Equipment Design

  1. Cleanable to a microbiological level:

    Food equipment must be constructed to ensure effective and efficient cleaning of the equipment over its life span. The equipment should be designed as to prevent bacterial ingress, survival, growth and reproduction on both produce and non-product contact surfaces of the equipment.

  2. Made of compatible materials:

    Construction materials used for equipment must be completely compatible with the product, environment, cleaning and sanitizing chemicals and the methods of cleaning and sanitation.

  3. Accessible for inspection, maintenance, cleaning and sanitation:

    All parts of the equipment shall be readily accessible for inspection, maintenance, cleaning and sanitation without the use of tools.

  4. No product or liquid collection:

    Equipment should be self-draining to assure that liquid, which can harbor and promote the growth of bacteria, does not accumulate, pool or condense on the equipment.

  5. Hollow areas should be hermetically sealed:

    Hollow areas of equipment such as frames and rollers must be eliminated whenever possible or permanently sealed. Bolts, studs, mounting plates, brackets, junction boxes, nameplates, end caps, sleeves and other such items should be continuously welded to the surface, not attached via drilled and tapped holes.

  6. No niches:

    Equipment parts should be free of niches such as pits, cracks, corrosion, recesses, open seams, gaps, lap seams, protruding ledges, inside threads, bolt rivets and dead ends.

  7. Sanitary operational performance:

    During normal operations, the equipment must perform so it does not contribute to unsanitary conditions or the harborage and growth of bacteria.

  8. Hygienic design of maintenance enclosures:

    Maintenance enclosures and human machine interfaces such as push buttons, valve handles, switches and touch screens, must be designed to ensure food product, water or product liquid does not penetrate or accumulate in or on the enclosure or interface. Also, physical design of the enclosures should be sloped or pitched to avoid use as storage area.

  9. Hygienic compatibility with other plant systems:

    Equipment design should ensure hygienic compatibility with other equipment and systems, such as electrical, hydraulics, steam, air and water.

  10. Validate cleaning and sanitizing protocols:

    Procedures for cleaning and sanitation must be clearly written, designed and proven effective and efficient. Chemicals recommended for cleaning and sanitation must be compatible with the equipment and the manufacturing environment.

Facility Design

  1. Distinct Hygienic Zones Established In The Facility:

    Maintain strict physical separations that reduce the likelihood of transfer of hazards from one area of the plant, or from one process, to another area of the plant, or process, respectively. Facilitate necessary storage and management of equipment, waste, and temporary clothing to reduce the likelihood of transfer of hazards.

  2. Personnel & Material Flows Controlled To Reduce Hazards:

    Establish traffic and process flows that control movement of production workers, managers, visitors, QA staff, sanitation and maintenance personnel, products, ingredients, rework, and packaging materials to reduce food safety risks.

  3. Water Accumulation Controlled Inside Facility:

    Design and construct a building system (floors, walls, ceilings, and, supporting infrastructure) that prevents the development and accumulation of water. Ensure that all water positively drains from the process area and that these areas will dry during the allotted time frames.

  4. Room Temperature & Humidity Controlled:

    Control room temperature and humidity to facilitate control of microbial growth. Keeping process areas cold and dry will reduce the likelihood of growth of potential food borne pathogens. Ensure that the HVAC/refrigeration systems serving process areas will maintain specified room temperatures and control room air dew point to prevent condensation. Ensure that control systems include a cleanup purge cycle (heated air make-up and exhaust) to manage fog during sanitation and to dry out the room after sanitation.

  5. Room Air Flow & Room Air Quality Controlled:

    Design, install and maintain HVAC/refrigeration systems serving process areas to ensure air flow will be from more clean to less clean areas, adequately filter air to control contaminants, provide outdoor makeup air to maintain specified airflow, minimize condensation on exposed surfaces, and capture high concentrations of heat, moisture and particulates at their source.

  6. Site Elements Facilitate Sanitary Conditions:

    Provide site elements such as exterior grounds, lighting, grading, and water management systems to facilitate sanitary conditions for the site. Control access to and from the site.

  7. Building Envelope Facilitates Sanitary Conditions:

    Design and construct all openings in the building envelope (doors, louvers, fans, and utility penetrations) so that insects and rodents have no harborage around the building perimeter, easy route into the facility, or harborage inside the building. Design and construct envelope components to enable easy cleaning and inspection.

  8. Interior Spatial Design Promotes Sanitation:

    Provide interior spatial design that enables cleaning, sanitation and maintenance of building components and processing equipment.

  9. Building Components & Construction Facilitate Sanitary Conditions:

    Design building components to prevent harborage points, ensuring sealed joints and the absence of voids. Facilitate sanitation by using durable materials and isolating utilities with interstitial spaces and stand offs.

  10. Utility Systems Designed To Prevent Contamination:

    Design and install utility systems to prevent the introduction of food safety hazards by providing surfaces that are cleanable to a microbiological level, using appropriate construction materials, providing access for cleaning, inspection and maintenance, preventing water collection points, and preventing niches and harborage points.

  11. Sanitation Integrated Into Facility Design:

    Provide proper sanitation systems to eliminate the chemical, physical and microbiological hazards existing in a food plant environment.