Filling Line Hygiene and Aseptic Packaging€¦ · requires specialist equipment, and aseptic...

Filling Line Hygiene and Aseptic Packaging

Marilyn SeedhouseHolchem Laboratories

Statistical Probability

• Hygiene is a risky business!• The best we can do in aseptic packaging is

reduce the risks as much as possible by making sure we clean and disinfect everything that touches the product very thoroughly and effectively, and at a regular frequency, thus reducing the risk of microbial contamination to the minimum.

share your experiences today #BevExpo2016

Statistical Probability

• If this is not carried out very effectively and frequently enough, you will be gambling with your product quality, hygiene and well being in the market place.

Microbiology

• Fascinating subject, but unfortunately is often little understood

• Once understood, and trained in this subject, it is infinitely interesting (it was for me!)

• Dealing with ways to eliminate microbiological risk will help you to make a more successful business

• Because any increase in understanding and actions you take as a result will add to your potential success


Product Microbiological Stabilisation

• Filtration and Pasteurisation• “Sterile” Filtration• Preservatives• Most “bottle conditioned” beers are first

sterile filtered, and then pure yeast is added back.


Containers

• Bottles• Cans• PET• PETainers• Mini Casks• Casks• Kegs


Filters • When cleaning filters, it is important to have some

advice from the filter supplier about compatibility of the filter material with detergents and disinfectants.

• It is a good idea to facilitate the opportunity to let them talk to each other in your interest, to ensure filter life and reliable hygiene standards.

• Your chemical supplier will also need to take into account your product ranges types of equipment and water hardness in order to give you the best protocols.


Filter Integrity

• When cleaning and disinfecting cartridge filters, it is advisable to carry out integrity testing as per the manufacturers advice in order to ensure the filter is intact, and not damaged.


Microorganisms• There are many microorganisms which can spoil our

beautiful beers, the types of organisms and what effect they might have on the beer quality is really interesting from a scientific point of view. In a former life, as a brewing microbiologist, I saw the devastating impact of the growth of the various microbes, the hazes, lumps, slimes, gas pressures and unpleasant odours!

• We want to avoid these infections of course, for the sake of quality, economics , and for the art!


Hygiene Conscience and Consequence

• We must be forever mindful, and never complacent about hygiene.

• We know we must wash our hands for example, do we all do this as often as we know we should?

• It only takes one yeast or bacterium to become millions in a very short time

• Do it Properly!! (quote from my dear Mother!)


Verification of Process

• Whatever method is used to first microbiologically stabilise the beer, this must be verified.

• Pasteurisation time/temperature• Filter integrity and hygiene• Preservative concentration


Packaging Containers

• The containers that are to be used to fill with the product must be free from microbiological infection, and foreign bodies.

• Bottles, Cans Mini Casks or Petainers (not previously used) are rinsed with clean, chlorine dioxide treated water, or Peracetic Acid solution. These solutions should not be re-used, as they are both strongly oxidising, and hence the concentration will be depleted by any organic material. A one shot use is a more reliable.


Packaging Containers

• For Cask and Kegs cleaning and disinfection is usually via a washing programme via a machine designed with a CIP programme

• This is a more established protocol, so we will concentrate more on the “small pack” containers in this instance

• Please ask questions on this type of packaging if this is your particular interest


Filler

• The filling machinery is very complex, with lots of places for bugs to reside on the inside and outside of the machine

• We must clean and disinfect the inside and the outside of this machinery, and the peripheral areas

• Microorganisms will also be residing in the air and areas around the filling machinery


Cleaning and Disinfection

• To ensure the highest probability of the lowest number of microorganisms being left in or on the machinery, we need to clean and disinfect, effectively, and in that order.

• We can’t disinfect efficiently unless the surfaces are free from product, soiling and scale.

• A strict adherence to a cleaning regime we know will be effective should be carried out at regular intervals


CIP of Filler

• A typical regime will be ;-• Rinse away product with clean water• Circulate caustic (preferably with EDTA) to remove

and prevent beer stone. Chilled beer will deposit beer stone on the internal surfaces over time, and thus provide shelter for microorganisms. 20 mins. circulation at 1% wt/vol NaOH (Sodium Hydroxide) warm or hot will be better, but cold is acceptable if the time is long enough.


CIP of Filler

• Time, Temperature, Energy and Concentration are the parameters that balanced correctly together will ensure the best CIP performance

• This will be a function of the ratio of the parameters together

• Less of one parameter can be compensated for by an increase of one or more of the other parameters


CIP of Filler

• All detergent must be rinsed away before applying the disinfectant rinse. Any remaining detergent may disable the disinfectant.

• We can only disinfect a clean surface!• The disinfectant must have the correct concentration

for the correct time.• With Peracetic Acid, or Chlorine Dioxide treated

water, there is no need to rinse off after the disinfectant circulation, just rinse to drain.


Steam• To raise the temperature of the filler and

pipework will also kill microorganisms• Clean all areas of the machine and rinse

thoroughly before steaming• Check with the manufacture about materials of

construction vs high temperature, seal material etc.

• Open valves to ensure the steam reaches all areas• Steam for 30mins minimum


Practicalities and Probabilities

• After CIP after a daily production, it might be more practical, prudent and on the right side of managing probability to carry out the disinfectant rinse next morning immediately prior to production.

• Or, have a disinfectant stage immediately after CIP and another disinfectant rinse immediately prior to production.

• Just drain, no need to rinse off Chlorine Dioxide treated water or Peracetic Acid


Validation

• Some cleaning processes are automated, but some may not be.

• When the CIP programme records can be recorded this will be validation of the clean provided that it has been proven to be effective previously.


On The Outside• Again, statistical probability dictates that, where

there is beer, there will be more beer spoilage microorganisms, so the outside of the filling machinery is also an important consideration for hygiene

• The outside surfaces of the filler are a very important consideration for aseptic packaging.

• The areas to be cleaned are complex, so a foam clean is a good option, rinse then disinfect.


Foam Units


Foam Units

• Some units work on compressed air, some are electrical, and the simple one is pumped up physically.

• The units working on compressed air are pressure vessels, and should be checked and maintained accordingly

• On some fillers, there may be an integral automatic foam unit with foam and disinfectant spray nozzles positioned around the filler


External Filler Cleaning and Disinfection

• A typical regime will be;-• Rinse away product residues• Apply a foam product usually alkaline foam,

specialist application equipment will be required to generate a foam.

• The foam should be of a consistency to adhere to the vertical surfaces. Make sure all areas are covered with a thin even layer


External Filler Cleaning and Disinfection

• Foam is left on for around 20mins, then rinse thoroughly

• Rinse with disinfectant solution.• The choice of disinfectant is important, we

need one that is non tainting, and has no effect on beer head retention

• Then just allow the disinfectant to drain off


The Details

• The areas around the filling area are also important considerations, so a thorough clean of conveyors, external pipework, floors and the filler cabinet is also important, as anywhere there has been beer spills, then there will be spoilage organisms

• After any intervention inside the filler cabinet, spray the areas touched with a disinfectant spray or wipe with a disinfectant impregnated wipe.


The Details

• Cleaning in some areas may require some appropriate brushes to clean between crevices or between the slats of conveyors, so a range of brushes, cloths, and squeegees may be required

• The product travelling in the internal pipework is most likely to be cold, and this may give rise to condensation dripping from the pipework, the filler should be enclosed to prevent overhead pipework potentially dripping contaminated water into the filler area.


The Details

• The air, particularly humid air will carry microorganisms

• Some fillers may have an enclosed area around the filler with a positive pressure of sterile air flowing in, but the ideal scenario does not exist in many brewing applications.

• Fogging can be carried out to minimise airborne infection. An aerosol of disinfectant solution is “fogged” in the filling area during down time


Fogging Equipment

• Options;-


Hoses

• Open ended hoses are microbiological hotbeds of activity. Gases from the air can dissolve into water and there will be a potential for some organisms to start to grow, then more organisms will be able to grow on the metabolic by products of those organisms and so on, this will result in a biofilm developing on the inner surfaces of the hose.

• Try the fingernail test! share your experiences today #BevExpo2016

Hoses

• Rinse water from hoses will be more hygienic if hoses are kept off the floor, and if rinse guns are fitted, This will also make the flow of rinse water more economic and easier to direct.


Pests

• Pests with various numbers of legs can introduce microorganisms into the packaging areas

• Hand washing facilities for the two legged ones

• Please have effective pest control for the four legged furry ones

• Insecto-cutors for the 6 legged ones


Micro Testing

• The risk factor to the filling operation will be increased if the beer to be processed is microbiologically unsound

• Contract filling operations can be put under more risk when beers of dubious microbiological quality is sent in for packaging

• Some routine microbiological testing at each stage of the process is prudent


Methods

• Measurement of the numbers and types of organisms present is ideal, however, this requires specialist equipment, and aseptic technique in a microbiological laboratory

• ATP measurement is a good way of testing that the plant is clean

• Differential plating of the incoming beer would historically record the numbers and types of organisms in the beer for packaging


Microscopic Examination

• A quick look down the microscope will show up a high level of contamination, so would quickly determine whether the beer should be packaged.

• The sensitivity of such a test is low, only when there is a gross level of contamination it will be obvious


Microbiological Testing

• The relative sensitivity of ATP testing is quite low for a volume of fluid

• ATP testing will not show the types or numbers of organisms present

• Membrane Filtration and growth on agar plates offers a higher sensitivity, but results will be historic

• Micro testing of product treated with preservative should be delayed for a recommended time before testing


Further Complications

• There are further nuances, in that, as we are dealing with biological living things, what will happen is difficult to predict

• Individual types of organisms have an individual set of preferred conditions for growth, and they are very fussy eaters!

• Particular about pH, types of “food” available, vitamin levels, temperature and relative humidity


Further Complications

• So, this all makes the odds even more interesting!

• However, in the interests of the art, the economics, and your business, it is still best not to gamble with the hygiene.

• It any organisms are present, and conditions are to their liking, then spoilage could occur.


Shortening the Odds• Please ensure the integrity of the treatment of the

incoming or your own beer before packaging• Clean and disinfect the tanks, pipework, filters, and filler,

internal and external, fog the areas around the filler• Wash your hands! Ensure engineers who may intervene

into the filler area wash theirs too, and use a disinfectant solution to spray or wipe any areas touched after any intervention

• Clean the peripheral areas around the filler area, pipework, conveyoring, floors, and filler cabinet


Thank You!

• Please ask questions……?


Filling Line Hygiene and Aseptic Packaging€¦ · requires specialist equipment, and aseptic...

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