Hygienic design challenges in the food industry

My colleagues and I are often still amazed at how little knowledge there is in the industry about hygienic design. Machine builders, engineers, and even suppliers, everyone seems to have something to say about hygienic design, but unfortunately, there are few who really seem to understand it. Even with products certified by EHEDG (European Hygienic Engineering & Design Group), we regularly have our doubts about their execution.

The most important thing that we keep each other sharp on at TOP is critically looking at cleanability. Think about edges, seams, but also horizontal surfaces where potential contamination can occur and where we know it is difficult to clean. The consideration is always "it should always be cleanable," otherwise it's a no-go.

All too often, there is a tension between design and execution. Is it still feasible? Can the existing solution still be used? Won't the cost price become too high? To tackle these aspects and always strive for the best possible requires effort, commitment, but often also the search for new solutions. What do you do when you no longer want to bolt a construction directly, or don't want to drill a hole in a tube because you will never be able to clean it from the inside? These questions require insight and creativity to separate the wheat from the chaff.

To design hygienically well, "the engineer" must continually look for other and new solutions, different materials, or suppliers. But the most important thing is to always ask with every sketch line of a design: Is it cleanable? It sounds logical, but in practice, this turns out to be difficult to apply.

At TOP bv, we have a lot of experience with hygienic design. Among other things, we have built a conveyor belt that can be quickly and completely cleaned.

Stay alert (EHEDG regularly provides training on hygienic design), take another critical look at your design, and always keep asking yourself: "Is this really cleanable?”