Sanitation and cleanliness are important in everyday life. An increasing number of consumers are becoming diligent in researching food handling. Social media has enabled ordinary, regular users to thoroughly investigate any sanitation violations or unclean environments for any company, putting major food and beverage manufacturers under the microscope for even the slightest infraction.
While the United States Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration have sanitation standards that closely monitor cleanliness in various plants, it’s still possible for even the most well-respected facilities to overlook a regulation or two.
Larry Hecker, a Belting and Hygienic Design Specialist with over 25 years in the conveyance systems industry, says some of the more common pitfalls he has encountered include neglect of the unseen.
“Some of the most common violations I’ve seen are refusal to clean obvious harborage points,” Hecker says. “One example is electrical wires that run parallel to each other and may be bunched together. Even if sanitation services clean the wires, water can get between the crevices of the wires, and they can become a harborage point. I see this in almost every food plant I visit. The solution is to separate each cable with adequate space, preventing water from getting trapped.”
It’s not just the belts themselves you need to maintain, Hecker explains. It’s also the auxiliary items around the belt.
“When the inspector comes in and sees paint chipping off a motor or gearbox, they will naturally ask where the paint went. More likely than not, it will have contaminated your product,” Hecker says.
Using a round framework that supports the belt is also a common violation many food and beverage facilities do not consider.
“Flat surfaces can retain water, creating a breeding ground for mold and other pathogens,” Hecker says.
Emily Connors, a Process Engineer at Food Plant Engineering whose experience pertains to design, says condensation is one common issue she sees in various places.
“While most (noncompliance reports) are facility-specific, a very common problem across many facilities is condensation dripping from overhead, thus creating the potential for adulterated products. Most facilities will be familiar with this issue and must find ways to mitigate it,” Connors states.
Connors joined Food Plant Engineering as a process engineer in 2022. Food Plant Engineering is a design-build firm specializing in sanitary design and construction of food manufacturing facilities. In her role, she assists food processors in creating customized facility layouts that reduce food safety risks and improve the flow of traffic and products within their operations.
She has previous experience as a bakery food technologist and manager. Connors is also HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) certified, a systematic approach to preventing hazards in food production. Elements of HACCP plans include conducting a hazard analysis, establishing corrective actions, and establishing record-keeping procedures.
“HACCP programs have been instrumental in helping facility personnel analyze their process and create preventative procedures to avoid hazards. A well-executed HACCP plan…will help a plant avoid many noncompliances,” she says.
Between October 2021 and September 2022, the FDA cited 162 facilities as failing to keep their facility clean, sanitary, or adequately repaired. If violations are severe enough, specific citations cost companies tens of thousands of dollars, in addition to unplanned downtime for replacement or mitigation of problem areas.
Need to redesign your food production plant to become more sanitary? Reach out to a CBT Hygienic Design Specialist today.
