to the most hidden parts and the rods connecting the belts , so they cannot become breeding grounds for harmful bacteria .
Conveyor belts in food processing are key focus areas for cleaning as they are in direct contact with food products .
Overcoming this challenge led to the development of Super HyCLEAN , a plastic modular belting range designed to improve cleaning efficiency and food safety . These belts have a completely flat belt surface , including on the running side , where the hinge and rod area have been minimized . The hinges have been placed on the outer sides of the belt , resulting in a flat bottom surface , significantly reducing any areas at risk of debris collection and biofilm accumulation . Furthermore , the dynamic open hinge allows water flow to reach the hinges and the rods , facilitating debris removal .
Independent third-party testing and industrial trials in the most hygienically demanding applications in poultry , fish , and red meat processing concluded that cleaning operation time and water usage can both be reduced by over 50 per cent because they trap less debris . Further testing using UV-tracers found that , after only five rinsing cycles , there was up to 4.1 times less soil residue on Super HyCLEAN compared to other commonly used hygienic plastic modular belts . Furthermore , microbiological swab tests and CFU testing showed the belts developed 20 times fewer bacterial colonies compared to commonly used hygienic modular belts .
Hygienic component considerations The next way hygiene of food processing conveyors can be improved is by using modern cleaning in place ( CIP ) units ꟷ spray cleaning bars fitted to conveyor frames to increase cleaning effectiveness . The functional use of CIPs is clear , they improve cleanability and reduce the time required for cleaning , therefore improving productivity . However , most food conveyor systems are not equipped with CIP units and it is often overly complicated to install them as aftermarket .
This perception is changing thanks to new plug-and-play hygienic CIP units that can be easily installed on any conveyor system . This allows industry to retrofit CIP units onto any system without requiring costly and disruptive engineering work , improving plant-wide cleanability and reducing the cleaning window , improving plant productivity .
Another way to improve hygiene in food processing is by installing components that allow removal of belts from conveyor frames without using tools , such as Saniclip . This facilitates easy cleaning of conveyor frames without requiring specialist engineers , drastically cutting the time required for cleaning and improving productivity .
To find out more about how Habasit can help improve sanitation programs in food processing plants , visit https : / www . habasit . com / en / Industries / Foodand--Beverage
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