Role of Properly Designed Food Processing Equipment
and Machinery in GMPs

Properly designed food factories can only provide protective covering but the role of properly designed machines is as vital as the quality of raw material. Food machines are contact surfaces in food establishment, any negligence while selecting food machines can be as fatal as selecting an inferior quality of raw material for processing.

While selecting and designing any food processing or handling equipment we must consider the following attributes of the system:

Durability and Strength

Equipment and utensils shall be designed and constructed to be durable and to retain their characteristic qualities under normal use conditions. This is essential because food factories most of the time runs round the year and in various climatic conditions. At the same time food as well as workers safety should be the integral part of the design.

Food temperature measuring devices may not have sensors or stems constructed of glass, except that thermometers with glass sensors or stems that are encased in a shatterproof coating.

Cleanability

Food-Contact Surfaces: In order to ensure cleanability, multiuse food-contact surfaces shall be

(A) Smooth;
(B) Free of breaks, open seams, cracks, chips, pits, and similar imperfections;
(C) Free of sharp internal angles, corners, and crevices;
(D) Finished to have smooth welds and joints; and
(E) Accessible for cleaning and inspection by one of the following methods:

1. Without being disassembled,
2. By disassembling without the use of tools, or
3. By easy disassembling with the use of handheld tools commonly available to maintenance and cleaning personnel such as screwdrivers, pliers, open-end wrenches, etc.

Accuracy

The food processing equipment must ensure accuracy for processing parameters. Accuracy is vital to ensure proper processing of foods. Under-processing may lead to serious food safety hazard and over-processing leads to deterioration of food quality and nutrients, high cost of production due to over spending of energy and uncomfortable working conditions. In extreme cases it can be a serious safety hazard.

Accuracy is required for:

• Temperature Measuring Devices
• Pressure Measuring Devices

Temperature Measuring Devices:

In a mechanically refrigerated or hot food storage unit, the sensor of a temperature measuring device shall be located to measure the air temperature in the warmest part of a mechanically refrigerated unit and in the coolest part of a hot food storage unit.

Except as specified in the following para of this section, cold or hot holding equipment used for potentially hazardous food shall be designed to include and shall be equipped with at least one integral or permanently affixed temperature measuring device that is located to allow easy viewing of the device's temperature display.

Above para of this section does not apply to equipment for which the placement of a temperature measuring device is not a practical means for measuring the ambient air surrounding the food because of the design, type, and use of the equipment, such as, heat lamps, cold plates, steam tables, insulated food transport containers, salad bars, etc..

Temperature measuring devices shall be designed to be easily readable.

Food temperature measuring devices and water temperature measuring devices on ware-washing machines shall have a numerical scale, printed record, or digital readout in increments no greater than 1oC or 2oF in the intended range of use.

Temperature Measuring Devices for Food

Food temperature measuring devices that are scaled only in Celsius or dually scaled in Celsius and Fahrenheit shall be accurate to +1oC in the intended range of use. Food temperature measuring devices that are scaled only in Fahrenheit shall be accurate to +2oF in the intended range of use.

Temperature Measuring Devices for Ambient Air and Water

Ambient air and water temperature measuring devices that are scaled in Celsius or dually scaled in Celsius and Fahrenheit shall be designed to be easily readable and accurate to +1.5oC in the intended range of use. Ambient air and water temperature measuring devices that are scaled only in Fahrenheit shall be accurate to +3oF in the intended range of use.

Pressure Measuring Devices, Mechanical Warewashing Equipment

Pressure measuring devices that display the pressures in the water supply line for the fresh hot water sanitising rinse shall have increments of 7 kilopascals (1 pounds per square inch) or smaller and shall be accurate to + 14 kilopascals (+ 2 pounds per square inch) in the 100-170 kilopascals (15-25 pounds per square inch) range.

Functionality

In order to maintain the good working condition inside food factory and proper maintenance of the equipment, the functionality of the machines must be properly considered.

Ventilation Hood Systems, Drip Prevention

Exhaust ventilation hood systems in food preparation and warewashing areas including components such as hoods, fans, guards, and ducting shall be designed to prevent grease or condensation from draining or dripping onto food, equipment, utensils, linens, and single-service and single-use articles.

Equipment Openings, Closures and Deflectors

A cover or lid for equipment shall overlap the opening and be sloped to drain.

• An opening located within the top of a unit of equipment that is designed for use with a cover or lid shall be flanged upward at least 5 millimetres (two-tenths of an inch).
• Except as specified under the following para of this section, fixed piping, temperature measuring devices, rotary shafts, and other parts extending into equipment shall be provided with a watertight joint at the point where the item enters the equipment.
• If a watertight joint is not provided:
• The piping, temperature measuring devices, rotary shafts, and other parts extending through the openings shall be equipped with an apron designed to deflect condensation, drips, and dust from openings into the food; and
• The opening shall be flanged.

Dispensing Equipment, Protection of Equipment and Food

In equipment that dispenses or vends liquid food or ice in unpackaged form:

• The delivery tube, chute, orifice, and splash surfaces directly above the container receiving the food shall be designed in a manner, such as with barriers, baffles, or drip aprons, so that drips from condensation and splash are diverted from the opening of the container receiving the food;
• The delivery tube, chute, and orifice shall be protected from manual contact such as by being recessed;
• The delivery tube or chute and orifice of equipment used to vend liquid food or ice in unpackaged form to self-service consumers shall be designed so that the delivery tube or chute and orifice are protected from dust, insects, rodents, and other contamination by a self-closing door if the equipment is:

Located in an outside area that does not otherwise afford the protection of an enclosure against the rain, windblown debris, insects, rodents, and other contaminants that are present in the environment, or

Available for self-service during hours when it is not under the full-time supervision of a food employee; and

• The dispensing equipment actuating lever or mechanism and filling device of consumer self-service beverage dispensing equipment shall be designed to prevent contact with the lip-contact surface of glasses or cups that are refilled.

Vending Machine, Vending Stage Closure

The dispensing compartment of a vending machine including a machine that is designed to vend prepackaged snack food that is not potentially hazardous such as chips, party mixes, and pretzels shall be equipped with a self-closing door or cover if the machine is:

• Located in an outside area that does not otherwise afford the protection of an enclosure against the rain, windblown debris, insects, rodents, and other contaminants that are present in the environment; or
• Available for self-service during hours when it is not under the full-time supervision of a food employee.

Bearings and Gear Boxes, Leakproof

• Equipment containing bearings and gears that require lubricants shall be designed and constructed so that the lubricant can not leak, drip, or be forced into food or onto food-contact surfaces. Selection of lubricant is equally crucial.

Acceptability

Food Equipment for Certification and Classification:

As far as possible food equipment shall follow various 3-A guidelines for food equipment designing or guidelines suggested by BIS standards.

CIP Equipment in Food Factory

CIP equipment shall meet the characteristics specified above and shall be designed and constructed so that:

• Cleaning and sanitizing solutions circulate throughout a fixed system and contact all interior food-contact surfaces, and
• The system is self-draining or capable of being completely drained of cleaning and sanitizing solutions; and

CIP equipment that is not designed to be disassembled for cleaning shall be designed with inspection access points to ensure that all interior food-contact surfaces throughout the fixed system are being effectively cleaned.

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