When cleaning a food manufacturing site, safety and sanitisation are the highest priority. Ensuring the cleanliness standards are met each and every time requires a specialist team, and should be tailored to the specific facility. Keeping a clean facility is essential to preventing the spread of bacteria – if it makes its way to your customers, it could mean disaster for your business.
At Orbit Cleaning Services Australia, we specialise in comprehensive cleaning services for food manufacturing. Below we’ll look at what’s involved in the process, and how you can ensure you’re meeting the cleanliness standards required.
What is involved?
Cleaning a food manufacturing facility involves a detailed process. As no two facilities are the same, the cleaning process should be tailored to your facility.
Cleaning a facility should begin with a pre-cleaning audit. This allows the cleaning team to become familiar with the facility, and determine what areas require the most attention.
Once the cleaning process begins, the team will start by picking up any loose materials to ensure the area is rubbish-free before further cleaning takes place. Equipment will then be washed with warm water to remove debris, then cleaned with specific cleaning products. Cleaners then scrub areas by hand that require extra attention to ensure the facility is sanitised.
Once the scrubbing has been completed, the equipment will be washed down again with warm water. Sanitising products are then used, which are specifically formulated for food manufacturing facilities to prevent bacteria growth.
Finally, once the facility has been sanitised, swab testing should take place to ensure all surfaces are completely sanitary.
How often should food manufacturing facilities be cleaned?
The cleaning schedule will depend completely on the facility. Some food manufacturing plants can be cleaned at night, once the day’s operations have concluded. However, some larger facilities may require a dedicated cleaning team on site to ensure the equipment is kept at the level of sanitisation required. Food work surfaces should be thoroughly sanitised on a daily basis at a minimum.
What standards must you comply with?
While it’s important for your business reputation to ensure that your food manufacturing facility is clean and hygienic, Food Standards Australia and New Zealand also have standards that must be adhered to for high-risk food businesses. Orbit Cleaning Services Australia will ensure that your facility is cleaned to the relevant industry standard, with a tailored approach specific to your site.
In addition, Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) certification should be held by your cleaning team. It indicates that the business meets the high standards required in the food industry. HACCP certification ensures your cleaner is using methods and products deemed safe for use in food manufacturing facilities.
What should you look for in a cleaning team?
Apart from holding HACCP certification, there are a number of things you can look for when selecting a cleaning team. Food manufacturing sites require different processes than a regular commercial clean, so a business that specialises in food manufacturing will ensure hygiene standards are met. Each facility is different, so it’s also important to ensure that the cleaning process is tailored to your facility. Regular audits should also take place, in order to ensure cleanliness standards are consistently being met.
Orbit Cleaning Service Australia are commercial cleaners with over 30 years of industry experience. We take pride in our high-quality cleaning services, tailored specifically to the needs of our clients.
For more information about our food factory cleaning service, contact us on 1300 660 699.
