It’s all about that perfect combination … keep expenses low, but don’t compromise on cleanliness. This is true for any industry, but especially in the food processing industry where contamination can cause recalls and compromise your reputation.
Typically, equipment in a food processing facility is either cleaned-in-place or cleaned-out-of-place. Both methods enhance the ability of plant personnel to achieve a greater degree of food safety and quality assurance.
When budgets and existing process design permit, clean-in-place systems are generally preferable to full manual and clean-out-of-place procedures, but Clean-out-of-Place can be more cost-effective than manual washing, while cleaning as effectively – though not as quickly or efficiently – as Clean-in-Place systems. Wondering which option is best for you and your business?
Clean-in-Place (CIP)—Cleaning your equipment without disassembling parts by running sanitizing chemicals, heat and water through process equipment, pipes, etc.
Clean-in-place works best with smooth surfaced equipment that is too deep to reach manually like tanks, pumps, and process piping.
The process presents an efficient way to clean parts that would require much time or effort to disengage from the line. These systems use chemicals, detergent and heat to clean the interior surfaces that come into contact with the product to prevent contamination and eliminate bacteria.
Clean-out-of-place (COP)—Cleaning your equipment with the disassembling of parts. A basic everyday example of COP in your house is washing the dishes after dinner.
The COP method is for pieces of equipment and utensils that cannot be cleaned where they are used and must be disassembled, and for pieces of equipment and parts that do not lend themselves to easy cleaning in place. Fittings, clamps, impellers, hoses, etc. may need to be cleaned in this manner.
Since the process involves manual washing and several steps, the workflow must guard against over spray and improper stacking of cleaned parts, which can lead to recontamination. It is important to establish and follow a COP procedure to avoid cross-contamination.
If you are considering enhancing or introducing CIP or COP procedures or equipment into your plant it is vital to have a complete understanding in order to take full advantage of these processes. To be safe, processing companies can turn to Nichols to optimize their clean-in-place and clean-out-of-place procedures to ensure smooth operation, minimal maintenance and cleaning time, and maximum productivity and product safety.
Interested in learning more? Contact your location Nichols Sales Representative or email us at [email protected] for more information.