Page 36 - CleanIndiaJournal June Digital Issue

Facility ManageMent

Challenges and solutions
Animal feed processing plant

housekeeping

Just as the food products we eat must be manufactured in hygienic
conditions, so should the animal feed for fish, chicken and other
animals raised for the meat processing segment. Satyajit Bera, Plant

Head, Godrej Agrovet Ltd explains the cleaning and hygiene practices
followed in such a facility, and the challenges they continue to face.

Disinfection Most units have sheds with economically feasible. Besides,

In the feed processing industry, corrugated sheets, which are these need to be staffed with a
properly trained person with fall-
prone to cobweb formation. The
housekeeping and hygiene are the height of the roof can reach up to safe harness and is certified to
topmost priorities. Floors need to 40 feet; reaching that height for work at heights.
be cleaned and swept on a regular
basis, and food-grade disinfectants cleaning from the inside is very I have not found any systematic
need to be sprayed on an alternate- difficult. Even if access ladders solution for this problem in India.
day, weekly or fortnightly basis, are available and mobile, material
depending upon the effective period stored at the ground level makes Pest management
of the disinfectant. Disinfectant is manoeuvring and storing them Weevils are a major problem
sprayed on the floors as well as the difficult. in the agro-commodity industry.
walkways alongside the material We have tried using lightweight They cause a loss in both volume
handling equipment. broom extenders, but didn’t and nutritional value of grain.
Most of the feed processing find them very effective. A With grain silos that have capacity
machinery and equipment is lined hydraulically operated ladder is to store thousands of tons each,
by SS 304 grade metal which a feasible solution; having it on- liquid spraying is not an option.
prevents rusting, and adhesion of site for maintenance may not be Fumigation is the solution.
foreign materials. However, there
may still be occasional instances
where a bit of the product is found
sticking to the machine surface.
Different disinfecting chemicals
are used according to the different
targeted surfaces; they essentially
need to be of food-grade to ensure
food safety norms.

Cleaning at heights
In the past, I’ve worked in meat
processing units where the cold
storage rooms have a height of
around 8 feet, making them easily
accessible from the ground for
cleaning. On the other hand, roof
cleaning in animal feed units is
very challenging.

JUNE 2023•Clean India Journal
36 www.cleanindiajournal.com