The new FSSAI Act has laid down standardized cleaning procedures to
Says Issac Vas, Managing Director, “Quality control systems in the Mangalore plant has been stringently laid down. Sampling procedure and testing methods for Beverage, Syrup, Caustic Solution and Beverage Water has been specified. Cleaning and sanitation schedule is also laid down for various equipment like water treatment equipment, carbonator, filler, proportioning unit, syrup tanks, filter press etc. The laid down processes in the production manual and the system have to be followed diligently.”
Though, there is no specific area requirement in a plant vis-à-vis the capacity of the plant, FSSAI specifies the facilities that are required in terms of various aspects of food production. He further informs, “At Merge Plant, we are having a 120 BPM bottling plant for carbonated beverages with matching Pre-Mix, Chilling Plant, Filler & Crowner, Bottle Washer, Boiler and allied equipment & laboratory. At factory level, we have been following standard practices in production, usage of raw material and water treatment processes.”
Cleaning schedule and solutions
A strict sanitary schedule and procedure is followed in maintaining the plant and equipment. Hot Detergent and Stock sodium hypochlorite solution is prepared in house and used in the cleaning system. The contact time for hypochlorite solution and hot detergent is specified. All cleaning and maintaining procedure have been specified in the plant operation manual and checks and sampling tests are done at every level of production. The bottles are washed in a bottle washer using hot caustic solution & steam and rinsed with purified water before being fed into a conveyor for filling.
Purification Process
The water used for making the soft drinks and aerated water goes through several purification processes. The water is treated using hydrated lime to reduce alkalinity and reduce temporary hardness. Bleaching powder is used to remove colour and turbidity by iodising organic matter, to kill microorganisms, oxidise hydrogen sulphide, oxide fee iron and destroy taste & odour of water. Ferrous sulphate is used as a coagulant for quicker settlement of suspended particles.
The floc formed also acts as a preliminary filter due to its spongy nature. Calcium chloride reduces sodium alkalinity and is used where total alkalinity is higher than the total hardness. Soda Ash reduces permanent hardness and is used when total hardness in water is higher than total alkalinity. Batch Process of the water treatment is done and then water is sent through a sand and carbon filter to ensure dechlorination and filtration. This water further goes through micron filters and Millipore filter and then sent to the production.
Procedure for Cleaning and Sanitation
Back washing is done on alternate days with all the valves closed. Rinsing operation is carried out immediately after back washing. This operation is similar to regular service except that the effluent instead of going to the plant is drained out. This operation is carried out after backwash and/or before service.
Sanitizing is the next step in which Chlorine solution of 50 PPM is prepared and filled in the sand filter. After giving the contact time of about four hours, the chlorine solution is drained out. Water is taken in the filter and drained out till the smell of chlorine is removed. In open cover backwashing, the cover is the same except that the cover of the filter is removed and the waste water is allowed to overflow from the filter.
Once in a year the filter is opened and all the layers removed and cleaned thoroughly. The inside of the filter is painted with bituminous black paint and sanitized with 150PPM chlorine solution. Then the cleaned layers are arranged in filter according to sizes and cover fitted. It has to be noted that the entire layer must be cleaned with hydrochloric acid of 5 to 10%.
Carbon purifier
In this too the procedure includes back washing, rinsing and open cover back washing. Sanitizing of the sand filter is done by allowing the chlorine solution of 50 PPM to enter the carbon underbed through the bottom of filter. The small pipe near the shell is kept open. When the chlorine solution reaches the top of the underbed, chlorine solution flows from the pipe in the side. At that time the intake of chlorine is stopped. After a period of about four hours, solution is drained out and the layers cleaned with fresh water till the smell of chlorine is removed. In the procedure for changing activated carbon, the filter is opened and all the layers are cleaned minimum once in a year. The shell is painted with Bituminous black paint and sanitized with 150 PPM chlorine solution. The old carbon is rejected and a fresh batch of carbon is cleaned thoroughly to remove light particles and charged in the filter. The filter is backwashed before taking to service.
Water storage tanks:
In Cleaning & sanitizing, water storage tanks are emptied on
Bottle Washers (80 BPM washer)
Strainers are removed daily and all the dirt is cleaned by forcing water and then put back in the position. All the jets in the compartments are checked daily and pinned if necessary.
Draining of final and prefinal rinse of compartments is done before cleaned and fresh water is taken daily before the start of the production. Caustic solution in the first and second compartments is drained by opening the drain valve once in a week. Compartments are cleaned with water using a brush and then fresh water and caustic is taken in the compartment for further use.
In Final rinse compartment sanitation the compartment is filled with 100 PPM chlorine solution once in a fortnight. The pump is kept running for about 20 minutes following which the chlorine solution is drained out and fresh water is used for rinsing the compartment.
Cleaning & Sanitation: 50 to 75lts of detergent is prepared in the cooler tank and solution is pumped into the carbonator and filled. Then solution is drained out through the fillers. After cleaning the detergent solution, water is passed through the equipment. Then about 80lts of chlorine solution of 150Pm is prepared and the filtered solution poured in the cooler tank. The solution is pumped into the carbonator and then drained out through the fuskies. Finally the above system is rinsed with fresh water till the chlorine disappears.
Dismantling & sanitizing the carbonator is another procedure. Here, the cover of the carbonator is opened and all the plates are removed. Plates and shell are then cleaned with detergent solution followed by water. The chlorine solution of 150 PPM is prepared and used for sanitizing the plates and the shell. Finally, they are rinsed with fresh water till chlorine disappears, the carbonator plates are rearranged as before and the cover is fitted on the back.
Proportionating Unit, Chiller, Carbonator & Filler (Premix System)
Cleaning in Place (CIP): The equipment be flushed with water and sanitized with chlorine solution as per the schedule in accordance with the laid down procedure. As per the procedure, CO2/ air counter pressure from the carbonator is released and beverage/ syrup is drained from the entire system of bottling equipment at the drain points provided. The flush operation is started after draining is completed by flowing clean water through both syrup and beverage systems. All the equipment need to be flooded to allow water to bleed out of the air vents. Filler is started to allow several revolutions to open and close the filling valves as the flushing water flows through (run the filler with washed bottles).
All equipment are drained from the drain points and after making sure that drain valves are closed, the equipment is flooded with the sanitizing agent (150 ppm Cl2 solution) in a similar manner as that is done with fresh water. A contact time of minimum 15 minutes is allowed. All the equipment are drained through the drain valves, except the filler, which revolves and drains the sanitizing agent through the filling valves (rush filter with washed bottles). Flushing operation has to be carried out using fresh water to thoroughly wash off the sanitizing agent from the entire system.
This cleaning/sanitizing in place should be carried out minimum once a day after the day’s production. This operation is started as soon as the proportioning system is emptied without waiting for the closure of production as this saves time of cleaning operation.
Hot detergent sanitation in place
The procedure for carrying out hot detergent sanitation is similar to that of chlorine sanitation. The hot detergent is prepared in the syrup tank and heated to around 95oC. It is then passed through all the equipment and after a contact time of half an hour at around 80o to 85oC, it is drained and flushed with fresh water. Hot detergent sanitation is recommended to be carried once a week.
The Dismantling and cleaning process entails that all the equipment should be completely dismantled, washed & scrubbed with the detergent paste once a week. Suitable brushes scourers should be used to enable proper cleaning. All the equipment are reassembled and cleaning is carried using chlorine as the sanitizing agent. It is preferred to carry out the sanitation with cl2 after cleaning with detergent in place. The detergent used is a 2.5% solution made out of a mixture of soda ash and tri-sodium phosphate in the ratio 850:150 gms. While sanitizing the filler, empty washed bottles is passed through it for at least two rounds each, with water and cl2 solution. In case the plant is closed, 10 ppm cl2 solution is kept in the lines and equipment overnight. The traces of cl2 should be completely removed from the system just before starting the plant.
Hot detergent sanitation involves removing the temperature sensing bulb Taylor controller / recorder from the system and plugging this outlet with suitable device. In case, direct expansion type chiller is used for beverage chilling, the systems need to be pumped down before carrying out hot detergent sanitation. In case of boilers, the burner is removed and cleaned once in three days. The backside and front portions are opened and using a long brush, the carbon accumulated inside the tubes is removed.
For cleaning Cooling Tower or Spray Pond, the water must be drained out completely. All the soil and algae growth are removed and cleaned with water and bleaching solution using a wire brush.