tip for cip

7/25/2019 tip for cip

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Top Tips to Make Your CIP and

COP Systems Work For YouBy Richard F. Stier and Mike Cramer

Food processing equipment is either cleaned-in-place (CIP) and cleaned-

out-of-place (COP). These cleaning methods offer processors an

additional mechanism of process control in that each method CIP and

COP systems enhance the ability of the sanitation crew to better clean

and sanitize production equipment to a greater degree of food safety and

quality assurance. CIP systems are extremely beneficial for aseptic and

other processing operations in which interior surfaces of equipment such

as tanks and pipes cannot be easily reached for cleaning, and COP

methods are utilized for pieces of equipment and utensils that cannot be

cleaned where they are used and must be disassembled, and for pieces of

equipment that are complex and hard to clean.

With a greater emphasis on sanitary design in food plants, equipment

manufacturers and industry have worked together to make many
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improvements to equipment and parts that make cleaning and sanitizing

more effective. Even so, plant sanitation crews and quality

assurance/quality control (QA/QC) managers cannot rely solely on the

fact that equipment is more cleanable today than in the past. Introducing

or improving CIP and COP procedures, processes and systems in the

food plant takes advantage of sanitary equipment design benefits, raising

the level of assurance that when the production line starts up for a new

run the process is in control from the get-go.

With this in mind, here are a few tips to best-practice approaches inusing CIP and COP systems to their fullest potential as process control

measures.

Inside Cleaning

CIP cleaning is utilized to clean the interior surfaces of pipelines and

tanks of liquid and semi-liquid food and beverage processing equipment.This type of cleaning is generally done with large tanks, kettles or piping

systems where there are smooth surfaces. CIP involves circulation of

detergent through equipment by use of a spray ball or spray to create

turbulence and thus remove soil. Chemical cleaning and sanitizing

solution is circulated through a circuit of tanks and or lines to eliminate

bacteria or chemical residues, which then flow back to a central reservoir

so that the chemical solution can be reused. The system is run by

computer, in a prescribed manner, to control the flow, mixing and

diversion, temperature and time of the chemicals for cleaning and

sanitizing. As with all cleaning methods, CIP systems utilize time,


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temperature and mechanical force to achieve maximum cleaning.

Automated CIP systems are most commonly used in processes in which

liquid or flow-type material is being manufactured. This includes fluid

products such as dairy, juice and beverages, as well as in operations

using aseptic processing and packaging for low-acid or semi-fluid

products such as liquid eggs, sauces, puddings, meal-replacement drinks,

aseptic dairy and fruit, jam and marmalade, soups, ketchups and

tomato-based products and salad dressings. Processors also are

increasingly finding application for CIP systems in the manufacture ofsemi-solid foods, such as stews and spreadable cheese.

A majority of food manufacturing operations producing these types of

products today have installed CIP systems throughout the plant because

they are efficient, cost effective and provide effective cleaning of cracks

and crevices to reduce the formation of biofilms and growth nicheswhere pathogens and other bacteria can survive. A major advantage of

CIP is that it requires less labor since dissassembly, manual brushing or

scrubbing, rinsing, reassembly and final sanitizing steps are not

required. CIP systems also pose little risk to workers, if the system is

properly maintained and operated. Due to automation of the method,

CIP is very effective at containing chemical costs, lowering labor costs,

minimizing repair and maintenance to equipment, and allowing the

reuse of cleaning solutions.

In general, a CIP operation involves the following steps:


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Removal of any small equipment parts that must be manually cleaned,

making sure that CIP and processing components are clearly segregated.

Cool temperature water (


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installing, operating or improving upon existing CIP systems to assure

that they are effective and in control:

Tip 1. Use vessels that are right for the

process.The old adage, You cant sanitize a dirty surface, applies to CIP

processes and as such, vessels used should be of sanitary design. Tanksanitary design includes smooth and continuous welds, self-draining and

internal surfaces that are round or tubular, not flat, with no ledges or

recesses, to prevent accumulation of soil that cannot be removed. It is

important that tanks are properly vented, are self-draining and that the

floor of the vessel allows for fast flushing. Figure 1 aptly illustrates the

the contamination that can occur when equipment components such as

coupling is not of sanitary design.

If the only treatment materials that will be used in or flow through the

system during CIP are rinse water and cleaning solution, a two-tank
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system will likely be adequate. If your process requires an additional

function, such as an acid wash or retention of final rinse water, a three-

tank or return pump system is warranted. Since CIP systems vary in

application and sophistication, check with CIP equipment manufacturers

to ensure that a system is right for your operation.

Also make sure that there are a sufficient number of tanks for the

cleaning solutions used and that they can contain sufficient quantity,

about 50 percent more solution, than required to avoid running out of

solution. Similarly, check that the spray balls used to deliver the cleaningagents to the interior surfaces of the equipment are actually appropriate

for the tanks in which they are employed. Spray balls are designed to

work within specified conditions and parameters involving flow rate,

pressure and shape of the tank(s) in the circuit. If the spray balls are

tampered with, damaged or not maintained in good condition, the

distribution of the cleaning and sanitizing chemicals will be ineffective.

Tip 2. Identify and use the right cleaning chemicals and sanitizing

solutions.It is essential that the right cleaner be employed in CIP

systems. The chemical solution or treatment used in the CIP system

must be capable of reaching all surfaces, and the surfaces are ideally

made of stainless steel, not softer metals. It is recommended that

cleaning solution be changed approximately every 48 hours, where

applicable.

Some common types of cleaners and sanitizers used in CIP systems


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include:

Hypochlorites (potassium, sodium or calcium hypochlorite). These

sanitzing agents are proven sanitizers for clean stainless steel food

contact surfaces but the processor needs to maintain strict control of pH

and concentration levels. Hypochlorites can be highly corrosive, and

when improperly used, produces corrosive gas above 115F.

Chlorine Gas.Like hypochlorites, chlorine gas is effective in CIP

applications when used as a sanitizer for clean stainless food contactsurfaces and requires tight pH and concentration control by the

processor. It can also be highly corrosive to stainless steel, and when

improperly used, produces corrosive gas above 115F.

Peracetic Acid.Peracetic acid is a combination of hydrogen peroxide,

acetic acid (vinegar) and a minute amount of stabilizer that form a strongoxidizing agent. These sanitizers are effective against all

microorganisms, including spoilage organisms, pathogens and bacterial

spores. Characterized by a strong odor such that you may want to use in

well-ventilated areas, peracetic acid solutions are effective over a wide

pH range and can be applied in cool or warm water in CIP systems or as

sprays/washes in COP processes to all food contact surfaces in the plant.

Chlorine Dioxide. If the production line is soiled with high organic

loads, such as those found in poultry or fruit processing, chlorine dioxide

is good to consider for use in the CIP system. This is because chlorine


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dioxide is effecive against all types of microorganisms even when organic

matter is present on interior surfaces. However, preparation of this

chemical should be automated because of its corrosiveness in acid

solution.

Acid Anionic(organic acids and anionic surfactant). The combination of

an acid with surface-active agents produce a cleaning, rinsing and

sanitizing solution that is ideal in CIP systems in which the removal or

control of water hardness films or milkstone (such as in dairy processes)

is critical. Acid-anionic surfactants are effective against most bacteria,

and are odorless, relatively nontoxic and noncorrosive to stainless steel.

Ozone.Approved by FDA for use on food contact surfaces, ozone-

enriched water systems recirculate treated water through piping and

equipment as a sanitizing treatment in CIP systems and processes.

Ozone is also used in COP operations, applied as a direct ozonated water

spray on food-contact and nonfood-contact surfaces, includingequipment, walls, floors, drains, conveyors, tanks and other containers.

Ozone-enriched water kills microbes as effectively as chlorine, and since

it is generated on-site, its use eliminates the need for personnel to

handle, mix and dispose of harsh chemicals for sanitation. Ozone readily

reverts to oxygen, an end-product that leaves no residue on contact

surfaces.

Tip 3. Use the correct flow rate.For any CIP system to be effective, flow

through the system must be at a high enough volume to assure that the

flow is turbulent, since the turbulence is the mechanical action by which


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the interior surfaces of the equipment and piping is essentially

scrubbed. This means the flow must be greater than 5 ft. per second. To

achieve this flow rate, operators need to understand their specific

processing system. To do this, make sure that pump sizes are sufficient

for the size of the tank or length of pipes to be cleaned. The rule of thumb

is that the pump can produce a flow rate four to five times the rate of the

product flow.

For example, turbulent flow may be achieved in a one-inch pipe at a flow

rate of 24 gallons per minute (gpm), whereas a four-inch pipe requires aflow rate of 180 gpm. The same holds true for tanks, ovens or other large

vessels. To calculate proper flow in a tank, take the circumference in feet

times two. This will give the user a minimum flow in gpm needed to

clean the tank and sufficient volumes of cleaner flowing down the sides

of the tank for turbulent flow.

Tip 4. Dontforget the connections.It is important that all connections in

and to CIP systems are properly cleaned. As recommended in the 3-A

Accepted Practices for Permanently Installed Sanitary Product Pipelines

and Cleaning Systems, all connections between a cleaning solution

circuit and product must have a complete physical separation or be

separated by at least two automatic valves with a drainable opening

(equal to the area of the largest pipeline opening) to atmosphere between

the valves. It is a good idea to loosen line connections during the CIP

process to allow for cleaning around the gasket.


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In addition, avoid creating dead-ends or

lively dead areas, which create difficult-to-clean sections of pipe

(Figure 2), and ensure that the CIP system does not operate with parallel

cleaning circuits or variable pipe diameters since both may reduce

solution flow rates below 5 ft. per second.

Tip 5. Monitor and verify.All too

frequently, sanitation crew, managers and even process engineers rely

too heavily on the fact that CIP systems or circuits are automated,

believing that this automation translates into automatic process

control. However, the only way to really know if the CIP system is

working effectively is to monitor and validate the systems components.

Figure 3 shows why this is critical. In other words, although the CIP unit
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typically features a computer-controlled monitoring system, it is

imperative that the mixing and metering of chemicals is monitored by

routinely checking chemical concentrations, pH levels and monitoring

pump and metering device performance. This can be accomplished by

using rapid screening microbiological, chemical and environmental

hygiene tests such as ATP bioluminescence swabs or devices near any

openings to interior surfaces throughout the CIP cleaning shift. ATP can

be used on exposed surfaces (fillers) or on rinse water to confirm the

presence of organic material. These verification tests can also be applied

to the CIP system connections such as gaskets, which should be checkedregularly to verify the effectiveness of the cleaning program.

The water used in CIP processes must be continously monitored and

verified. For example, monitoring and testing water chemistry is

imperative because CIP spray balls may be compromised due to water

hardness or turbidity. Hard water can precipitate on surfaces and clogholes, compromising flow and coverage. At the end of the day, if the

water used in the cleaning process is not clean, the system cannot

effectively clean (to a microbiological level) the equipment, pipes and

tanks. Processors can and should do chemical tests on rinse water to

ensure that residual cleaner and/or sanitizer is properly removed.

Similarly, water and cleaning solutions must be monitored for

temperature to achieve process control. In CIP operations, the

temperature of the solution is commonly measured, monitored and

recorded via in-system computer controls. To verify that temperatures


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recorded are accurate, line personnel can use integrated software-driven

data loggers and similar portable devices to randomly check solution

temperatures during the CIP process.

Out of Place But In Control

No matter how advanced and automated

the CIP system is, there is always a need to clean the parts of production

equipment not exposed to the cleaning process. There are pieces of

equipment that simply cannot be cleaned where they are used, including

piping, fittings, gaskets, valves or valve parts, filler parts and surfaces

such as guides or shields, tank vents, tray pack, grinders, pumps, and

product handling utensils such as knives. To properly clean and sanitize

these units or parts, COP is employed to clean tear-down parts of

processing and packaging equipment that require disassembly for proper

cleaning (Figure 4). Because COP is essentially the systematic manual


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cleaning and sanitizing of production equipment that must be

dissassembled in many cases, specific attention must be paid to cleaning

underneath and around gaskets, o-rings, samll pipes and other small

surface cavities, gaps or other niches and harborage points in which

potentially harmful residue and bacteria may accumulate.

Cleaning knives or spoons that are used in a

plants dishwasher would be considered a COP operation. In food plants,

a common use of the COP cleaning method involves pieces of equipment

that are small, complex and otherwise hard to clean. They are

dissembled, rinsed and then cleaned and sanitized. COP may occur in a

sink with a worker scrubbing to clean, or in tanks specially designed for

COP (Figure 5). In these tanks, detergent and agitation are used to clean

the equipment in question. Sanitizing may be done using hot water or

chemical sanitizers. Small items, such as valves, sanitary fittings and

such, can be placed in cages and cleaned with larger items. Options

include doing a rinse, hot water wash with detergent, rinse and soak in

sanitizer. Operators can also sanitize COP items by raising the second

rinse temperature and holding for 15 minutes at >180F.


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The basic steps in a COP operation include:

Dry cleaning to remove dust, soil and other debris from the equipment

to be cleaned and the area in which COP tasks will take place.

A pre-rinse of the equipment and area on racks or in COP tanks.

Soap and scrub the equipment and equipment components in COP

tanks or vessels.

Post-rinse parts to remove residual detergent or cleaning chemicals.

Conduct pre-operational procedures and sanitize any equipment

components that are not accessible once reassembled. Reassemble the

equipment. Sanitize the reassembled equipment with a sanitizing agent or heat

treatment.

Although the following tips for effective COP may seem obvious, they are

well worth review:

Tip 1. Conduct COP tasks in order.It is important to understand thatsanitation is a sequence of steps that build from the successful

completion of the previous steps. In particular, COP practices, which

involve multiple individuals working in the same area, multiple small

parts to be cleaned and multiple sanitation steps for each item to be

cleaned, are ineffective when steps are not taken in sequence. For

example, it is not difficult to understand that the level of cross-

contamination risk is raised if personnel are not all working at the same

step at the same time. If one individual in that area is doing a final rinse

while another person is doing a pre-rinse and the equipment is adjacent

to each other, there is a risk of overspray from the unsanitized surface to


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the sanitary one.

Tip 2. Consider using basket or tote washers.Another COP system that is

of great value is comprised of basket or totes washers. Companies, such

as those in the fresh-cut industry, who use a large number of small

containers in their process operations should look at these units. The

container is simply loaded onto the system and it passes through the unit

where it is rinsed, washed and rinsed. The cleaned containers should

then be stacked so that they will not become recontaminated. These

washers may also be used for steel trays, pots or totes used in meatoperations. A washer like this is usually much more effective than having

an employee individually clean each and every tote, basket or pot.

Tote washers, in particular, are usually desinged to filter debris and

reuse water, which can translate into reductions of water and chemical

usage.

Tip 3. Use a tank rather than a rack.Parts removed for cleaning are either

placed on a rack for cleaning or placed in a COP circulation tank and

cleaned using a heated chemical solution and agitation. There are

advantages to using a tank versus a rack, including:

Parts may be cleaned all at once rather than individually which can be a

time saver.

The ideal vat or tank is stainless steel and sufficient size to fully


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submerge all parts, and will have smooth welds and no dead spots so that

it will not be a source of contamination itself

After dry cleaning major soil off the parts, they are placed in the tank

and water is added to the tank that is either hot (125-130F) or will have

steam injected to achieve that temperature.

Once the cleaning chemical is added, turbulence will be created, either

from steam or mechanical means to aid in loosening soil.

When parts are clean, rinse thoroughly with clear potable water, inspectand sanitize. Parts may either be reassembled or stored on a rack until

ready for use. One caution: Many COP operations are carried out by staff

on production floors. They will literally work on the floor or on

temporary tables. While the equipment and componenets may get clean,

control is questionable.

Tip 4. Make sure the mechanical action tools used in COP tasks do not

contribute to potential contamination. Since COP requires manual

washing, or scrubbing, by staff for adequate soil removal and cleaning,

the tools used take on critical significance. Make sure that cleaning

brushes are rugged, made of non-absorbent material with bristles that

are resistant to retaining soils and that dry quickly. Hand brushes and

floor brushes should be color-coded to ensure that those designated for

use on food contact surfaces are not used on non-food contact surfaces.

The same goes for buckets, pails, utensils and other cleaning tools that

are portable. These tools should undergo specific cleaning and sanitizing,


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as well, either with chemicals in a dedicated wash-and-rinse sink unit or

via heat treatment.

Work with the Experts

In general, the key to success in any endeavor can be summed up as

follows: The easier it is to do something, the more likely it will be done

and done right. With regard to increasing the effectiveness of the food

plants CIP and COP systems, the processor that understands the

products being processed, the water chemistry involved, and the

operating parameters will enhance the plants ability to simplify thecleaning and sanitizing process. Communicating this knowledge to and

working with CIP and COP equipment suppliers and chemical solutions

and treatment suppliers to set up systems and procedures that mesh with

these considerations will help ensure that your regimen is easy to

perform, monitor and verify that this aspect of the process is in control.

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tip for cip