Home > Waste Management, Cleaning and Sanitation in Food Industries

Waste Management:

Waste products, (processing waste) including trash, cuttings, leaves, and pods generated from the processing of fresh produce, can be a source of contamination. Decomposing waste can serve to spread microorganisms around the facility and generate offensive odours, thereby attracting pests that may be vectors of pathogenic organisms. The following GMPs should be observed for the daily management of waste in a packing facility.

Proper Handling of Waste:

A designated area must be identified for internal and external temporary storage of waste. All staff must be trained to ensure that waste is properly handled and collection procedures correctly followed.

External: (1) Areas designated for storage of waste must be at least 4.5m (15ft.) away from the packing facility and placed so as to minimize the contamination of food.

(2) This area should be designed to facilitate easy cleaning and removal of the waste to prevent accumulation of residues, pest harbourage and bad odours.

(3) A schedule of frequent waste disposal must be established and records kept.

(4) Waste container must be clearly labelled and covered at all times.

Internal: (1) Waste containers inside the packing facility must be clearly labelled, conveniently placed and tightly covered when not in use.

(2) Remove all waste products frequently and include waste collection procedures in daily cleaning activities;

(3) It is recommended that organic and inorganic waste should be separated for recycling purposes.

Cleaning and Sanitation:

To reduce the risk of produce contamination, all food-contact surfaces must be properly cleaned and sanitized before and after use and records kept.

Cleaning Methods:

The packing facility should be cleaned daily to minimize and or prevent contamination of food. Areas that are in direct contact with food are particularly important. Cleaning can be carried out by separate or combined use of physical methods, such as heat, scrubbing, turbulent flow, vacuum cleaning or other methods that avoid the use of water, and chemical methods using detergents; alkalis or acids.

Cleaning procedure should involve where appropriate:

• Removing gross debris from surfaces
• Applying a detergent solution to loosen soil and bacterial film and hold them in solution and suspension
• Rinsing with potable water to remove loosened soil and residues of detergents.
• Dry cleaning or other appropriate methods for removing and collecting residues and debris. Where necessary disinfect with subsequent rinsing unless manufacturers’ instructions indicate on a scientific basis that rinsing is not required.

Cleaning tools can be a major source of biological hazard when not handled properly. Always wash and sanitize all cleaning tools after use and replace them regularly to avoid growth of microbes.

• This area should be designed to facilitate easy cleaning and removal of the waste to prevent accumulation of residues, pest harbourage and bad odours.
• A schedule of frequent waste disposal should be established and records kept.

Sanitizing:

To reduce microorganisms, all food-contact surfaces should be treated with sanitizing agents. Sanitizing is not a substitute for proper cleaning; therefore, all food-contact surfaces must be cleaned prior to sanitizing to remove dirt, dust, food residues and biofilm. The presence of these reduces the effectiveness of sanitizing agents.

When selecting a sanitizer for food-contact surfaces, the following considerations should be borne in mind:

• Type of surface being sanitized
• Sanitizing equipment available
• Effectiveness of sanitizing agent against certain pathogens
• Effectiveness under practical conditions
• Sanitizers must be food safe

Type of Sanitizing:

Thermal: This can be done by dry heat but most often involves the use of hot water or steam. The exposure to heat should be for a specific time and temperature.

Chemical: Chemical sanitizers are a group of compounds that are used to destroy or substantially reduce the number of undesirable microorganisms. Chlorine based sanitizers are the most commonly used sanitizers in food applications.

Handling and Use of Sanitizing Agents:

• Storage of sanitizers must be separate from fresh produce and packing material;
• Employees should be trained in safe handling and use of sanitizers.
• Carefully follow specific manufacturer’s handling and usage instructions for each product.
• Employees should wear protective gear, such as goggles and gloves, while handling and working with sanitizers.
• Handling and disposal of sanitizers should be in accordance with national standards

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