Lecture – 5
Cleaning of Dairy Equipments
• Terms used in cleaning
• Effectiveness of cleaning
• Cleaning detergents
Terms used in cleaning
1. Rinsing – to remove any loosely adherent, milky and other residual matter
by simple rinsing with water (washing lightly)
2. Cleaning – the removal of the soil & residues of a product from the surface
of the equipments. Thoroughly cleaned surfaces must be free of any visible,
touchable or chemically detectable residue of the soil & product residues
3. Disinfection - an operation carried out by the chemical agents or by heat
which destroy pathogens or other harmful microorganism but not bacterial
spore
4. Sanitizing – a process which reduces the number of microorganisms on plant
and utensils to a level consistent with acceptable quality control and hygienic
standards. After sanitizing, the surface shall not give a significant increase in
bacteriological contamination to the product coming in contact with it. A
broad interpretation of sanitizing is cleaning plus disinfection
5. Sterilization – the act or process mostly by heat, killing of all living cells.
Residues characteristics of Dairy plants
• Lactose – is water soluble. Hence can be removed easily. It is
more difficult to remove when caramelized.
• Fats – can be removed with hot water containing surface active
agents or with alkaline solutions. Polymerized fats are difficult
to remove.
• Protein – is best treated with alkaline solutions, less well with
acid solutions. Denaturized proteins are more difficult to
remove
• Mineral salts – are easily removed with water depending on
their composition, but quite easily with acid solutions.
Deposits dried on walls are more difficult to remove. Greater
difficulties are experienced in removing deposits which are
built up of alternating layers of proteins and mineral salts.
Effectiveness of cleaning
The effectiveness is determined by the four process
variables:-
1. Contact time – should not waste excess water but also
allow the complete cleaning
2. Temperature –higher the temperature higher is the
cleaning efficiency, but excessive high temp should not
be used (about 10° rise in temp doubles reaction rate)
3. Concentration – higher the concentration of the cleaning
solution more will be the cleaning action
4. Physical action – more the turbulence more will be the
cleaning action
Cleaning and sterilizing agents
Detergents should fulfill the following requirements:-
a) Must not be corrosive
b) Must wet, penetrate and dispose soil & product residues,
and remove it from the walls of equipments
c) Must dissolve hard water deposits and by wetting the
cleaned surfaces, ensure that they can be completely
rinsed with clean water, (i.e. they should reduce the
surface tension and interfacial tension)
d) Must be free from abrasive particles which could
roughen surfaces and block movable parts of the
equipment.
Cleaning detergents
1. Alkaline solutions
– Inorganic alkaline solutions act as emulsifiers, protein dissolving agents and
particularly as bactericidal agents. Caustic soda (NaOH) in concentrations of
0.2-2% is chiefly used at temperature of approx. 70°C.
– It is corrosive towards aluminium, tin and zincs especially at higher
concentrations. Sodium hydroxide reacts with the fatty parts of the soiling
matter and produces surface active agents which aid cleaning in a way
similar to wetting agents. It has a bactericidal action, especially at higher
temperature and concentrations.
– The basic chemicals used in alkaline detergents are: caustic soda (NaOH),
Washing soda (Na2CO310H2O), sodium carbonate monohydrate
(Na2CO3H2O), anhydrous sodium carbonate (Na2CO3), sodium
sesquicarbonate (Na2CO3.NaHCO3), sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3), and
sodium sulphate (Na2SO410H2O)
Contd…
2. Acid Solutions
– Solutions of organic and inorganic acids in
concentration of 0.5-2% are used to remove hard
deposits such as water scale and milk stone which are
usually formed on hot surfaces. Such deposits do not
dissolve in alkalis.
– The acids which are principally used are nitric acid
(0.5%-1%) or phosphoric acid (2.0%). Other acids are
used with caution that they may cause corrosion.
– Sterilizing agents – chlorine in the form of
hypochlorites, QAC (Quaternary ammonium
compounds) at the rate of 150-200 mg/l at 40°C and for
contact time of about 2 minutes is used, Hydrogen
Peroxide is used for sterilizing plastics
Deposits formed during milk processing
• The choice of the cleaning process is determined by the type and
composition of the soiling matter as well as by the design of the
equipment to be cleaned.
• Cold milk can easily be removed from the surfaces. Warm water
and 1% solution of an alkali are sufficient.
• Dried milk deposits must be allowed to swell in contact with a
liquid and a alkali should then be able to breakdown the proteins.
• High temperatures that are used for the heat treatment of milk
cause deposits of the solids which are known as milkstone
(deposits of minerals and protein formed at higher temp).
Deposits and burnt on deposits occur in especially large amount
in heat exchangers.
Deposits formed during milk processing
• Their extent depends on the following factors- temp,
temp diff, rate of flow, rate of heating, heat transfer
coefficient, design of the heater, roughness of the surface,
hardness of the rinse water, cleaning solution, product
(milk), acidity of milk, air content of milk, product age,
fat content, time of the year
• Deposit formation can be reduced by pre-heating milk to
temp between 65°C and 90°C or by building up of back
pressure.
Cleaning procedure
The cleaning cycle in dairy comprises the following stages:-
1) Recovery of product residues by means of scraping,
drainage and forcing out with water or compressed air –
to recover the product and lower down the load on ETP
(Effluent treatment plant)
2) Pre rinsing with water in order to remove loose dirt – so
that product retaining may not solidify on the surface
which may pose problem in cleaning in the later stages.
Mostly done with water at 60°C in order to avoid
coagulation of milk proteins. About 99% of the total
milk residues can be removed by means of efficient pre-
rinsing
Contd…
3. Cleaning with detergent – duration of the detergent
cleaning phase must be carefully calculated in order to
obtain the maximum cleaning effect. At the same time the
cost of electricity, heating, water and labor must be taken
into consideration. The detergents solution must circulate
long enough in order to dissolve dirt.
4. Post rinsing with clean water – done to remove all the
traces of the detergent solution otherwise if left will
contaminate the milk. Soft water should be used for
rinsing
5. Disinfection by means of heating or with chemical
agents. In the latter case the cycle is concluded with a
final rinse. It render the surface bacteriological clean.
Contd…
Dairy equipments can be disinfected by
a) Thermal disinfection (boiling, hot water, steam)
b) Chemical disinfection (chlorine in the form of
hypochlorites, idophors, hydrogen peroxide, QAC
(Quaternary Ammonium compounds) etc.).
