Cleaning and disinfection in the food industry
Detergents for alkaline and acid CIP, foam cleaning of open surfaces, disinfectants with a registration number and auxiliary products for the plant. Every dose, temperature and time on this page comes from the product's technical data sheet.
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Cleaning and disinfection within the HACCP plan
In a food plant, cleaning is a prerequisite of the HACCP system: what is cleaned, with which product, dose, temperature and time, how often and how it is verified. The chemistry depends on the soiling (fat and protein call for alkalinity; limescale and mineral scale, an acid) and on the method: recirculation (CIP), foam, immersion or manual cleaning.
The general order does not change: first you clean and then you disinfect the already clean surface, with rinses between phases, because organic matter hinders the action of the disinfectant.
Instaquim (Detervic S.A.) has manufactured at its own plant in Vic (Barcelona) since 1990, with ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certification. Of its 330 products for 16 sectors, here is the hygiene range for the food industry, organised by application.
Which product goes with each application
Alkaline CIP
Recirculation · fat and protein
- Alcalino Pro 1 — highly alkaline, controlled foam
- Alcalino Pro 3 — high sequestering capacity, also in a single phase
Acid CIP
Limescale · mineral soiling · alkaline residues
- Nitracip Pro — strongly acid, non-foaming
- Acid Pro — controlled-foam descaler
- Vacid — circuits, tanks and milking parlours
Circuit disinfection
Recirculation · tanks · biofilms
- Oxa Per — peracetic acid, also for CIP
- Clor NF Pro — non-foaming chlorinated alkaline
- Enzi NF — non-foaming enzymatic product against biofilms
Foam cleaning
Floors · walls · machinery
- Gras Foam Pro — strongly alkaline, burnt-on grease
- Gras Foam — alkaline, heavily greased surfaces
- Acid Foam — foaming acid descaler
- Enzi Foam — foaming enzymatic product
Surface disinfection
Surfaces and equipment
- Bacter Clor — foaming chlorinated bactericide
- Bacter Alcalino — foaming bactericide and virucide
- Bacter 100 — alkylamine-based
- InstaBact® DS Plus — sprayed neat
Degreasing, conveyors, hands
Plant auxiliaries and verification
- Neutro Gras — degreaser, even on aluminium
- Lubri Pro — conveyor belt lubricant
- Hand Bact Pro — perfume-free hand gel
- Hidro Bact Pro — hydroalcoholic, rinse-free
- Insta Check Pro — biofilm detector
Compare circuit detergents in the CIP detergent comparison, or see the guides to professional disinfectants and industrial degreasers.
What a CIP looks like: phases and the product for each phase
CIP cleaning cleans tanks, pipework, heat exchangers and fillers without dismantling them, by recirculating the solutions at the defined flow rate, temperature and time. This is the usual sequence; the frequency of each phase is set by each plant's validated protocol (details in the CIP protocol for the food industry).
- Pre-rinse with water. Flushes out loose soiling. The data sheets for Alcalino Pro 1, Alcalino Pro 3 and Nitracip Pro call for a preliminary rinse with water.
- Alkaline phase. Dissolves fat and protein. Alcalino Pro 1 is dosed in recirculation at between 0.5 and 5 % at 45–70 ºC for 20–45 minutes. Alcalino Pro 3 is used at 1–3 % in recirculation or at 2–6 % in a single phase, at 60–70 ºC; its data sheet states that it keeps circuits free of scale.
- Intermediate rinse. Removes the alkaline product before moving on to the acid.
- Acid phase. Removes limescale, mineral soiling and alkaline residues. Nitracip Pro, based on nitric acid, is circulated at 0.5–1 % for about 15–20 minutes at 40–60 ºC. Acid Pro, based on orthophosphoric acid, works at between 1 and 3 % in automatic cleaning and CIP at 40–70 ºC. Vacid is circulated at 5–10 g/l for 5–10 minutes at 50–60 ºC.
- Rinse. Leaves the circuit ready for disinfection.
- Disinfection. Oxa Per, a bactericide and fungicide based on peracetic acid, is also indicated for recirculation (CIP): at 1 %, about 15 minutes, at 20–50 ºC. Registration number 17-20/40-05521-HA.
- Final rinse with water, as indicated on the disinfectant's data sheet, and verification of the result.
Disinfectant detergent. Clor NF Pro, a chlorinated alkaline bactericide and fungicide, cleans and disinfects tanks, circuits and utensils and is especially indicated for recirculation cleaning, at 2 to 8 % at 20–60 ºC. Registration number 18-20/40-09617-HA. It must not be used on aluminium surfaces.
Biofilms in circuits. Enzi NF, a non-foaming enzymatic product, is circulated at 1–3 % for 30–120 minutes at 40–50 ºC; its data sheet calls, if necessary, for prior cleaning with the usual detergent and for the disinfectant to be applied afterwards. For shock treatments it is combined with Enzim Pro. See the protocol for circuit disinfection and biofilm.
Foam cleaning (COP) and surface disinfection
Floors, walls, conveyors and machinery are not cleaned by recirculation: there, the work is done with foam or by hand, and with COP (clean out of place) when parts are dismantled. Usual sequence: remove coarse debris and protect electrical equipment, pre-rinse with low-pressure water, spray the foam from the bottom up and leave it to act without drying, rinse under pressure from the top down and, finally, disinfect.
Alkaline foams. Gras Foam is indicated for heavily greased surfaces in cutting rooms and meat plants; Gras Foam Pro is the heavy-duty version for burnt-on grease. Both are used at 2–6 % at 20–60 ºC and neither should be applied to aluminium.
Acid and enzymatic foam. Acid Foam removes limescale deposits from hard water and from alkaline cleaning, at 2–5 % at 20–60 ºC, and according to its data sheet does not attack aluminium or stainless steel. Enzi Foam, a highly foaming enzymatic product against biofilms, is used at 3–6 % at 40–55 ºC, alone or with Enzim Pro at 0.2 %.
Disinfectant foams. Bacter Clor, a chlorinated alkaline bactericide recommended for slaughterhouses, cutting rooms, canneries and cold rooms, is applied at 2 to 5 % at room temperature, 5–15 minutes, with a pressure rinse; its data sheet cites standard UNE-EN 13697 at 2 % under dirty conditions, including Listeria monocytogenes (registration no. 18-20-06676-HA). Bacter Alcalino, a bactericide and virucide based on tertiary amines, is applied with foam equipment, by spraying or by immersion (registration no. 19-20/90-06281-HA).
Without foam. Bacter 100, based on alkylamine, is applied diluted in water (registration no. 19-20-04311-HA); InstaBact® DS Plus is sprayed neat onto clean surfaces and must not be sprayed onto hot surfaces or near flames (registration no. 25-20/40/90-12659-HA). Doses and times are in the table.
The detailed procedures are in the protocols for foam cleaning of surfaces and COP on food-contact surfaces.
Degreasing, conveyors, hands and hygiene monitoring
Degreasing. Neutro Gras, low in alkalinity and suitable for the food industry, cleans tiling, ovens and machinery, also with a pressure washer, and can be used on all types of metals, including aluminium.
Conveyors. Lubri Pro, based on fatty amines, lubricates the conveyor belts of packaging lines in the dairy, beverage, wine, brewing and canning industries; the dose depends on water hardness, chain wear and the type of container.
Hands. Hand Bact Pro is a perfume-free gel for cutting rooms, slaughterhouses, kitchens and the dairy industry, with rinsing; Hidro Bact Pro is hydroalcoholic and needs no rinsing. See the HACCP hand hygiene protocol.
Verification. Cleaning that is not verified cannot be demonstrated. In addition to visual inspection and the checks in your plan, Insta Check Pro makes it possible to identify biofilms on surfaces quickly: if effervescence appears when it is sprayed, this indicates the presence of biofilms.
Featured products for the food industry
Dose, temperature and time as per technical data sheet
Values from each product's technical data sheet. The dose within each range depends on the soiling, the equipment and your protocol.
| Product | Application | Dose / temperature as per data sheet | Technical data sheet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alcalino Pro 1 | Alkaline CIP | 0.5–5 % · 45–70 ºC · 20–45 min, with a preliminary rinse with water | Data sheet |
| Alcalino Pro 3 | Alkaline CIP and tunnels | Recirculation 1–3 %; single phase 2–6 % · 60–70 ºC · 20–45 min; tunnels 1–3 % at 60 ºC | Data sheet |
| Nitracip Pro | Acid CIP | Recirculation 0.5–1 % · 15–20 min · 40–60 ºC; immersion 1–5 % at 40–60 ºC | Data sheet |
| Acid Pro | Acid CIP, manual and immersion | Automatic and CIP 1–3 %; manual 5–10 %; immersion 2–5 % · 40–70 ºC | Data sheet |
| Vacid | Circuits, tanks, vessels | 5–10 g/l · 5–10 min · 50–60 ºC; 50–100 g/l for old scale deposits | Data sheet |
| Enzi NF | Biofilms in CIP | 1–3 % · 30–120 min · 40–50 ºC | Data sheet |
| Enzim Pro | Enzymatic additive | 0.2 % in combination with Enzi Foam or Enzi Foam Pro | Data sheet |
| Oxa Per | Disinfection, also CIP | 1 % · about 15 min · 20–50 ºC | Data sheet |
| Clor NF Pro | Disinfectant detergent for recirculation | 2–8 % · 20–60 ºC · 5–15 min | Data sheet |
| Gras Foam Pro | Alkaline foam | 2–6 % · 20–60 ºC | Data sheet |
| Gras Foam | Alkaline foam | 2–6 % · 20–60 ºC | Data sheet |
| Acid Foam | Acid foam | 2–5 % · 20–60 ºC | Data sheet |
| Enzi Foam | Enzymatic foam | 3–6 % · 40–55 ºC | Data sheet |
| Bacter Clor | Bactericidal foam | 2–5 % · room temperature · 5–15 min | Data sheet |
| Bacter Alcalino | Disinfection with foam or spraying | Bactericidal 1 % (10 g/l) · 5 min; bactericidal and virucidal 5 % (50 g/l) · 15 min | Data sheet |
| Bacter 100 | Surface disinfection | Bactericidal 1 % (10 g/l) · 5 min; enveloped viruses 5 % (50 g/l) · 15 min | Data sheet |
| InstaBact® DS Plus | Spraying onto clean surfaces | Neat · 5 min bactericidal and virucidal; 15 min bactericidal, virucidal and fungicidal | Data sheet |
| Neutro Gras | General degreasing | Neat or diluted to 3–10 % | Data sheet |
| Lubri Pro | Conveyor lubrication | 0.2–0.4 % | Data sheet |
| Hand Bact Pro | Hand washing | Neat with dispenser · about 30 s · rinse with water | Data sheet |
| Hidro Bact Pro | Rinse-free hand washing | 3–5 ml · at least 30 s | Data sheet |
| Insta Check Pro | Biofilm verification | Spray and observe after approx. one minute | Data sheet |
Rinse with water when the data sheet says so and use the protective equipment specified in the safety data sheet.
Frequently asked questions about cleaning in the food industry
What is CIP cleaning and what phases does it have?
CIP (Clean In Place) is the cleaning of tanks, pipework and heat exchangers without dismantling them, by recirculating the solutions through the circuit. A typical cycle: pre-rinse with water, alkaline phase, rinse, acid phase, rinse, disinfection and final rinse.
Which alkaline detergent should I use in CIP?
Alcalino Pro 1 is a highly alkaline, controlled-foam detergent: in recirculation it is dosed at between 0.5 and 5 % at 45–70 ºC for 20–45 minutes, after a preliminary rinse with water. Alcalino Pro 3 has a high sequestering capacity: 1–3 % in recirculation or 2–6 % in a single phase, at 60–70 ºC for 20–45 minutes. Neither of them should be used on aluminium.
When is the acid phase needed?
When there is limescale, mineral soiling or residues from alkaline detergents. Nitracip Pro, based on nitric acid, is circulated at 0.5–1 % for about 15–20 minutes at 40–60 ºC. Acid Pro, based on orthophosphoric acid, is used at between 1 and 3 % in automatic cleaning and CIP, at 40–70 ºC.
Which disinfectant is used in CIP circuits?
Oxa Per, a bactericidal and fungicidal disinfectant based on peracetic acid (registration number 17-20/40-05521-HA), is also indicated for recirculation (CIP): according to its data sheet, 1 % is sufficient to disinfect, with about 15 minutes at 20–50 ºC and rinsing with water. As a disinfectant detergent for recirculation there is Clor NF Pro, a non-foaming chlorinated alkaline product, which is used at 2 to 8 % at 20–60 ºC.
How is a cutting room cleaned with foam?
It is pre-rinsed, the foam is sprayed on, left to act without drying and rinsed off under pressure. Gras Foam (2–6 % at 20–60 ºC) is indicated for heavily greased surfaces in cutting rooms. For bactericidal action, Bacter Clor is applied at 2 to 5 % at room temperature, 5–15 minutes, with a pressure rinse.
How are biofilms removed?
Enzi NF is the non-foaming enzymatic product for CIP systems (1–3 %, 30–120 minutes at 40–50 ºC). Enzi Foam is a highly foaming enzymatic product (3–6 % at 40–55 ºC). Both accept the Enzim Pro additive. For verification, Insta Check Pro indicates the presence of biofilms by effervescence.
Which products can I use on aluminium?
Not all of them: the data sheets for Alcalino Pro 1, Alcalino Pro 3, Gras Foam Pro, Gras Foam and Clor NF Pro exclude aluminium. Neutro Gras, a low-alkalinity degreaser, can be used on all types of metals, including aluminium, and Acid Foam does not attack aluminium or stainless steel. Always check the data sheet before changing product.
How do these products fit into the HACCP plan?
The HACCP cleaning plan usually records, by area or piece of equipment, the product, dose, temperature, time, frequency, person responsible and verification. Each reference has a technical data sheet and a safety data sheet, and the sheet for disinfectants states their registration number. You can follow the step-by-step HACCP protocol guide or ask us for advice using the form.
Which product is right for your process?
Tell us what you clean (CIP circuits, surfaces, conveyors, cold rooms) and what you produce: we will tell you the references and the dosage according to the technical data sheet, with the documentation for each product.
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