Food hazards in slaughterhouses: drainage systems for the meat industry The risk of bacterial contamination is much higher in food processing facilities such as slaughterhouses and meat processing plants, therefore maximum hygiene is paramount. There exist many hazards which can affect food safety, but at the heart of all of them there are problems related to workplace hygiene issues. In a nutshell, meat processing plants need to be designed and constructed with food safety in mind as the higher hygiene standards are, the safer the meat we eat is. Food hazards should not be underestimated throughout the entire meat production process, from slaughtering to delivery and storage. In this article we will focus on the important role that drainage systems play in terms of hygiene in slaughterhouses by removing waste water and also collecting meat waste. The three types of food hazards in slaughterhouses In slaughterhouses and meat processing plants there are basically three types of food hazards: chemical, biological and microbiological. We are neither going to take into consideration the first as it’s linked to detergents and disinfectants used in cleaning operations nor the second which is due to the parasites of cattle, but our focus will be on the latter. Indeed, drainage systems come into play to prevent the microbiological risk of food contamination caused by pathogenic microorganisms such as viruses and bacteria, which may occur in any stage of meat processing. Besides walls, ceilings, switches and handles, another possible source of contamination are floors and drainage systems installed to drain waste water; for this reason drainage systems must comply with safety guidelines set forth by HACCP protocol which, in Italy, sets out good hygiene practices for all operators in the food chain. HACCP in the meat supply chain: the role of drainage systems Since the HACCP protocol clearly states that not only food-contact surfaces but also walls and floors must be easily washable and disinfectable in food processing plants, drainage systems undoubtedly plays a delicate and key role by avoiding water stagnation on the floor where germs may proliferate. Yet, mold and bacteria growth might occur on drainage channels and gullies as well, affecting the hygiene of the entire work environment. That’s why it is so important to choose easily disinfectable drainage systems made of stainless steel, the only material that ensures durability and resistance to corrosion. In order to provide a superior hygienic performance, Inoxsystem® has developed the innovative Inoxsystem® Total Hygienic line. The design of these top-of-the-range drainage systems does not allow bacterial growth as channels roundes internal and gullies removable odor trap and filter basket kits ensure easy and thorough cleaning. A few good recommendations for maximum hygiene in slaughterhouses One of the major problems connected the meat industry is water disposal. First of all, filter baskets should have proper dimensions and capacity in order to collect solid waste originating from meat processing. Then, drainage systems should be suitable also for cold rooms where very high standards of hygiene are required. Inoxsystem® offers a floor drain with double odor trap, which means a double barrier against germs and smells, further strenghtened by a super resistant "O-ring" gasket. Another big issue that affects cold rooms is low temperatures. The risk of freezing is high for the water inside the odor trap system, so we recommend to install a direct outlet in cold rooms and relocate the odor trap away from cold as without water it would otherwise not work. Discover our range of products Request more information Name Surname Email * Please fill in the required fields. Phone Company Subject Please fill in the required fields. QmxvZzogRm9vZCBoYXphcmRzIGluIHNsYXVnaHRlcmhvdXNlczogZHJhaW5hZ2Ugc3lzdGVtcyBmb3IgdGhlIG1lYXQgaW5kdXN0cnkKPHA+PHN0cm9uZz5EYTo8L3N0cm9uZz57e2ZpcnN0LW5hbWV9fSB7e2xhc3QtbmFtZX19PC9wPgo8cD48c3Ryb25nPkVtYWlsOjwvc3Ryb25nPnt7ZW1haWx9fTwvcD4KPHA+PHN0cm9uZz5PZ2dldHRvOjwvc3Ryb25nPnt7c3ViamVjdH19PC9wPgo8cD48c3Ryb25nPkF6aWVuZGE6PC9zdHJvbmc+e3themllbmRhfX08L3A+CjxwPjxzdHJvbmc+VGVsZWZvbm86PC9zdHJvbmc+e3twaG9uZX19PC9wPgo8cD48c3Ryb25nPk1lc3NhZ2dpbzo8L3N0cm9uZz57e21lc3NhZ2V9fTwvcD4= I accept the Privacy Send Message More from the blog

HACCP certification in the food sector: let's be clear The legislation is clear: all the procedures involved in the production and processing of food must strictly comply with the hygiene and safety requirements listed in the HACCP certification, the compass for all operators in the supply chain. The acronym stands for "Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points". In summary, it is a safety protocol developed to guarantee food safety that arrives on the shelves of supermarkets and small shops, as well as on the tables of restaurants and clubs and school and industrial canteens. All operators must scrupulously, as well as compulsorily, respect the HACCP protocol, from the first steps of a new business, in particular during the design of the workplace. Facilities as well as machinery that come into contact with food must meet specific hygiene criteria. Let's start from the story: the HACCP certification comes from space. It’s got nothing to do with aliens, yet the history of HACCP certification begins in space. The system was indeed conceived in the 1960s in the United States with the aim of ensuring that the food supplied to NASA astronauts did not have any negative effect on their health, thus steming a concrete risk that could endanger missions in space. In Europe, and therefore also in Italy, the protocol was introduced in the 1990s, becoming mandatory for all food sector operators. Right after the legislation entered into force in 2006, the Danzi was definitively repealed and specific sanctions became applicable for those who do not follow the HACCP protocol to the letter. The scenario was far from limited: this is why, given the wide variety of food companies, products and procedures, the European Commission has drawn up guidelines to simplify the application of hygiene and food safety requirements according to HACCP certification. Self-control and HACCP are not synonymous: the Ministry of Health explains it. HACCP certification requires all operators in the so-called "post-primary" food sectors to draw up a "self-control plan", essentially a series of documents on food products safety to be made available to the control bodies during the inspection phase. This applies not only to the kitchens of restaurants, bars and public places, but also to dairies, wineries, breweries and slaughterhouses. In technical jargon, the "self-control plan" is called "manual" and must contain all the information relating to the hygiene and health plan adopted by the company on the basis of the HACCP system. But beware: the Ministry of Health makes it clear that the self-control system and HACCP system are not synonymous. The principle of the self-control system applies to all operators in the food chain, including primary sectors (cultivation, breeding, hunting and fishing), and results in the obligation to constantly monitor production procedures. HACCP, on the other hand, is the means that allows you to apply this principle in a rational and organized manner and is mandatory only for operators in the post-primary sectors. How? By identifying the critical points which, subjected to continuous monitoring, allow to control the risk of food contamination. The 7 commandments of HACCP certification for food business operators. To draw up the HACCP plan, the company must follow the seven principles of the protocol to identify the hazards and establish response actions to prevent and eliminate the risks regarding hygiene and food safety. The manual must also indicate, among other information, the definition of roles and responsibilities within the company, the description of the products, the type of food raw materials used and the employee training program. When it comes to HACCP, the risks that should be eliminated in terms of hygiene and safety are obviously those caused by chemical, physical or biological agents that compromise food safety. Contamination, indeed, is a danger that can occur during any phase of the food cycle, not only therefore in raw material processing, but also in the conservation, storage and distribution procedures. This is why rule number one for any activity in the food chain is a healthy and clean environment HACCP and floors: proper cleaning begins with planning. Dreaming of starting your own business, perhaps a restaurant or a pub, immediately unleashes your imagination: elegant furnishing and the choice of the menu, just like in those fascinating design catalogs and starred restaurants advertisements. But even in the most trendy clubs "in the beginning it was the floor". “And all its accessories” we would add. Yes, because the cleaning procedures necessarily start from the base. During the processing of food raw materials in the kitchens, as well as in breweries, wineries, butcher’s shops and fish industry, food safety can be compromised by water, air, ground and animals. To minimize the risk of contamination, the HACCP certification specifies that food industry facilities must be designed to permit adequate maintenance, cleaning and disinfection. And it goes into detail, pointing out that the accumulation of dirt, contact with toxic materials, condensation, the shedding of particles into food and the formation of or undesirable mold on surfaces must be prevented. Can floors be HACCP certified? There is no certification, but what can be done, or rather must be done, is to design a floor that meets the hygienic requirements of the HACCP certification. Floor drainage systems are essential to get maximum hygiene with minimum effort. Food safety rules clearly state that floors and walls surfaces in food industry facilities must be smooth, compact and easily washable and disinfectable. In particular, the floors can be made of different materials, but they must be rigorously designed to prevent any stagnation of water. And, where high volumes of water are used during food production and processing stages, floors must be sloped sufficiently to convey surface water into drainage systems (channels and floor drains). Can drainage systems be HACCP certified? Let's be clear: HACCP certification is not a “product certification”, and this is good to know before designing your own workplace. It is, instead, a certificate that can be obtained by attending a specific course designed specifically for food industry operators. This certificate “certifies” knowledge of food hygiene requirements, from microbiology to food preservation, from the sanitation procedures in food processing facilities to national and European legislation. There are no floors with HACCP certification, just like there are no HACCP certified drainage systems. Yet, drainage systems manufacturers can design gratings, floor drains and channels according to HACCP protocol guidelines, thus offering products that ensure high hygienic performance. Inoxsystem® Total Hygenic line strictly follows the directives concerning hygiene in the workplace. Thanks to a product entirely made of stainless steel, to a grating without perimeter borders and to the completely removable odor trap, a thorough cleaning of the drainage systems is easily done. Furthermore, by purchasing an Inoxsystem® Total Hygienic branded product, the company provides you with a certificate that guarantees the products’ functionality and a guidance on the cleaning procedures to be followed in order to comply with the existing HACCP regulations. With this certificate combined with your manual, you can sleep easy knowing that you have chosen the ideal solution where hygiene is essential. And your customers, and employees, will thank you. Discover our range of products Total Hygienic Request more information Name Surname Email * Please fill in the required fields. Phone Company Subject Please fill in the required fields. QmxvZyAyOiBIQUNDUCBjZXJ0aWZpY2F0aW9uIGluIHRoZSBmb29kIHNlY3RvcjogbGV0J3MgYmUgY2xlYXIKPHA+PHN0cm9uZz5EYTo8L3N0cm9uZz57e2ZpcnN0LW5hbWV9fSB7e2xhc3QtbmFtZX19PC9wPgo8cD48c3Ryb25nPkVtYWlsOjwvc3Ryb25nPnt7ZW1haWx9fTwvcD4KPHA+PHN0cm9uZz5PZ2dldHRvOjwvc3Ryb25nPnt7c3ViamVjdH19PC9wPgo8cD48c3Ryb25nPkF6aWVuZGE6PC9zdHJvbmc+e3themllbmRhfX08L3A+CjxwPjxzdHJvbmc+VGVsZWZvbm86PC9zdHJvbmc+e3twaG9uZX19PC9wPgo8cD48c3Ryb25nPk1lc3NhZ2dpbzo8L3N0cm9uZz57e21lc3NhZ2V9fTwvcD4= I accept the Privacy Send Message More from the blog

Inoxsystem® Total Hygienic: a new ally for floor cleaning. Complyig with hygienic regulation is essential, for Inoxsystem® is even a strong point. Indeed, food and hospitality industry as well as industrial sectors where a high standard of hygiene is paramount can now rely on an excellent ally for floor cleaning and thus for better hygiene. The challenge was a difficult one for Inoxsystem®: going beyond drainage systems in compliance with hygienic regulations and facilitating daily and weekly cleaning routine. In a word, improve the lives of many people. Thus a new line of drainage systems has been created in order to guarantee innovation, design, functionality and high hygienic performance. I clean the floor on a daily basis…but is it enough for a perfectly hygienic environment? The floors of pharmaceutical and food industry, including restaurants and food and beverage service, should be nothing less than perfectly hygienic, thus easy to clean and capable to prevent any water stagnation. Bacteria growth is just around the corner, that’s why cleaning the floor every day might not be enough to prevent pathogens contamination and proliferation. A good daily cleaning routine shall include the drainage systems. No need for companies specialized in the sector, just five minutes. First of all it’s very important to change water in the floor drains: water is essential to stops smells from coming back up but at the same time can be easily attacked by bacteria. Then it’s Inoxsystem® turn to make all the other cleaning operations even easier thanks to the brand new hygienic line where odor trap and filter basket can be completely removed The new Total Hygienic line provides two different models of removable odor trap: removable pipe and removable cup, to ensure effective cleaning. How important is to choose the right material for maximum hygiene? If you want to comply with hygienic regulation but more than that make hygiene one of your strong point a thorough cleaning of the drainage systems is essential. Whether it’s a professional kitchen or a dairy, a slaughter house or a fish shop, a brewery or a winery, to pass the hygiene exam with flying colors is easier tran expected if you choose the right ally. We are talking about stainless steel: a durable alloy with three remarkable qualities: recyclability, stainlesness and last but not least hygiene. Corrosion restistant and totally non-porous, stainless steel is the perfect as weel as the most demanded solution for food processing facilities that can rely on its anti -bacterial properties during cleaning operations. Inoxsystem® Total Hygienic antibacterial and anti-slip gratings. How can the risks of wet floor be reduced? Caution wet floor: the workers of food industry are perfectly aware of the risks caused by wet surfaces, high level of humidity and spilled liquids. Indeed, besides hygiene, production facilities have to respond efficiently and effectively to current health and safety regulations. Whether it is a big industry or a small winery, employee safety is one of the most important requirements and the problem of wet floor must be solved. The drainage systems remove surface water away from a selected area on the floor but the new Inoxsystem® Total Hygienic line offers more: safety goes hand-in-hand with hygiene. Total Hygienic gratings are without banding bars and with notched surface to ensure both antibacterial and antislip performance: the lack of banding bars avoids the accumulation of dirt and bacteria growth while the notched surface reduces the risk of accidental slipping. The highest level of hygiene in a safe environment. Is stainless steel suitable for heavy loads? Stainless steel ensures extreme durability and robustness in terms of high load resistance. In a food storage area food trolleys and forklifts keeps goig to and fro many times a day, every day: from the production department to the wharehouse, from the wharehouse to the loadindg areas. Also in the industrial kitchens dish trolleys can be very heavy, not to mention large barrels and large machinery in big wineries, breweries or food and beverage industries. The floor has to constantly withstand different loads and so does the drainage systems. That is why at Inoxsystem® stainless steel sheet thickness is crucial to guarantee high loag resistance. Moreover, the channel top edge should be filled manually with three-component epoxy-resin to provide greater rigidity to the channel, even with radial shape. Thanks to this combination and a set of high duty gratings, also the new Inoxsystem® Total Hygienic line, like many other standard products in the catalogue, is certified to D400 loading. When functionality meets design The technical features of Total Hygienic drainage systems make them functional and of excellent quality. But if we focus on Spa, swimming pools, terraces and private wineries drainage systems should also enhance the aesthetic quality of the space they are in. And the care for details is the key to catch the customer’s eye. That’s why Inoxsystem® has developed a specific line designed to amaze, for the most elegant floors where hygiene and aesthetic appearance are both a key element. Total Hygienic line is indeed a middle ground between slot channels, and so more discreet, and channels with grating, and so easier to inspect thanks to the removable grating: only a 100 mm wide body with a 65 mm wide grating. Available also with “hidden” edges and, on request, provided with Design, Multi-slot Design and tileable gratings. Customized products delivered in just a few days: am I dreaming or am I awake? Just like sewing a made to measure dress, “dressing” your own house or company requires an extreme care for details and precision. Professionalism and meticulousness are essential when chosing the right materials and designing the floor. That’s why Inoxsystem® brings into play its staff that is always ready to offer the best technical support to customers, step by step,from design to execution. Analyzing and developing the project with its customers, Inoxsystem can maximize its strogest point: customization. All of our drainage systems can be made custom: length, depth, different layout, all according to our customers’ needs. And most important, short delivery time: just a few days to get your order, whether it is a standard or made to measure product. Discover our range of products Total Hygienic Request more information Name Surname Email * Please fill in the required fields. Phone Company Subject Please fill in the required fields. QmxvZyAxOiBJbm94c3lzdGVtwq4gVG90YWwgSHlnaWVuaWM6IGEgbmV3IGFsbHkgZm9yIGZsb29yIGNsZWFuaW5nCjxwPjxzdHJvbmc+RGE6PC9zdHJvbmc+e3tmaXJzdC1uYW1lfX0ge3tsYXN0LW5hbWV9fTwvcD4KPHA+PHN0cm9uZz5FbWFpbDo8L3N0cm9uZz57e2VtYWlsfX08L3A+CjxwPjxzdHJvbmc+T2dnZXR0bzo8L3N0cm9uZz57e3N1YmplY3R9fTwvcD4KPHA+PHN0cm9uZz5BemllbmRhOjwvc3Ryb25nPnt7YXppZW5kYX19PC9wPgo8cD48c3Ryb25nPlRlbGVmb25vOjwvc3Ryb25nPnt7cGhvbmV9fTwvcD4KPHA+PHN0cm9uZz5NZXNzYWdnaW86PC9zdHJvbmc+e3ttZXNzYWdlfX08L3A+ I accept the Privacy Send Message More from the blog