Food industry mixers need higher standards
1 May 2010
Product safety continues to be a top consumer concern worldwide. A seemingly endless stream of news stories chronicling product safety issues has heightened consumer awareness, making many manufacturers more interested than ever in ensuring that their products are produced as safely and hygienically as possible - traceability is also an increasingly vital aspect of sourcing new equipment.
One step in that process is using equipment that is designed to the highest standards of hygienic construction. Mixers designed for food use must now comply with an increasing number of standards and guidelines, including EHEDG, cGMP, FDA and 3-A sanitary standards.
“With more food scares here and abroad, people now have much higher expectations for their equipment, especially those who work in multinational environments,” says Silverson MD Harold Rothman. “The desire for higher levels of cleanliness goes beyond food and pharmaceutical manufacturers. Makers of personal care products and other consumer product industries are seeking it, as well.”
Up until fairly recently, most machines were stripped down regularly for cleaning and inspection. Today more and more manufacturers are demanding equipment that is clean-in-place or even sterilise-in-place, and lines and equipment are being cleaned more frequently.
In response, Silverson says its new Ultra Hygienic In-Line Mixers range exceeds the 3-A third party verification standards, and is certified to the European Hygienic Engineering & Design Group (EHEDG) standard.
“The EHEDG standard doesn’t focus on how the machine is constructed; it is concerned with the level of hygiene that can be achieved,” explains Rothman.
To meet the standard, a machine is tested alongside a three-foot length of sanitary pipe. “If a machine has a higher bacterial count than the pipe after cleaning, it does not meet the standard.
