Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Cooking protein onto blades forming and promoting
biofilms
Blunting of knives
Poor microbiological status of the steriliser
Creation of scale in hard-water areas
Via a combination of the aforementioned factors, loss
of cross-contamination control between animals
As discussed under Reasons for cleaning and disinfecting
plant, there have been significant changes to EU  legisla-
tion over recent years. One of the key changes in animal
processing was in the procedure covering 'in-process' cut-
ting tool disinfection (Council Regulation (EC) No
853/2004). The wording of this legislation changed as
follows, to allow alternative means of disinfection:
previously present using 82C potable water. Therefore,
safe chemistry, effective dose and control methods, pro-
fessional monitoring and management become a signifi-
cant part of this new strategy for knives and cutting tools.
Alternatives that provide equivalent effect need to be
acceptable to and understood by the local competent
authority and their infield team of meat hygiene inspec-
tors and veterinarians because importantly, the disinfec-
tion of cutting tools remains a legal control point.
This new concept is still gaining ground in the EU, but
it has been shown to be at least equivalent in a number of
long-term trials with significant additional benefits, for
example:
Improvements to overall plant hygiene performance
Reduced quality/safety incidences through more con-
sistent knife treatment
Cleaner working place
Reduced levels of condensation which impacts posi-
tively on problematic microbial growth
Improved working processes related to knife hygiene,
soak time decreases and reduced blunting of knives
(Fig. 5.7)
Increased operator comfort through removing hot
water/steam
Cost savings in water and energy
Sustainable and environmentally friendly application
A common theme for FBOs when considering alterna-
tives to 82C would appear to be financial and sustaina-
bility drivers, assuming of course that the alternative
…They (slaughter houses and cutting plants) must have
facilities for disinfecting tools with hot water supplied at
not less than 82°C, or an alternative system having an
equivalent effect…
Following this legislative change, alternatives have been
proposed in order to establish in-process knife and cut-
ting tool disinfection via chemical means. The selection
of chemical disinfectant type is critical, as equivalent
effect should be understood as (i) achieving at least the
same microbiological control level on knives and (ii)
maintaining the general food safety status of the product.
This latter point is important when using chemical rather
than heat disinfection since the change procedure intro-
duces a potential food contaminant into the process, not
Figure 5.7 The visual effect of replacing 82C water with Inspexx disinfectant solution, picture on the right (Reproduced with permission
from Ecolab. © Ecolab).
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