Thorough cleaning, every day
All production areas and equipment are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected every day after production. Dirt, bacteria and residues of cleaning products must be removed every day without leaving a trace. The cleaning team works in several steps. After the last step, everything has to be clean, before production can start again the next day.
Hygienically clean in the end
Every day, some hundred million people around the world eat a product processed in one of our production locations. It is our first and foremost duty to make sure that the products are safe and wholesome. And thorough cleaning is a prerequisite for this. That is why daily cleaning of our production locations is one of our core tasks.
In about 5 hours, a cleaning team of 25 people thoroughly cleans the production areas in a 5-step process. Day in, day out.
5-step cleaning programme
At the end of their shift, the production team makes sure the production department is ready to be cleaned. We call this broom-clean. Production waste is swept up using a broom or wiper and cleared away, machines are disassembled and all loose materials are put away. No dangerous situations should occur during cleaning. Then it’s time for the cleaning crew to set to work. First, they hose everything down, collecting and removing all dirt in the department that is visible with the naked eye.
Next, the entire department is lathered. Using calibrated equipment, we apply a foam layer on the machines that dissolves and removes invisible contamination. This could be a layer of grease on the machine that is not visible to the naked eye.
In the following step, the foam and residual dirt are removed. Vion uses water and a spray gun for this.
In a fourth step, the cleaning crew disinfects everything. The disinfectant we use consists of chemicals specifically tailored and certified for use in the food industry. They spray this disinfectant onto all equipment to kill the bacteria. This, too, is done with calibrated tools. This way, we know exactly what happens and how much is used.
In a fifth and final step, everything is hosed down again with mains water. Then we’re left with a clean and disinfected department. We call this hygienically clean.
Final check
After the cleaning crew has finished work, the next production day is started with pre-SSOP, Pre-Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures. This is a daily check of the cleaning result. All steps, rules and conditions are set out in the cleaning specifications. This is a document that explains in detail what the cleaning company is supposed to do. For example how hot the water must be, how much pressure must be used for the spray gun, which disinfectants must be used, and much more. Despite the fact that everything is recorded in detail, it is still necessary to check it. We do this every day to ensure that we can start production safely and hygiene is guaranteed.
