12 replies to this topic

[ssf]

Hi all,

 

What process / procedure / chemical would you use to clean chains? 

 

The chains are used to transfer frozen PIZZAS (contains cheese / meats / etc). 

 

I am having issues with micro fails.

 

Currently using a scrubbing brush and chemical to clean daily / and then weekly steam cleaning.  

 

Chemicals on site: 

Alcohol disinfectant 

Chlorinated foam

Non-caustic foam (alkalinity)

Phosphoric Acid foam

non-ionic and cationic disinfectant (Twin biocides)

PAA disinfectant

Sodium Hypochlorite

TRIAMINE QAC free disinfectant  

 

Thanks

 

 Capture.PNG   595.92KB   0 downloads

[Charles.C]

Hi all,

 

What process / procedure / chemical would you use to clean chains? 

 

The chains are used to transfer frozen PIZZAS (contains cheese / meats / etc). 

 

I am having issues with micro fails.

 

Currently using a scrubbing brush and chemical to clean daily / and then weekly steam cleaning.  

 

Chemicals on site: 

Alcohol disinfectant 

Chlorinated foam

Non-caustic foam (alkalinity)

Phosphoric Acid foam

non-ionic and cationic disinfectant (Twin biocides)

PAA disinfectant

Sodium Hypochlorite

TRIAMINE QAC free disinfectant  

 

Thanks

 

Capture.PNG

Hi ssf,

 

Can you quantitatively expand what you mean by "micro fails " ?

 

What do you mean by "chains" ? stainless steel conveyor / plastic ?

[ssf]

Hi Charles,

 

• listeria mono
• innocua
• seeligeri
• welshimeri

The chains are steel (similar to a bike chain) I attached a photo to my original post.

 

Regards 

[Charles.C]

Hi Charles,

 

• listeria mono
• innocua
• seeligeri
• welshimeri

The chains are steel (similar to a bike chain) I attached a photo to my original post.

 

Regards 

Hi ssf,

 

 

Thks photo which I missed. Rather weird looking system IMEX.

 

Cleaning ideas will likely require  some knowledge of the Process. (IMEX batterfried, alkalis, phosphoric, heat etc tends to remove most things). Perhaps heat not an option in yr case ?.

 

Do you know which items are most difficult to remove on chains ? Cheese residues ?

 

"Quantitative"  may involve specific "numbers". eg 1 L.mono cfu/g may be a different consequence to 100.

 

Was the micro. "failure" numerically associated with the chain EMPG ? (eg cfu/cm2) or with the finished Product cfu/g ?

Edited by Charles.C, 05 October 2022 - 10:42 AM.
added

[Charles.C]

Hi ssf,

 

Apologies that I forgot to ask if the pizza is RTE.

If the product is uncooked and in direct contact with the transfer system surface then some detection of Listeria species, eg L.mono, may not be surprising even after cleaning/sanitising, and maybe not particularly significant if in low numbers.

However if fully cooked/RTE  IIRC  the UK product requirements are either undetected (L.mono) or  <100cfu/gm at retail.

Additionally, if you have a "long"  history of no Listeria  micro. problems using current cleaning ,  a specific new source of contamination may have been generated such as in raw materials or environment.

[Setanta]

I'm curious why that area was chosen as a swab site?
As I am understanding it, it isn't a food contact surface, so anything that fell in or onto the chains, would be discarded...why are you swabbing therre?

[Scampi]

The chain is going to be incredibly difficult to clean no matter what method you're using

 

Can you share concentration and contact time for the chemicals you're using as well as the daily process , step by step?

 

Because the chain has all of the deep pockets, my guess is your daily process isn't sufficient and steam cleaning isn't going to do a thing--------if I were going to perform extra on that weekly, it would be a deep acid clean

[ssf]

Hi ssf,

 

Apologies that I forgot to ask if the pizza is RTE.

If the product is uncooked and in direct contact with the transfer system surface then some detection of Listeria species, eg L.mono, may not be surprising even after cleaning/sanitising, and maybe not particularly significant if in low numbers.

However if fully cooked/RTE  IIRC  the UK product requirements are either undetected (L.mono) or  <100cfu/gm at retail.

Additionally, if you have a "long"  history of no Listeria  micro. problems using current cleaning ,  a specific new source of contamination may have been generated such as in raw materials or environment.

 

Not RTE Charles 

[ssf]

I'm curious why that area was chosen as a swab site?
As I am understanding it, it isn't a food contact surface, so anything that fell in or onto the chains, would be discarded...why are you swabbing therre?

 

Unfortunately, these chains come in contact with the food prior to packaging. (Not my call) 

[ssf]

The chain is going to be incredibly difficult to clean no matter what method you're using

 

Can you share concentration and contact time for the chemicals you're using as well as the daily process , step by step?

 

Because the chain has all of the deep pockets, my guess is your daily process isn't sufficient and steam cleaning isn't going to do a thing--------if I were going to perform extra on that weekly, it would be a deep acid clean

 

Hi Scampi, 

 

Alcohol disinfectant  - neat / leave on prior to run

Chlorinated foam 5% / 20 mins

Non-caustic foam (alkalinity) 5% / 20 mins

Phosphoric Acid foam 5% / 20 mins

non-ionic and cationic disinfectant (Twin biocides) 2% / 15 mins

PAA disinfectant 2% / 15 mins

Sodium Hypochlorite - only used for floor / drain contact 

TRIAMINE QAC free disinfectant  2% / 15 mins 

 

Daily:

1) Air line all visible debris. 

2) scrub chains with brush & detergent leave for 20 mins.

3) rinse away

4) Spray with disinfectant and leave on until start up.

 

Weekly: 

1) Steam clean the chains

2) spray with disinfectant until start up 

 

Thanks  

[ssf]

Not RTE Charles 

Sorry our test centre doesn't provide the number results for listeria. Only for TVC/ENTS. Listeria just show what type e.g., welshimeri, seeligeeri, innocua.  

[Charles.C]

Sorry our test centre doesn't provide the number results for listeria. Only for TVC/ENTS. Listeria just show what type e.g., welshimeri, seeligeeri, innocua.  

Hi ssf,

 

Thks feedback.

Assuming no thermal process step, I would imagine yr inputs deliver significant amounts of Listeria spp. to the process environment. I anticipate you monitor yr raw materials so you probably have a qualitative idea of this already.

Offhand, for NRTE, I would not regard detection of Listeria spp as a micro failure unless you were finding large amounts which not seen in inputs.

The micro. indicator data  (and/or ATP for general use) should enable a reasonable assessment/trend of basic status of Cleaning/Sanitising of food contact surfaces, eg -

https://www.ifsqn.co...ces/#entry60958

[Scampi]

A couple of things I notice

 

PAA, or any sanitizer at a no rinse concentration should be left on to dry, 15 minutes of contact time isn't sufficient 

 

Add a caustic step on the weekly steam cleaning sanitation process BEFORE steam cleaning   the caustic will work to remove the protein that may have built up during the week 

 

Assuming your using stiff bristle scrub brushes, and if just pads, purchase good quality stiff brushes for sanitation

 

Don't be afraid to play with the concentrations...............sanitation is a 4 pronged process, time temperature, mechanical action and concentration, too little of 1 of those 4 things, increase 1 or more of the remaining 3