How often should a Plant be Shutdown for Cleaning and Maintenance?

Good day! Our company is currently preparing a program for plant shutdown in order to conduct necessary cleaning and sanitation, as well as maintenance and equipment replacement. Most of our equipment are automated and to be cleaned via CIP. I would like to ask if an annual plant shutdown is already sufficient based on GMP Requirements? If not, what is the suggested frequency of plant shutdown? Would appreciate your inputs regarding my question. Thank you!

I very much doubt that there is a "one size fits all" answer to this question - it's going to depend on the nature of the work that you're doing, and the requirements of your particular site/equipment.

I very much doubt that there is a "one size fits all" answer to this question - it's going to depend on the nature of the work that you're doing, and the requirements of your particular site/equipment.

Agreed! What food or food packaging are you making? Is there a temperature control? 

We need much more information 

I don't think we can shed anymore light than you and your team.  It really depends on your end goals and feasibility in meeting them.  These days not many plants do full shut downs for cleaning and maintenance as they opt to have something running.  But again, that's dependent on your end goals.  You need to take it back to the key decision makers and come up with a plan.

There is no "requirement" to shut down a plant for cleaning & sanitation.  The requirements are set by the team dependent upon the end goals.

As the others have suggested, we will require more information on what your product is.

I have worked in the dairy industry before, and if we did an annual shut down, our factory would have definitely been shut down before it gets to the annual clean!