting, I do not know if the temperature of the facility and the dry ice would leave a film of moisture within the equipment or not.

[GMO]

Have you thought of using a company that does Dry Ice Blasting, I do not know if the temperature of the facility and the dry ice would leave a film of moisture within the equipment or not.

 

I've seen this in action, it's good, doesn't leave a moist residue that I could see but it is slow and fires the ingredient around the room as much as any water spray would especially if it's light.

[danh@nutmegspice]

I've heard of it being used in spice blending operations but normally accompanied with frustration that the process isn't better.  Are there any allergens or protein residues in what you're cleaning off so you can validate it using ELISA?

 

Not on the line that we would use salt to clean, the only allergens in our facility are segregated from the rest of our products and run on smaller scale equipment.

[Ryan M.]

I second trying dry ice blasting.  In our area you can rent the equipment and buy the dry ice from companies like Airgas.  We had a dry ice blasting company come out and do a demonstration.  It worked very well for our application around packaging equipment that is sensitive to moisture.  However, as GMO pointed out it blows it all over the place so you would have to mitigate that with environmental clean up afterwards, or use a vacuum to get as much as possible beforehand.

 

After the cleaning it left no residue and no moisture.  The equipment honestly looked brand new after the cleaning.  

 

Other drawbacks are the equipment itself is expensive, starts around $20K just for the equipment.  The dry ice is a couple dollars a pound, maybe less, depending on availability and region.  It can be a safety hazard so personnel must be trained well in using it.  It requires both electrical power, 110/120, AND a good supply of dry compressed air.  Needs high volume of compressed air.

 

If you company can spend the money and have the resources for training and power/air requirements I'd recommend it.

[kingstudruler1]

Is your problem augers that can be easily accessed (no opening) to clean and that's why you want to use salt?  Or do they just not want to disassemble to clean?  

 

Would a alcohol based (waterless) cleaner / sanitizer work in your application?  (alpet d2, drysan duo, approved IPA, etc).  Ive used these in dry applications and they work well.