As consumers, we rely on industrial food processing plants to maintain the highest standards of cleanliness and sanitation. Health hazards, including specific types of foodborne bacteria and viruses can spread rapidly as a result of cross-contamination in facilities where cleaning and sanitizing aren't prioritized and can lead to serious or even fatal illness.
As well, proper cleaning and disinfection in food processing plants is crucial to avoid the potential spread of infectious illness among employees. It is the responsibility of business owners and managers to oversee and enforce food plant sanitation best practices and food safety standards to protect both workers and consumers.
The industrial facility cleaning experts at ServiceMaster Clean offer the following basic guidelines for cleaning and sanitizing at your food processing plant.
Educate All Staff and Employees
The key to maintaining a high-standard cleaning and sanitation program at any food processing facility is educating staff on what procedures and precautions are necessary to ensure safety protocols to avoid cross-contamination, bacterial growth and airborne viruses. Many food processing plants have sanitation teams, but it’s critical to educate all employees on how they can help uphold food safety standards in the workplace.
Sanitize and Disinfect Food Contact Surfaces
Food contact surfaces at food preparation and cooking stations will inevitably get messy, but these areas must be cleaned and sanitized often throughout the workday. Disinfectants should only be used at the end of the day, as the use of strong chemicals during processing can impact food quality. Only Health Canada approved disinfectants for food preparation and manufacturing should be used.
Preventing Cross-contamination Between Raw and Cooked Products
In addition to ensuring that all food processing equipment is kept sanitized and disinfected, keeping raw meat and its containers away from cooked products and using multiple cutting boards when dealing with cooked and raw food, are the most crucial practices in maintaining a healthy food processing plant. Following these guidelines reduces the risk of contamination and ensures health and safety for both consumers and food plant employees.
Keep Food Processing Equipment Sanitized
Because food processing equipment often deals with the same type of food products that are prepared on flat work surfaces, the cleaning standards are the same as for smaller tools such as knives, containers and other work implements. Hot soapy water, sanitizer and disinfectant kill harmful pathogens that can cause illness or cross-contamination.
Equipment used to manufacture food need be kept clean and sanitized throughout the day and scrubbed thoroughly on a daily basis. Only sanitizers and disinfectants approved by Health Canada for food preparation and manufacturing should be used. It is critical to have a dedicated storage area that is kept thoroughly sanitized to store food preparation equipment when not in use.
Maintain Clean Storage Areas
The areas used to store food processing equipment must be maintained to the same cleanliness standards as the equipment itself. All shelving and surfaces in storage stations need to be regularly cleaned using approved products appropriate to the facility’s specific needs, and only properly sanitized equipment should be returned to storage to prevent cross-contamination and ensure safety.
Sanitize Walls and Floors
Although walls and floors aren’t necessarily in direct contact with food processing procedures, they must be included in food plant sanitation programs. Throughout the day, walls and floors should be swept, wiped down and sanitized regularly. Splashes and debris must be immediately attended to. At the end of the workday, floors should be mopped and disinfected to maintain safety and avoid cross-contamination.
Leave Your Food Processing Plant Cleaning to the Experts
Sanitation in food processing is one of the most significant ways to keep consumers healthy. Food recalls are increasing at an alarming number, and this should be a wake-up call to plant owners. To protect your business and avoid foodborne illness, hire skilled professionals who you can trust will maintain cleanliness and disinfection at your facility to the highest standard.
Engaging a professional commercial cleaning company with experience in food processing facilities ensures a consistent and thorough schedule of cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting. Without this support, the responsibility falls to employees or dedicated sanitation teams to uphold these critical hygiene standards.
As leaders in the commercial cleaning industry for over 70 years, ServiceMaster Clean are experts in cleaning food processing facilities of any scale. We keep up to date on the most recent Health Canada food processing plant guidelines and requirements, and our teams have the experience and resources to maintain your food processing plant at the highest standard of cleanliness and sanitation. Contact us today for a complimentary assessment. We can create a custom plan tailored to suit your particular needs and budget.