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How often should you clean a refrigeration unit?

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calaggal

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Posted 23 May 2016 - 05:10 PM

Hey,

I am writing an SSOP for cleaning of a refrigeration unit used to cool produce after packing. How often should a cooler be clean? Daily, weekly or monthly? Should the cooler be cleaned weekly, but drip pans be cleaned daily? Any advice would be appreciated. This is the first time I have had to write one for a cooler.

 

Thanks!



gmauro

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Posted 23 May 2016 - 08:48 PM

I am in the same boat

I am visually monitoring the blower area as I see some dust build up I note it I am looking at monthly internal cleaning "simple" cleaning and quarterly contractor cleaning "deep "cleaning

interesting to know where your at



mile

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Posted 24 May 2016 - 10:14 PM

Hi

 

According risk assessment you can setup cleaning period



Charles.C

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Posted 25 May 2016 - 06:28 AM

Hey,

I am writing an SSOP for cleaning of a refrigeration unit used to cool produce after packing. How often should a cooler be clean? Daily, weekly or monthly? Should the cooler be cleaned weekly, but drip pans be cleaned daily? Any advice would be appreciated. This is the first time I have had to write one for a cooler.

 

Thanks!


 

Hi calaggal,

 

I presume a "cooler" is ca. 0-4 degC

 

As per previous post, it likely depends on "condition", eg product-process, and practicality.

 

the theoretical answer(s) is sufficiently frequent to prevent hygienic contamination risk to product/personnel etc. And presumably effectiveness.

 

i anticipate your restriction may be practical ? eg access, eg how often is the cooler empty ? hopefully less than monthly ? week-ends ?

 

similarly how "accessible" is the "drip pan" (I have no idea what this is unfortunately)

 

IMEX of in-use, non-modern, cold rooms (-18degC) monthly "sweeping" is typical  but the risk is obviously different.


Kind Regards,

 

Charles.C


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GMO

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Posted 25 May 2016 - 12:44 PM

It depends on the unit, where it is etc.  If you're thinking of a room refrigeration unit and no product is stored underneath it, it may only need cleaning once every 1-3 months and spraying with long term disinfectant.  If you're thinking of an in line cooling unit, it would need to be far more often.



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calaggal

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Posted 25 May 2016 - 07:23 PM

It depends on the unit, where it is etc.  If you're thinking of a room refrigeration unit and no product is stored underneath it, it may only need cleaning once every 1-3 months and spraying with long term disinfectant.  If you're thinking of an in line cooling unit, it would need to be far more often.

What do you mean by room refrigeration and line cooling? I'm sorry, I'm new at this aspect of the industry



GMO

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Posted 25 May 2016 - 09:13 PM

What do you mean by room refrigeration and line cooling? I'm sorry, I'm new at this aspect of the industry

 

I'm trying to understand what refrigeration unit you're describing.  You can have units which cool a room, cool a line etc.  Where is this unit?  What is it cooling?  What does it look like?



calaggal

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Posted 25 May 2016 - 11:39 PM

I'm trying to understand what refrigeration unit you're describing.  You can have units which cool a room, cool a line etc.  Where is this unit?  What is it cooling?  What does it look like?

It is like a walk in cooler. It is cooling fresh produce. Sorry should of been more descriptive. I am more worried about an sop for cleaning the actual walk in cooler.



Scampi

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Posted 26 May 2016 - 01:41 PM

Ask yourself some questions about the process, is product covered when it goes into the walk in? Are the fan covers easily removed for cleaning? If there are more process steps to the finished product what are they?

If the refer units are sealed, and the airflow in the building flows from clean to dirty, 1/week for fans covers, daily for drip pans and 1/month for the entire unit may do the trick, but it depends on your process and the state of the walk in on an average production day


Please stop referring to me as Sir/sirs


GMO

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Posted 26 May 2016 - 03:45 PM

"Gut" feel:

 

Floor - minimum daily

Door handles - min daily

Walls - perhaps weekly

Refrigeration unit possibly monthly - 3 monthly but do not store anything underneath it if you can and use long acting disinfectant.

 

But you know your plant better than me.  Validate it.  Look at the standards.  Take swabs etc.





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