meat and poultry sanitation

S.R.Swaminathan (BTF 06‐027)

Contents

What is sanitation?

Introduction Common pathogens

Sanitizers for meat and poultry plants Cleaning practices for meat and poultry plants

Sanitation procedures


What is sanitation?

The word sanitation comes from the latin word sanitas , which means “health”. In the food industry , sanitation means creating and maintaining hygienic and healthful conditions. Scientific principles are used by healthy food handlers in a hygienic environment to produce wholesome food. Sanitation can reduce the growth of microorganisms on equipment and dirt on food. This can reduce contamination of food by microorganisms that cause foodborne illness and food spoilage.

Sanitation is more than cleanliness. Food or equipment can be free of visible dirt and still be contaminated with microorganisms or chemicals that can cause illness or food spoilage. Sanitary principles also apply to waste disposal and can help reduce pollution and improve ecological balance.

Introduction

Meal and poultry are perishable foods (i.e., they spoil quickly), and the meat discolors easily. Poor sanitation allows microbes to cause even more damage to the flavor and color of meat. A good sanitation program reduces color changes and spoilage and increase the shelf life of meat and poultry.

In the meat and poultry industry, sanitation begins with the live animal or bird and continues until the food product is served. Management should plan, enforce, and supervise the sanitation program thoroughly. The person in charge of the program should report to top management and make sure that the facility and food products are sanitary. Trained staff should clean and inspect the plant and equipment and be responsible for keeping it clean.


Common pathogens

Meat and poultry products cause about 23% of foodborne illness outbreaks. They are associated with 5 to 10 % of deaths caused by foodborne disease. Pathogens associated with meat and poultry are listeria monocytogenes, E.coli, salmonella spp., and campylobacter spp.

Listeria monocytogenes is often found on retail cuts of fresh poultry and red meats. It is often found around wet areas and cleaning equipments, such as floors, drains, wash areas, ceiling condensation, mop and sponges, brine chillers, and at peeler stations. Refrigeration at 4 to 5°C (a common storage temperature) does not stop this pathogen from growing. Possible ways to control include antimicrobial agents, colder storage (<2°C), making products with lower water activity or pH, or pasteurization products after processing. On of the best ways to control pathogens is by preventing cross‐contamination.

Sanitizers for meat and poultry plants

Sanitizers work only on clean surfaces, i.e., after all dirt is removed. Soil that can prevent the sanitizer from working properly include fats, meat juices, blood grease, oil, and mineral buildup. Microbes can grow under and inside soil and can hold food and water that allow microbes to grow. Chemical sanitizers cannot destroy micoorganisms in or under soil deposits.

i) Steam

Steam is not a good sanitizer. Many operators think that water vapor is steam and do not expose the equipment to


enough steam to sanitize it. Workers should not use steam to sanitize refrigerated areas because it cause condensation and wastes energy. Steam also does not sanitize conveyors properly.

ii) Chemical sanitizers

Chlorine is the most important compound for disinfecting, sterilizing, and sanitizing equipment, utensils, and water. Meat and poultry operations most often use these chlorine compounds:

Sodium and calcium hypochlorite: these cost more than plain chlorine, but are easier to apply.

Liquid chlorine: this chlorinates processing and cooling waters and prevents bacterial slimes.

Active iodide solutions can also sanitize. Iodophors are very stable, have a much longer shelf life than hypochlorites, and work at low concentrations. These sanitizing compounds are easy to measure and dispense, and penetrate dirt well. They prevent films and spotting because of their acidity. The temperature of the sanitizing solution should be below 48°C.

Quaternary ammonium compounds work well on floors, walls, equipment, and furnishings in meat and poultry plants. The “quats” work well on porous surface because they penetrate well. Quats form a film on surfaces which inhibitd bacterial growth. Sanitizers and compounds that contain an acid and a quat sanitizer work best for controlling l.monocytogenes and mold. Sanitarians may use quats temporarily when they find mold buildup.

Acid sanitizers combine rinsing and sanitizing steps. Acid neutralizes the excess alkali from the cleaning residues, prevents alkaline deposits from forming, and sanitizes.


Cleaning practices for meat and poultry plants

An efficient cleaning arrangement can reduce labor costs up to 50%. Proper construction and equipment selection are critical for the most effective cleaning operation. It is important that the floors, walls, and ceilings be constructed of impervious material that can be easily cleaned. Floors should be sloped with a minimum of 10.5 mm/m.

i) Hot water wash

Because soil from meat and poultry is primarily fat and protein deposits, a hot water wash is not an effective cleaning method. Hot water can loosen and melt fat deposits but tends to polymerize fats, denature proteins, and complicate removal of protein deposits by binding them more tightly to the surface to be cleaned. The main advantage of a hot‐water wash system is minimal investment of cleaning equipment. Limitations of this approach include increased labor requirements and water condensation on equipment, walls, and ceilings. It is difficult to remove heavy soil with this system.

ii) High pressure, low volume cleaning

High pressure, low volume spray cleaning is a viable method in the meat and poultry industry because of the effectiveness with which it removes tenacious soils. With this equipment , the operator can more effectively clean difficult to reach areas with less labor, and the cleaning compound is more effective at a lower temperature.

This hydraulic cleaning system can be provided by portable units that can be easily moved throughout the


plant. This portable equipment can be utilized for cleaning parts of equipment and building surfaces and is especially effective for conveyors and processing equipment when soaking operations are impractical and hand brushing is difficult and labor intensive.

iii) Foam cleaning

Foam is particularly beneficial in cleaning large surface areas of meat and poultry plants and is frequently used to clean transportation equipment exteriors, ceilings, walls, piping, belts, and storage containers. Portable foam equipment is similar in size and cost to portable high pressure units. Centralized foam cleaning applies cleaning compounds by the same desirable features as a centralized system.

iv) Gel cleaning

This equipment is similar to high pressure units, except that the cleaning compound is applied as a gel rather than as a high pressure spray. Gel is especially effective for cleaning packaging equipment because it clings to the surfaces for subsequent soil removal. Equipment cost is similar to that of portable high pressure units.

v) Combination centralized high pressure, low volume and foam cleaning

This system is the same as centralized high pressure except that foam can also be applied through the equipment. This method offers the most flexibility because foam can be used on large surface areas, and high pressure can be applied to belts, conveyors, and hard to reach areas in a meat and poultry plant. Equipment costs for this system range from $15,000 to over $150000, depending on size.


vi) Cleaning in place (CIP)

With this closed system, a recalculating cleaning solution is applied by installed nozzles, which automatically clean, rinse and sanitize equipment. The use of CIP system in the meat and poultry industry is limited. This equipment is expensive and lacks effectiveness in heavily soiled areas. CIP cleaning has some application in vacuum thawing chambers, pumping and brine circulation lines, preblend/ batch silos, and edible and inedible fat rendering systems. The motor and drive components are mounted on a base plate. As the shackles pass between two rotating brushes they are cleaned. The brushes can be lifted above the rail when not in use.

Sanitation procedures

Detailed cleaning operations should be written and posted in the plant . documentation of procedures is beneficial when supervision changes are made and for training of new employees. As mechanization increases , cleaning methods become correspondingly more detailed and complicated. Prior to adopting a cleaning procedure, it is essential to become familiar with the operation of all production and cleaning equipment. In addition to providing the necessary information, this can lead to improvements in methods that are used or should be incorporated.

The following are examples of cleaning procedure that could be used for distinct operations and areas in a plant. These examples are only guidelines. Every cleaning application should be adapted to the prevailing conditions. Although this step will not be mentioned, hoses and other equipment should be returned to their proper locations after cleanup.


1. Livestock and poultry trucks

Frequency : after each load has been hauled

1.Scrape remove all manure that has accumulated from the premises.

2.Completely remove all manure, mud, and other debris, completely disinfecting with a quaternary ammonium

2. Slaughter area

Frequency : daily. Debris should be periodically removed during the production shift

1.Briefly pre rinse all soiled areas with 50 to 55°C water

2.Apply an alkaline cleaner using foam system to all framwork, undersides, and other difficult to reach areas.

3.Allow 5 to 20 mins and rinse well.

4.Apply white edible oil to surface subject to rust corrosion.

5.Clean specialized equipment according to manufacture advice.

3. Poultry mechanical eviscerators

Frequency : daily. A continuous or intermittent sanitizer spray should be provided to reduce contamination

1.Frequently clean up all large pieces.

2.Prerinse with 50°C water.

3.Apply alkaline cleaner

4.Allow 10 to 20 mins.

5.Rinse well with water.

6.Apply 200 ppm cl


4. Poultry pickers

Frequency : daily

1.Prerinse with 50°C water.

2.Apply a heavy‐duty alkaline cleaner through shower cabinets or tank.

3.Exposure for 20 mins.

4.Rinse well.

5. Receiving & shipping area

Frequency : daily

1.Cover electrical lines, scales and exposed products.

2.Rinse the walls and floors with 50 °C

3.Apply acid cleaning.

4.Wait for 20 mins.

5.Remove, clean, and replace drain covers in the proper position after rinse‐down.

6. Storage cooler

Frequency : weekly

1.Clean each section, when empty.

2.Rinse thoroughly with 55°C with a reliable floor cleaner.

3.Work on debris.

4.Squeegee the floor where water has accumulated to prevent it from freezing.

meat and poultry sanitation

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