Cleaning House: A Large Food Manufacturer Adds Portable Industrial Vacuums to Improve Sanitation & Safety
Case Study
From moving to removing: No more brooms and compressed air that simply redistribute fugitive dusts. True sanitation requires industrial vacuum cleaning.
According to a study by Eastern Research Group, poor plant and equipment sanitation ranks among the top food safety issues in food manufacturing. In fact, according to a report by Swiss Re2, the number of food product recalls has doubled since 2002. Regulations such as the FDA’s 21 CFR 110 Current Good Manufacturing Practice in Manufacturing, Packing, or Holding Human Food, have tried to address the growing issue. In 2012, 27% of the 23,847 FDA citations for food processors fell under 21 CFR 110.
Because of this and other regulations, sanitation must become a way of life for food manufacturers to prevent costly fines or—even more costly—product recalls.
Realizing the increased need for a clean facility, J.R. Short Milling in Kankakee, Illinois decided to add new equipment to remove fugitive dust and material after a product changeover.
Background
Founded in 1910, J.R. Short is a global manufacturer of grain-based intermediate foods – foods that must be expanded by deep-frying, air-popping, or pressure-puffing to become a finished product. These extruded intermediates are then processed by customers and expanded to create snacks and other food products.
With multiple production lines running nearly constantly, the company processes hundreds of thousands of pounds of raw materials each week, including flour, corn, chia, kale, fiber, and proteins. Each material needs to be handled separately to avoid product contamination. “We produce a lot of non-GMO, gluten-free, and organic products as well,” says Nick Ladin, vice president of operations for J.R. Short.
The Problem: Cleaning… or just moving?
J.R. Short had been using a combination of brooms and compressed air to clean up fugitive dust that would escape their system during changeover. “The compressed air caused excessive dust movement… It was more relocation of dust versus real removal…”
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This article was originally published in Powder and Bulk Engineering’s January 2016 issue. You may read it online or click on the button below to view a PDF of the full article.