expect them to clean it? So proper lighting was important. Processing room
requirements were between 55 and 65
foot-candles of light; packaging room
requirements were between 70 and 80
foot-candles; and sanitation requirements were between 80 and 100 foot-candles. This explains why he would
inspect the plant every 6 months with
a light meter. When bulbs were going
dim, he would have
the area relamped and
not wait for bulbs to
burn out. He was that
organized.
CIP Systems and
Circuits
But nothing was
more important in
this project to review
than his and my old
favorite—the CIP
system and circuit
diagrams. A three-tank
CIP system was to be
installed—a tank for
rinse water, cleaner
and sanitizer, respectively. Pumps used in the CIP circuit
could not be PD pumps used for product (they don’t deliver the same velocity
or turbulence needed for effective cleaning) but rather centrifugal pumps with
sufficient horsepower to move the water
with speed and turbulence. The success
of effective cleaning with CIP systems
depends on time, temperature, chemical
concentration, velocity and turbulent
flow versus laminar flow.
The volume of water needed to fill
the largest circuit had to be calculated
to determine the size of CIP tanks to
eliminate pump cavitation. Because of
the lengths of some circuits, and knowing that every elbow and pipe size reduction impeded flow, portable booster
centrifugal pumps would be added to
the circuits where necessary to ensure
the minimal required velocity of 5 feet/
second.
Air-actuated valves had to be fer-
ruled in-line for cleaning removability
and have a sight glass with pop-up
button to ensure they were pulsing cor-
rectly during CIP operation. Associated
jumper pipes for the CIP mode had to
be labeled for the correct circuit and
designed as swing pipes from produc-
tion mode to CIP mode. If the swing
couldn’t be made due to the line con-
figuration, jumper pipes were stored in
a designated area with easy access to the
operators who would use them. Spray
balls for tanks and
vessels on the circuit
had to be evaluated to
make sure the interior
surfaces had a full-
coverage spray pattern
and enough force to
completely remove
product residue.
Mr. Jay was amaz-
ing to watch. He was
in his element and
worked so well with
the project engineers
in terms of explaining
why design changes
needed to be made.
His focus was on
people and system in-
tegration to ensure product protection.
He may not have won every challenge,
but he certainly won those that were
most important. He had long-range vi-
sion and could see how putting the hard
work in on the front end of the sanitary
design phase would pay off on the back
end with the continued success of his
sanitation program and operators who
conducted cleaning.
Lessons in Sanitation
I had a front-row seat to this unique
experience. Mr. Jay took me under his
wing. What should have been a short
month or two stint on third shift lasted
2. 5 years. During that time, I picked the
brain of a man who was truly a sanitation genius and learned everything I
possibly could. He gave me a book that
I still reference to this day. It’s called
Engineering for Food Safety and Sanitation — A Guide to the Sanitary Design of
Food Plants and Food Plant Equipment.1
Although the pictures may be a bit out-
dated, the principles and foundation of
the book are still relevant. It is my bible
for sanitary design. I always say I got
my B.Sc. in food science from that Big
10 university, but I earned my “ M.Sc.
in sanitation” from working under the
mentorship of Mr. Jay.
That project was back in 1990: To
this day, I have never met another
sanitation manager like him. He had
absolute control over the plant’s sanitation process, was very strategic and organized in his approach. He knew every
piece of equipment, the capabilities and
knowledge of his cleaning crew, various
cleaning techniques, chemical handling,
cleaning verification and pest control.
Mr. Jay conducted trend analysis of
microbial swab results for clean equipment, nonproduct contact surfaces and
drains. He understood cleaning verification data and used them to make sanitation process improvements. He also
knew sanitary design; it is the keystone
upon which an effective sanitation program is built.
It has been almost 30 years since that
project. The plant and Mr. Jay are both
gone now. So, as a consultant, I try to
do my part in sharing what I’ve learned
from him and subsequent experiences
with the young, bright sanitation and
QA professionals coming up in this industry. This is my passion.
A few years ago, I had the good
fortune of seeing my former QA boss,
the wise old sage who had since retired
from the food industry. I thanked him
for sending me to third shift. He was
right about sanitation—understanding it,
embracing it, living it and breathing it
did give me the tools I needed for a successful career. n
Ronda Dunson is the CEO of Food Systems Consulting
Group.
Reference
1. Imholte, TJ. 1984. Engineering for Food
Safety and Sanitation — A Guide to the
Sanitary Design of Food Plants and Food
Plant Equipment (New York: Thompson
& Co.).
SANITARY DESIGN
“…operators
conducting sanitation
were trained on
how to clean and
protect water-
sensitive electrical
equipment…”