Every area of the food industry has different requirements and standards they must abide by, but there is one that all of them have in common: the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) Plan.
HACCP plans play a critical role in keeping food and beverage products safe from harmful contamination that can result in foodborne illness, and while the plan covers many aspects of food safety, one you don't want to overlook is the HACCP drainage requirements.
Here is what you need to know about HACCP compliance for drainage systems in specific industries.
Raw fruits and unpasteurized fruit juices can carry harmful bacteria that can cause foodborne illness. Factory workers must clean the fruit thoroughly and pasteurize the juices to eliminate harmful bacteria. They also need to ensure that dirty water, fruit scraps, and any unpasteurized juice that spills onto the floor are dealt with appropriately to prevent bacterial contamination in the production line.
Juice factories have specific requirements that drainage systems must meet in order to be HACCP compliant, which include:
Raw fruits and unpasteurized juice can have harmful bacteria and pathogens. A floor drain should have smooth walls made of material that is resistant to bacterial growth.
Many fruits are acidic, and juices often have acidic ingredients. Cleaning and sanitizing agents are also acidic, which makes corrosion resistance vital for juice factories.
Smooth walls with no sharp corners make cleaning easier and help ensure that there is no bacteria lingering inside the channel.
Juice factories have lots of heavy equipment, including jack pallets and forklifts that help move products. Your drainage system should be cabled to withstand this weight without breaking or damage.
Retail food vendors are where most people get their food. It is typically a one-stop shop where consumers can get everything from meats and eggs to beverages. Drainage isn't something the average person thinks about with these types of places, but it is essential to maintain a safe, sanitary building. If there are spills, a drainage system will help quickly clean up the mess to minimize the risk of bacteria growth and slip hazards. A drainage system would also help make cleaning the floors easier.
HACCP compliance requirements for these types of drainage systems include:
With the regular cleaning that has to occur, having an easy-to-maintain system is important. Smooth, nonporous walls can assist in this effort.
Different types of wastewater can pass through the drain, so bacteria resistance is vital. Materials like stainless steel are naturally bacteria-resistant, and rounded corners can also help ensure bacteria is not trapped.
Grocery stores and other retail food vendors are frequented by many people. A drainage system must be ADA-compliant and safe for everyone to pass over.
Drainage systems in retail food vendor locations are exposed to a wide range of products. Corrosion resistance is important to protect it against any potentially corrosive spills and the corrosive nature of cleaning agents.
Dairy farms deal with large amounts of liquids daily, and drainage is essential in helping to manage all of the liquids and assist with the cleaning to ensure that the farm facility remains sanitary. Drainage involves ensuring that wastewater, cleaning chemicals, and milk and its byproducts are moved away from the work areas, where they pose contamination and safety risks.
For dairy farms, HACCP compliance in drainage requires a floor drain to meet several requirements:
Depending on the size of the farm operation, processes like pasteurization can happen on-site. In these cases, a drainage system must be made using a temperature-resistant material that can easily withstand both high and low temperatures.
Bacteria resistance is vital for any food and beverage industry drainage system. The drainage material must be resistant to bacteria growth in order to prevent the spread of bacteria that is common in raw milk.
A dairy farm drain should be easy to clean and maintain, with no bacteria-harboring corners and crevices.
Dairy farms work with a great deal of large, heavy equipment. A drainage system must be able to withstand the weight without damage.
While milk isn't very acidic, cleaning chemicals and sanitizers can be very corrosive, and a drainage system must handle that exposure without damage.
Aquaculture is continually growing, which has led to an increase in fish farms, including indoor operations. These farms require vast amounts of water, which can splash onto the ground and create a potential breeding ground for harmful bacteria if there is no system to manage it. This can put the farming operation at risk.
Requirements for fish farm drainage include:
The drainage system in fish farms must offer substantial flow rates to prevent the system from becoming backed up and overflowing.
The material needs to provide bacteria resistance in order to ensure that no harmful pathogens are lingering within the farm.
The drainage system must be capable of withstanding the weight of the farm's equipment without damage.
The drainage system must withstand any corrosive substances it comes into contact with within the facility without suffering damage that affects performance or its sanitary design.
Alt Text: an image of a FoodSafe drain that can be used to help facilities meet the drainage requirements of HACCP
FoodSafe Drains is a company dedicated to creating food-safe drainage systems that work for all areas of the food and beverage industry. Whether you are looking for a system for a retail food vendor, a farm, or a factory, their systems meet all the needs for a safe and sanitary drainage system. Notable features include:
FoodSafe Drain systems feature full radius edges; there are no sharp corners, which means nowhere for bacteria to get stuck and grow. They also use high-quality T304 and T316 stainless steel.
The smooth sides of the systems make maintaining them easy to clean. They are also compatible with clean-in-place technology and the FoodSafe Drains' Flush Flo system, for automated and semi-automated cleaning and sanitation.
The Slot Drain line is one of the most popular due to the sleek, modern design that eliminates the need for grate covers and makes maintenance easier. The 10,000 Series and 6,000 PLUS-R Series are heavy-duty, Load Class E forklift-rated systems, which makes it a great option for any of the above places. It offers flow rates of up to 27 GPM per foot of drain, and it is extremely efficient despite the small size. The 6,000 Series has all the same features but is only Load Class C.
The FoodSafe Catch Basin attaches to the system and has a strainer basket that catches fallen objects and large debris to prevent it from entering the drain where it can potentially cause clogging or buildup. Like the Slot Drain, it is NSF/ANSI/3-A certified and uses T304 and T316 stainless steel. It has a magnetic, tamper-proof strainer that is accessible to only authorized personnel, so there is no need to worry about solids being intentionally put into the system. Like the 10,000 and 6,000 PLUS-R Series, the FoodSafe Catch Basin is forklift rated.
HACCP planning is essential in helping to minimize the risk of foodborne illness in any facility where food and food products are produced or stored. HACCP plans cover so much, and drainage is just one aspect - but it is significant.
Having HACCP-compliant drainage and maintaining it to the appropriate standards is critical in preventing contamination and foodborne illnesses. Systems like the Slot Drain from FoodSafe Drains make it significantly easier with its high-quality sanitary design.
Contact FoodSafe Drains today to learn more about our products and how they can help maintain HACCP compliance.