Brewery Bottling Machine
Biofilm Control
On-line monitoring to detect biofilm formation on a bottling machine reduces the risk of
product contamination and increases filling capacity of the bottling machine
The Situation
In the brewing and beverage industry,
the potential build-up of biofilm on
air-exposed surfaces of bottling
units creates a high risk of product
contamination. Wet surfaces,
splashing product and air-borne
micro-organisms promote biofilm
build-up where product-spoiling or
pathogenic micro-organisms can
develop. Aerosols and splashes
resulting from the high speed motion
of bottles that are filled but still open,
can transfer biofilm from the surfaces
of the filling machine to the product.
Several probes were installed at
This risk is routinely managed
different locations on the bottling
by employing excessive cleaning
machine (Figure 1) providing a
measures and in many cases biocide
continuous, on-line signal that
overdosing on a time-based schedule.
corresponded to the actual biofilm
Condition based cleaning (CBC) as
a cost reducing alternative to time
based cleaning
formation rate on the surfaces and
level of contamination risk. The
signal was used to initiate a cleaning
regime when the biofilm level reached
CBC was implemented in a brewery
a pre-defined limit replacing the
using ONVIDA’s onvi-CONTROL
rinsing at regular intervals. In this way
monitoring devices for on-line
unnecessary time-based cleaning
measurement of biofilm formation on
measures were avoided and the filler
a bottling machine.
surfaces were cleaned only when
necessary.
Figure 1 onvi-CONTROL probe in the area of filler out-feed
Figure 2 shows the signal from two probes and the pre-defined critical control level of biofilm atta