Dairy Processing - May/June 2024 - 63

make the operation as repeatable and traceable as possible,
where you can track and record specific performance metrics
to ensure the process is done reliably and repeatably. "
Electronic data collection and automation in CIP and COP,
Downer added, are the norm for achieving best results in a
dairy facility.
When dealing with process lines, tanks and equipment
specifically designed for CIP, Downer said there is " no better
option " than an engineered CIP system.
" Essential modern design elements for a dairy CIP system
would include well-integrated controls, digital process
recording or data collection, cleaning system OEE (overall
equipment effectiveness) monitoring, preventive maintenance
monitoring, a safeguarded recipe management system, and
a tiered critical event alert and intervention system that
sanitation, maintenance, operations and quality are all able to
remotely monitor in real time, " Downer spelled out.
COP in a stand-alone tank or
booth is good for equipment and
components that cannot be CIP
cleaned. This type of equipment
must be designed to be moved
from their use point and cleaned
in the COP equipment. "
Craig Reinhart, Reinhart Consulting
The most significant choice for a dairy processing facility,
Reinhart advised, is between a single-use or a solution
recovery design for the CIP center.
" In my experience, most CIP centers have been solution
recovery designs, " Reinhart said. " However, some companies
prefer single-use centers. I have seen a move to more singleuse
centers to prevent allergen cross contamination via the
CIP solution. "
OCCASIONS FOR COP
The efficiency associated with CIP solutions makes them
appealing to companies. Though COP methods may not
appear as modern, they can be the optimal choice for certain
aspects of a facility.
Reinhart explained that COP cleaning not only is more
labor intensive than CIP cleaning, but also tends to involve
using more water, chemicals and energy.
" COP in a stand-alone tank or booth is good for equipment
and components that cannot be CIP cleaned, " he said. " This
type of equipment must be designed to be moved from their
Sani-Matic, Inc.'s SaniCab PC335 PC cabinet washer is for
automating COP processes.
use point and cleaned in the COP equipment. "
As an example, Reinhart said, the nozzles on some
filling machines can be dirtied on the exterior as the result
of product splashing. But CIP options don't exist for
those nozzles.
For a dairy processor looking to enhance its facility with
COP solutions, Downer said advantages can be found by
moving away from labor-intensive manual functions and
choosing automated COP washing systems.
" This can be in the form of the traditional tub-style washer
or the often more practical and cost effective cabinet-style
washer, " Downer said. " These can reduce overall washing
time, while reducing dependence on manual operations that
are difficult or impossible to track, trace or record. "
Automated COP solutions, he said, monitor and record the
sanitation process, making them comparable to CIP functions
in that regard.
Nevertheless, sometimes old fashioned manual cleaning
- an employee wielding a bucket, scrub bush and hose - is
unavoidable, Reinhart admitted. He said manual cleaning
is best for parts with complicated shapes that prevent
them from being properly sanitized by even a CIP or COP
recirculating system.
The more antiquated approach also can become necessary
when the timing of CIP for the main equipment does not align
with COP schedules, which Reinhart said can be the case for
the sample valve and door gasket on a silo tank, as an example.
POTENTIAL DETERRENTS
Some processors may associate limitations with certain
types of solutions, impacting their decisions when deciding
DAIRYPROCESSING.COM | MAY-JUN 2024 63
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http://www.DAIRYPROCESSING.COM
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