Campden BRI has updated guidance on the design, implementation and control of cleaning and disinfection of food factories. The revised version will help food and drink manufacturers ensure their factories are cleaned and disinfected effectively so that they maintain a high hygienic standard and continue to produce safe products.

It comes as a result of close collaboration with industry experts to align it with changes in the management of hygiene in food production ensuring it reflects the most up-to-date thinking, research and developments.

Phil Voysey, senior microbiologist at Campden BRI and editor of the updated guidelines, said:

“The coronavirus pandemic has seen factory cleaning prioritised like never before, but even prior to the public health crisis food businesses needed to comply with the EU regulations related to the hygiene of foodstuffs to remain in business. We’re excited to release this revised version because it is not only up to date with the relevant regulations but is also refreshed with recent developments in the area of factory hygiene, including new controls and cleaning chemical products.”

Food manufacturers, retailers and regulatory bodies prepared the new guidance in conjunction with Campden BRI scientists to provide a single source of information on cleaning and disinfecting a food factory. It will help the industry understand when to clean, how to clean and what chemicals to use to remove physical, chemical and microbiological contaminants. To achieve this, the comprehensive guideline covers a number of specific areas, including:

• how to select the appropriate chemicals – based on differences in equipment, facilities and ingredients/foods being handled
• how to eliminate the virus that causes COVID-19 from a factory environment
• the various methods of cleaning and disinfection
• the equipment needed to carry out effective cleaning
• how to build cleaning schedules
• the timing and frequency of cleaning, and
• how to monitor factory cleanliness and verify that cleaning has been carried out successfully.

Voysey continued:

“Incorporating the combined experience of industry leaders into this single document provides food and drink manufacturers invaluable guidance at their fingertips. This includes the best approaches to dealing with cleaning particularly tricky areas including drains and floors, and how to avoid common hygiene mistakes.”

Campden BRI collaborated with a working party made up of the food industry to ensure the guideline document – Cleaning and disinfection of food factories: a practical guide (Second edition) 2020 – is relevant to manufacturers and covers many of the cleaning-related challenges that they will come across. The new guidance is now available from Campden BRI.