- PDF Version (352K) - Print Friendly - Help

Industry Standard 3/Industry Agreed Standard 3 (IS3/IAS3)

13 Cleaning Programmes

Amendment 3

May 2004

Scope

This section applies to the cleaning programmes used in all food areas and food support facilities, non-food areas and byproduct premises where the condition of the facility may contribute to a food hazard or the contamination of a byproduct.

13.1 Outcome

The premises and equipment shall be cleaned and sanitised at a frequency which maintains their hygienic status.

13.2 General Principles

All parts of every production area shall be cleaned on a regular or planned basis.

The frequency of cleaning shall be appropriate to the nature of the process and be commensurate with the hygienic status of the food or byproducts. Periodic cleaning and sanitising of plant and equipment may occur between shifts and between runs, depending on the requirements of the food, byproduct process or production criteria.

13.3 Cleaning Programmes

The Licensee shall develop and document a programme for routinely cleaning the premises.

13.3.1 Documentation

The documented programme shall include, but is not restricted to:

13.3.1.1 the areas, structures and equipment that are to be routinely cleaned;

13.3.1.2 the frequency of cleaning, including periodic clean-ups, between shift clean-ups, mid-shift clean-ups and end of day cleaning;

13.3.1.3 the cleaning and sanitising procedures detailing, where necessary, the special requirements of any particular area, structure or piece of equipment;

13.3.1.4 the list of authorised chemical detergents, sanitisers and other production aids that are used;

13.3.1.5 records of routine cleaning of areas, structures or equipment that are cleaned at a frequency which is less than once per day.

13.3.2 Appropriate cleaning programmes

The cleaning programme shall be appropriate to the nature of the type of food and the process.

13.3.2.1 For foods of high water activity (moist foods), the programme shall include an appropriate wet cleaning routine based on the principles outlined in Section 13.5.

13.3.2.2 For dry food and packaged foods, the programme shall include an appropriate dry cleaning routine based on the principles outlined in Section 13.6.

13.3.2.3 In some circumstances where the food type may contain moisture (e.g. pastry, pasta and semi-moist products) the cleaning routines may include both wet and dry cleaning procedures due to the nature of the equipment and the facilities. In these instances a programme shall include the principles for both dry and wet cleaning outlined in Sections 13.5 and 13.6.

13.4 Microbiological Monitoring

13.4.1 General requirements

Microbiological monitoring of the processing environment and food contact surfaces of plant and equipment shall be carried out to verify the effectiveness of the cleaning programme.

13.4.1.1 Indicator organisms

a. The programme shall include the surveillance of aerobic plate counts using methods generally recommended for microbiological surveillance of the environment.

b. Rapid tests for hygiene evaluation, e.g. bioluminescence, may be routinely used provided the methods are adequately calibrated against quantitative aerobic plate count data.

13.4.1.2 Pathogens

The programme shall establish a specific pathogen profile where there is a likelihood for a particular environmental pathogen to create an adverse food safety outcome in a specific product, e.g. Listeria monocytogenes in cooked ready to eat foods.

13.4.2 Performance standards

The microbiological condition of any food contact surface during operations, as measured by the mean log10 count of the indicator organism(s), should not exceed the expected mean log10 count of similar indicator organism(s) on product.

13.5 Wet Processing Areas

13.5.1 Application

All food areas and food support areas shall be wet cleaned except where dry cleaning is otherwise permitted.

13.5.2 Frequency of cleaning

Wet cleaning and sanitising shall be carried out at the frequency specified by the particular standard in force. Where no frequency has been specified, all wet food areas shall be cleaned and sanitised, all food support areas shall be cleaned and where appropriate sanitised, at least once per 24 hour period.

13.5.3 Wet cleaning procedures

Wet cleaning operations shall include procedures for:

13.5.3.1 removal of loose scraps and surface soil;

13.5.3.2 the use of chemicals and cleaning equipment, including any special requirements for the use of chemical compounds that may be used where direct food contact can occur;

13.5.3.3 cleaning areas, structures or equipment that may require special attention, such as food contact points, chutes, viscera trays, overheads and clean-in-place (CIP) systems.

13.5.4 Prevention from contamination

Cleaning operations shall be carried out in a manner that will prevent the contamination of food, food contact material (e.g. wrappings, etc.) or previously cleaned areas, structures or equipment with waste water from wash down procedures.

13.5.5 Equipment

Wet cleaning equipment (e.g. mops, scrubbers, hoses, and buckets) shall be stored and maintained in such a manner that they do not provide a source of direct or indirect contamination to food. Refer also to IS2/IAS2.

13.5.5.1 Wet cleaning equipment shall be stored in an hygienic manner away from the main food areas.

13.5.5.2 Single use wet cleaning equipment is recommended. Where multiple use equipment is used, e.g. mops, scrubbers and buckets, they shall be sanitised and/or sterilised prior to reuse and maintained in a good state of repair.

13.5.5.3 The use of steel wool should be avoided. If used, the affected area shall be thoroughly washed and checked for contamination by metal fibres.

13.5.6 Chemicals

The use of chemical compounds shall conform with the principles outlined in IS3/IAS3: Section 14.

13.6 Dry Cleaning

13.6.1 Application

Premises, and facilities in premises, that are dedicated to processing, handling and storing dry foods may be dry cleaned. Wet cleaning is not considered necessary for microbiological control in these instances provided the equipment and environment remains dry. This section also applies to rooms holding or storing packaged product and packaging material.

13.6.2 Food residues and dust

13.6.2.1 Dry food residues and dust shall not accumulate excessively on equipment or in the environment where it may serve as a breeding site for vermin, particularly insects.

13.6.2.2 The moisture levels in any airborne food dust which may rest on ledges, external equipment surfaces, etc., shall be below levels sufficient to support microbial growth.

13.6.2.3 Process scraps shall be removed from dry processing areas at least daily. The containers shall be clean and dry before being returned to the processing area.

13.6.3 Cleaning methods

13.6.3.1 Cleaning methods shall minimise the creation of dust and air-borne contamination.

13.6.3.2 A regular cleaning programme shall be in place for the filters and air handling system where dust extraction systems are installed.

13.6.3.3 Where vacuum cleaning systems are employed, a sufficient number of vacuum cleaners shall be provided to ensure frequent cleaning.

a. Filters shall be changed regularly.

b. The removal of dust bags shall be carried out regularly and away from the food areas.

c. Portable vacuum systems shall be protected from moisture during transportation and storage.

d. Portable vacuum cleaners shall not be dismantled for cleaning in a food area. The principles of dry cleaning processing equipment shall apply to the cleaning of vacuum cleaners.

13.6.3.4 Where pressurised air is used, the air shall be contained within the internal equipment surfaces (e.g. cleaning of chutes).

13.6.3.5 Compressed air coming in direct contact with food contact surfaces shall be filtered if it is not otherwise treated to remove contaminants. Refer also to IS2/IAS2.

13.6.3.6 Brushing and scraping procedures may use an edible oil or food grade solvent (e.g. 70% ethanol) to facilitate the removal of fatty food residues from equipment surfaces.

13.6.4 Cleaning frequency

13.6.4.1 The frequency of cleaning shall be determined from a microbiological evaluation of the types of raw materials used, the characteristics of the process and the nature of the food soils and the environmental residues.

13.6.4.2 Microbiological monitoring shall be carried out according to the principles set out in Section 13.4.1.

13.6.4.3 The numbers of micro-organisms on food contact surfaces should not exceed in-house base levels that have been established for the indicator organisms, see also Section 13.4.2.

13.6.5 Dry cleaning equipment

13.6.5.1 Cleaning equipment (brushes and scrapers, etc.) shall be cleaned and sanitised regularly in a manner appropriate to the type of equipment.

13.6.5.2 Equipment used to clean food contact surfaces shall not be used for other purposes.

13.6.5.3 Equipment removed from a dry processing area for purposes of wet cleaning shall be dry prior to its return and reassembly.

13.6.6 Wet cleaning in dry food areas

13.6.6.1 If wet cleaning is necessary (e.g. of fixed processing equipment) the amount of water used shall be kept to a minimum. All water, and steam, shall be contained within the immediate area that is being wet cleaned.

13.6.6.2 If the entire dry food area requires wet cleaning (i.e. walls, ceiling, equipment, etc.), adequate amounts of water shall be used to ensure all residues are removed.

13.6.6.3 All equipment and food surfaces that are wet cleaned shall be free from food residues and moisture before the processing of dry food products restarts.

13.6.6.4 Sanitisers shall be used during wet cleaning to minimise the risk of bacteriological growth during drying. Forced ventilation with hot air should be used where practical to shorten the drying time as much as possible.

13.7 Plant and Equipment

13.7.1 Application

13.7.1.1 Equipment, including personal equipment, utensils and containers shall be cleaned according to the specific requirements relating to slaughter and dressing, (see IS5/IAS5) or after the completion of each shift and shall be:

a. sanitised or sterilised at least once per 24 hours on each day that production occurs;

b. sanitised or sterilised after coming in contact with contaminated material;

c. sterilised after coming in contact with diseased material.

13.7.2 Food contact surfaces

13.7.2.1 Food contact surfaces of equipment used for processing raw food shall be cleaned at:

a. the start of each new process operation (unless they have already been cleaned and sanitised, see also IS3/IAS3: Section 13.9), or

b. at a frequency that has been determined and validated according to IS3/IAS3: Section 13.4.2 in respect of wet cleaning, or Section 13.6.4 in respect of dry cleaning.

13.7.2.2 Process scraps shall be removed from food contact surfaces at breaks or once every 2.5 hours which ever is soonest.

13.7.3 Equipment used for ready-to-eat products

All equipment used for the processing of unpackaged, ready-to-eat products shall be cleaned and sanitised after not more than 5 hours processing.

13.7.4 Temporarily idle equipment

All equipment or machinery which has been used but is temporarily idle shall be cleaned prior to reuse if the delay is in excess of 4 hours. In the case of equipment used for processing ready to eat products, the equipment shall be cleaned and sanitised.

13.7.5 Clean-in-place systems

The requirements of Section 13.7 relating to the frequency of cleaning and sterilising, or sanitising, shall apply to equipment where clean-in-place (CIP) systems are used. Refer also to IS2/IAS2.

13.8 Chutes, Overheads, Skids and Gambrels

13.8.1 Chutes

13.8.1.1 Any product or byproduct chute, which leads from any food area, shall be cleaned at least once every 24 hours during production. Product chutes shall be cleaned and sterilised if they become contaminated.

13.8.1.2 The cleaning of product chutes shall not result in contamination of food or packaging materials.

13.8.2 Overhead structures

13.8.2.1 Overhead structures in food areas shall be inspected regularly and cleaned as appropriate.

13.8.2.2 Daily procedures shall include the removal of obvious contaminants.

13.8.2.3 Where any overhead structure is a constant source of contamination, it shall be regarded as a food contact surface and cleaned according to the requirements of those surfaces.

13.8.2.4 Condensation on overhead structures directly above food shall be regarded as a critical defect.

13.8.3 Hooks, gambrels and skids

13.8.3.1 Hooks, gambrels and skids shall be cleaned and sterilised/sanitised at the following frequencies:

a. after each use, when they are used on uninspected carcasses or contaminated material;

b. daily, when used on carcasses or product which has passed inspection;

c. or at any time they become contaminated.

13.8.3.2 Chemical baths used in the cleaning programme shall be drained and cleaned when contaminated. Any accumulated fat waste shall be removed on a daily basis. The chemical bath system shall include the use of an effective sanitiser or steriliser.

13.8.3.3 After cleaning and sanitising or sterilisation, hooks, gambrels and skids shall be stored in a manner which minimises re-contamination prior to use. The rooms used to clean and store hooks, gambrels and skids shall be kept in a clean condition.

13.9 Between Species Cleaning

All equipment and food contact surfaces should be cleaned between processing different species.

13.10 Carcass Chillers and Cooling Floors

13.10.1 General requirements

Except where the cleaning requirements for continuous operations are in force, carcass chillers and cooling floors shall be cleaned whenever the room is emptied and before reuse. Cleaning procedures shall take into account condensation, rail dust and rail oil drip.

13.10.2 Fans and evaporators

Fans and evaporators shall be cleaned and sanitised periodically. The procedures may include, or necessitate, fumigation with sanitisers.

13.10.3 Continuous operations of carcass chillers and cooling floors

13.10.3.1 All walls shall be visually clean before operations commence each day.

13.10.3.2 Floors shall be progressively cleaned each day in a manner which does not contaminate carcasses.

13.10.3.3 A complete sanitation of the room shall be performed at least weekly unless a customised sanitation programme is developed and implemented, see Section 13.11.

13.11 Customised Sanitation Programmes

13.11.1 General requirement

Licensees may develop and implement customised sanitation programmes based on validated systems for microbiological monitoring and sanitary control.

13.11.2 Documentation

The programme shall be fully documented and include the following elements.

13.11.2.1 Objectives

A description of the programme's objectives and scope, i.e. the plant facilities and/or equipment that will be covered by the programme.

13.11.2.2 Authorities and responsibilities

A list of the authorities and responsibilities of personnel involved in the cleaning programme.

13.11.2.3 Procedures

The procedures for cleaning and sanitising/sterilising that are to be performed.

13.11.2.4 Cleaning frequency

The frequency at which cleaning and sanitising/sterilising will occur.

13.11.2.5 Standards

The objective hygiene standards that are to be achieved by the cleaning procedures.

13.11.2.6 Measurements

The measurements, and frequency of measurements, that will be made to verify the effectiveness of the cleaning programme.

13.11.2.7 Records

The records that will be kept.

13.12 Byproduct Areas

The principles for cleaning programmes shall apply to non-food areas where byproducts, pet food and biological byproducts are produced in order that the premises is maintained in a clean state and fit for the purpose.