Learning objectives
To train students in hygiene in terms of problems associated with the management of food industry plants, with specific emphasis on interventions aimed at the prevention of contamination of foodstuffs during production. <br />
To provide the basis necessary for: <br />
- the evaluation of hygiene organisation in an industrial plant in terms of the type of foodstuffs processed and the processes used. <br />
- the definition of ways to carry out and check cleaning and sanification procedures aimed at maintaining an adequate standard of hygiene. <br />
Prerequisites
It is recommended, although not obligatory, to have passed the general and applied hygiene exam.
Course unit content
Basic hygiene principles: <br />
General principles of epidemiology and prevention of infectious diseases; modality of food contamination; nature and source of contamination; prevention intervention levels: Codex alimentarius: general standards in hygiene of foodstuffs. Regulation (EC) 852/2004 of 29 April 2004. <br />
- Food industry production requirements in terms of sanification: <br />
Prevailing norms; evaluation of the plant’s suitability in terms of cleaning procedures: cleaning tests. <br />
- Main problems in defining cleaning and sanification procedures: <br />
Choice of detergents and disinfectants; frequency of cleaning, monitoring. <br />
- Principles and general definitions: <br />
Cleaning, disinfecting, sterilisation, sanification. <br />
- Dirt: <br />
Classification based on dimension, origin and composition; main types of dirt (fat, protein, carbohydrates, inorganic, biofilm, oils and lubricants, insoluble particles). Main phases in the removal of dirt. <br />
- Water: <br />
Uses in food industry; uses in terms of cleaning and sanification procedures; requirements and eventual treatments. <br />
- Definition of cleaning and sanification procedures: <br />
Main stages; optimization of the phases; operational order. <br />
- Detergents: <br />
General requirements and requirements regarding action on dirt; main ingredients in detergents (alkali, acids, surface-active agents and complimentary compounds); factors which influence cleaning: concentration, contact time, temperature and mechanical force. <br />
- Disinfectants: <br />
General requirements; factors which influence action; main types of disinfectants: chlorine compounds, peroxides, quaternary ammonium compounds, iodoforms, amphoteric compounds, disinfection acids, ozone. <br />
- Physical disinfection agents <br />
Heat (vapour, hot water), radiation. <br />
- Ways of conducting cleaning and sanification procedures: <br />
Manual procedures, COP; CIP. <br />
- Cleaning in place (CIP): <br />
Definition, advantages and disadvantages, phases, influencing factors; system requirements for CIP; main typologies of CIP. <br />
- Managing cleaning and sanification procedures: <br />
Role of the manager and the supervisor; procedure description sheet; verification, monitoring and registration of data; choice and training of personnel. <br />
<br />
Bibliography
Material will be supplied by the lecturer.
