Meat and Poultry Plant Sanitation

Summary

An efficient cleaning system can reduce labor costs in meat and poultry plants by up to 50%. The optimal cleaning system depends on the type of soil and type of equipment present. High-pressure, low-volume cleaning equipment is normally the most effective for removing heavy organic soil, especially when deposits are located in areas that are difficult to reach and penetrate. However, foam, slurry, and gel cleaning have become more prominent because cleaning is quicker and cleaners are easier to apply using these media. Because of high equipment costs and cleaning limitation, CIP systems are typically limited primarily to applications that involve large storage containers.

In meat and poultry plants, acid cleaning compounds are used most frequently to remove mineral deposits. Organic soils are more effectively removed through the use of alkaline cleaning compounds. Chlorine compounds provide the most effective and least expensive sanitizer for destruction of residual microorganisms. However, iodine compounds give less corrosion and irritation, and quaternary ammonium sanitizers have more of a residual effect. Appropriate cleaning procedures depend on the area, equipment, and type of soil.