Importance of Cleaning and Sanitation in Meat Processing Plants

Periodic cleaning and sanitation, including the disinfection of meat plant equipment and premises, is an integral part of good hygienic practices. Cleaning can even be said as one of the vital activities in a meat plant. Cleaning and sanitizing measures offer the necessary environment for not only meat processing but also handling. Most often, efficient meat plant cleaning is neglected because it requires extra work. Nevertheless, failure in maintaining proper hygiene in plants can cause high financial losses in the long run. This is where professional cleaners come in.

These professionals will handle the cleaning and sanitizing jobs that are becoming increasingly important now.

How cleaning and sanitation in meat plants should be done?

Here are a few common preconditions for efficient cleaning and sanitation.

• The equipment and premises should be cleaning friendly: This means smooth surfaces, and adequate materials for building structures, easy access to all the contaminated areas.
• Proven methods industrial cleaning should be available.
• Personnel working in the meat plant should be instructed regularly and trained in sanitizing and cleaning methods.

Cleaning is a process done to remove the organic substances and dirt like protein and fat particles from the surface of tools, floors, walls, and equipment. 90% of microorganisms can be cleaned with standard procedures. However, some microbes stick to the surfaces firmly, particularly in tiny and almost invisible layers of organic materials called biofilms. This cannot be removed entirely even by profound cleaning. This is why antimicrobial treatments are employed in food Industries through steam or hot water or the application of disinfectants.

Disinfectants are nothing but chemical substances used to kill microorganisms. It should not cause corrosion of equipment used in the industry and also affect our health. The application of disinfectants is called disinfection.

Why Cleaning and Sanitation of Meat Industry should be left to Professionals?

The industrial cleaning processes employed in the meat industries are quite complex. The procedure used depends on the surface to be treated and the kind contamination to be removed. While starting cleaning and sanitation, no food products should be in the area. This is because physical cleaning may stirrup producing contaminated water droplets, which can contaminate the meat present in such rooms.

Chemical cleaning might produce toxic fumes when in contact with meat products. All these factors combined can make proper cleaning and disinfection a difficult task for the personnel involved. Only people who are aware of the efficient cleaning and know to handle the different chemicals should do the cleaning process. This is why it is best advised to leave the cleaning and sanitation of the meat industry to professionals.

The author is a blogger. He offers professional meat processing plant cleaning employing the best cleaning practices. Visit https://www.ecowize.com.au for details.

Ecowize was established in Australia in 2001 and quickly grew to become the market leader in outsourced cleaning and sanitation services for the food industry.