Speedy sanitation guards against deadly downtime

Jill Batka, president of Michigan-based Dynamic Conveyor, told FoodProductionDaily.com simple, speedy cleaning and cleaning and sanitation are crucial for conveyors in food-centric manufacturing environments.

“Every minute that a conveyor is being cleaned costs the processor money​,” she said. “When a conveyor is being cleaned, it is not conveying product, and not making money for the processor​.”

Necessary step​

However, she pointed out, sanitation can’t just be skipped to save the trouble.

“Conveyors, and other equipment, must be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized to prevent contamination and reduce/eliminate cases of foodborne illness​,” she said. “Cleaning and sanitation must be done​.”

The trick, Batka said, is for food manufacturing operations to put in place conveyors and other equipment with features that make quick work of sanitation. Rapid cleaning gets product moving through the plant again; further, she told FPD, it saves water, electricity, cleaning chemicals, and labor.

Clean conveying​

The company’s DynaClean conveyor line (suited for fresh vegetables, dried fruit, meat, baked goods, and other food items) is engineered to be resistant to bacteria, and to be easy to clean.

“The conveyor is a very simple design and can be taken apart without the use of tools​,” she said. “There are no places for water to lie and bacteria to build​.” 

Batka added DynaClean units have easily removed retaining walls. Also, the conveyor belt can be lifted for internal access to the conveyor, or totally removed for full access; these capabilities simplify maintenance and sanitation, she said.

Additionally, DynaClean conveyors now have a drum motor option. The component, according to Batka, can be removed in a matter of seconds, which makes it easy to thoroughly clean and sanitize both the motor and the conveyor itself.