Abstract
If food processing equipment is not designed for easy cleaning, disinfection, and maintenance, the product’s hygienic condition and its quality will be affected, and this may result in costly product recalls. Although initially dearer than poorly designed equipment, hygienically designed equipment is more cost-effective and sustainable in the long term. If equipment is hygienic, cleaning times will be minimized and production time maximized. It will also minimize costs of chemicals, water, and energy. Upgrading existing designs to meet more rigorous hygienic requirements may well be impractical as well as expensive. Therefore, it is important that hygienic design requirements are taken into account as early as possible during the design stage. This chapter intends to inform food safety professionals and inspectors/auditors about the risks associated with poor hygienic design of food processing equipment. With typical examples of inferior hygienic design, the necessary technical and practical guidance will be given to identify and control food processing equipment-related food safety hazards. First, some principles of hygienic design that are more generic in nature are discussed, whereafter a second part follows with hygienic design requirements specific to individual equipment components such as piping, pumps, valves, and tanks.
Published Version
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