The Hygienic Design of Manual Cleaning Equipment

Introduction: Thanks in no small part to 3A in the USA and the European Hygienic Engineering Design Group (EHEDG) many food manufacturers appreciate the benefits of using hygienically designed production equipment as it is quicker and easier to clean, and minimizes the risk of product cross-contamination by microbes, allergens, foreign bodies etc. This in turns maximizes food safety and quality, reduces the risk of expensive product rejection or recall, and minimizes food waste. However, when it comes to the equipment used to clean food production equipment, very few cleaning tools are developed with good hygienic design in mind. Consequently, their use can jeopardize all of the above. 

Purpose: To investigate the hygienic design of food industry cleaning equipment and propose improvements for the future.

Methods: Drilled and stapled, resin set, and fused filament food industry brushware were investigated, with regard to hygienic design, using microscopy and UV sensitive lotion (as a contaminant). These brushware types were also assessed against 3A/EHEDG and European Brushware Federation (FEIBP) hygienic design criteria, and the requirements of key food safety and quality standards.

Results: All existing brushware had hygienic design issues, as indicated by the presence of residual 'contamination' and crevice, and various levels of non-conformance to established hygienic design criteria, and safety and quality standards.

Significance: These investigations indicate that much of the cleaning equipment used in food manufacturing environments is generally of poor hygienic design. Given the constant drive to improve food safety and quality food manufacturers need to minimize the risk of product contamination through all possible means, including the use of hygienically designed cleaning equipment. As a long established provider of professional cleaning equipment to the food industry Vikan have developed a range of cleaning equipment in line with hygienic design criteria that will help in this regard.