Beverage Plant Sanitation
Because the soils found in beverage plants are primarily high in sugar content and are
water soluble, they are less difficult to remove than those described in some plants. Soil
removal and microbial control present more of a problem in breweries and wineries.
MYCOLOGY OF BEVERAGEMANUFACTURE
Because beverage plants such as breweries must maintain a pure yeast culture, it is
important to retain the desirable microbes and to remove those that cause spoilage and unsanitary conditions. Ineffective sanitation can cause product acceptability problems because contaminating microorganisms, although kept under control, are never elim-inated from the environment.
Cleaning Practices
There are six standard steps for cleaning (except cleaning-in-place) a beverage plant:
Prerinse to remove large debris and non-adherent soil, to wet the area to be leaned, and to increase the effective-ness of the cleaning compound.
Apply a cleaning compound (usually via foam) to provide intimate contact of water with the soil for removal through effective wetting and penetrating properties.
Hand detail and inspect for cleanliness.
Postrinse for removal of the dispersed soil and the cleaning compound to increase the effectiveness of the sani-tizer.
Sanitize with quaternary ammonium compounds (with or without acid), acid-anionic sanitizers, peracetic acid, chlorine compounds, or iodophors to destroy residual microorganisms.Rinse quaternary ammonium sanitizers (especially if present in more than 200 parts per million [ppm]) before expos-ing the cleaned area to any beverage materials.
Inspection of Ingredients and Raw Materials
Because foreign objects and microbial contamination does occur in both raw mate-rials and the finished product, they should be inspected, including rodent and insect inspection, for foreign matter. Letters of compliance should be required of suppliers stating that the material was processed underthe hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) system.
NONALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE PLANT SANITATION
The skin of fruits for juice manufacture should be sanitized with chlorine dioxide. An alternative to thermal pasteurization for the reduction of E. coli and Salmonella in apple cider and orange juice is the incorporation of ozone treatment If sanitizing is not practiced, pathogens, such as E. coli O157:H7 in apple juice or cider, can become incorporated into the product.
Because beverages such as soft drinks, bottled water, beer, and distilled spirits should be manufactured from microbial- and particulate-free water, some form of treat-ment is necessary. Various treatments include flocculation, filtration (i.e., through a sand bed), chlorination, sterile filtration, reverse osmosis, activated carbon, and deionization. The use of the water determines the type and extent of treatment.Conditioning of water for use in beverage plants is accomplished primarily through particulate removal and microbial control. Particulate contaminants that may be pres-ent in water are most frequently removed by flocculation and sand filtration. The installa-tion of an absolute-rate depth filter behind the sand filter will remove all of the contam-inants larger than the rated pore size prior to chlorination and activated carbon treatment.
Biofilms
Residual beverages or their ingredients provide nutrients for microbial growth and their biofilms. Biofilms can occur inside cooling towers, in and outside of warmers andpasteurizers, and inside carbocoolers. As with film deposits, biofilm removal is enhanced by use of a chlorinated alkaline cleaning compound. A quaternary ammo-nium sanitizer or another biocide should be applied to reduce biofilm deposition because this formation can occur within 24 hours after use.
Hot Sanitizing
Sanitation of beverage plants differs from that of other food facilities. During the past few years a trend toward hot sanitizing has occurred. Hot sanitizing can be incorporated when cleaning products contact surfaces of production equipment, such as batch tanks, low mix units and fillers, and carbocoolers.
Membrane Technology
Membrane technology applied to water treatment for the beverage industry inclu-des a wide range of polymeric and ceramic impurity removal techniques, including treatments such as microfilters to remove granular activated carbon fines and reverse osmosis.
Container Handling
Bottles, cans, jugs, and other containers used for nonalcoholic beverages are a viable contamination source from foreign objects such as metal shavings, wood, and other materials. Product containers should be checked before use according to a standard sampling plan. Single-use containers should be rinsed with water immediately before filling.
BREWERY SANITATION
Bacteria of greatest significance in this environment are nonspore-formers. However, spore-forming bacteria, such as Clostridium species, may be involved in thespoilage of brewery by-products, such as spent grain. Nonspore-forming bacteria that are found in breweries may contribute to a wide variety of problems in wort, includingpH elevation, acidification, acetification, incomplete fermentation, ropiness, and slow runoff time.Such infection may also be directly or indirectly responsible for various off-odors and biological hazes in finished beer.
Lactobacillus is usually regarded as themost troublesome genus of bacteria in the brewery because its species represents a potential spoilage hazard at the various stages of production, including finished beer. Other genera are less versatile under brewery conditions; therefore, their spoilage potential is more limiting. However, enter-obacteria may have an impact on the fer-mentation, flavor, and aroma of beer.
Control of Microbial Infection
Contamination may be controlled through removing excess soil and microorganisms that cause off-flavors. Although beer will self-sterilize in 5 to 7 days, undesirable bacte-ria, yeasts, and molds grow rapidly in freshly cooled wort that is contaminated through poor sanitation. Therefore, it is necessary to clean and sanitize the brewery equipment that processes the wort.
The control of microorganisms may be enhanced through ultraviolet (UV) light to reduce the airborne microbes, eliminate pests, and treat water. Several breweries have implemented UV light in water treatment as it is the main ingredient of the final product and allows for residue-free water that will not affect the chemistry of beverage manu-facture, as do most sanitizer residues. This treatment does not have a detrimental effect on water since UV light is a nonionizing and nonresidual disinfectant.
Aseptic Filling
Aseptic filling is considered to be a non-pasteurization process that involves ultrafil-tration techniques to remove the spoilage organisms from beer before packaging. Because ultrafiltration occurs before packag-ing, spoilage microorganisms can enter the product.
Bottle Cleaning
Centralized high-pressure, low-volume cleaning equipment has improved the effi-cacy of bottle cleaning. Tenacious soil can be removed from very difficult-to-reach areas such as conveyors, bottle fillers, cappers, and casers.
Sanitation in Storage Areas
In addition to suggestions provided for storage areas of other food facilities dis-cussed in this book, it is appropriate to recognize the need for proper storage of materials such as grain, sugar, and other edible dry products. Screw conveyors should be cleaned on a schedule basis. This is especially true for the dead ends of conveyors where dormant residues can accumulate.
Brewing Area Sanitation
Spray cleaning is faster and more depend-able than manual cleaning and can reduce downtime. Although unheated water can be used, a water temperature of up to 45ºC can increase the chemical reaction of the clean-ing compound with the soil.
Beer Pasteurization
Most brewers pasteurize their beer to maintain a stable condition, flavor, and smoothness. Certain brewers have incorporated sterile filtration as a substitute for ster-ilization. If filtration is incorporated, the filters should be replaced every other week to reduce the risk of microbes penetrating the series of filters. In a sanitary operation, ster-ile filtration can be effective.
WINERY SANITATION
It is essential for a winery to be maintained in a clean, sanitary condition. Dirty storage conditions can cause off-odors and offflavors since wine absorbs various odors.It is essential to remove soil contaminants that affect the taste, appearance, and perishability of wine. Included among the contaminants are the reddish tartrate deposits that form or build up on tank inte-riors as a result of fermentation. Other tenacious soils should be cleaned from the surfaces of processing equipment to reduce microbial growth throughout the winery.
Cleaning Compounds:
Several cleaning compounds are available for use in wineries. The sanitation operation is more successful if an appropriate cleaning compound is utilized. The selected cleaning compound should be easy to rinse away. Cleaning compounds with artificial odors should be avoided to decrease the possibility of adverse effects on product quality. Sodium phosphate is an effective winery-cleaning compound in addition to other phosphate-based compounds.
Cleaning Aids
An adjustable nozzle attached to a hose is a primary piece of cleaning equipment in most small wineries. The nozzle should pro-vide several spray patterns including a strong, high velocity stream. Long-handled brushes are inexpensive and convenient for scrubbing small tanks, containers, and most winemaking equipment.
Water Quality
The water used in a winery must have certain chemical and microbial properties. A low pH is inimical to steel and other sur-faces, and a high pH will favor calcium pre-cipitation. The biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) should be less than 3 mg/L. Because water can be a potential carrier of molds, yeasts, and acetic or lactic acid bacteria, pure water should be used.
Bottling Area Cleaning
Effective cleaning of the bottling area is essential to reduce bacterial or metallic con-tamination. This area is usually observed most closely by public health agencies. To facilitate effective sanitation in this area, the room should be well lighted and ventilated and should have glazed tile walls and epoxyfinished floors. Ample space between equipment is essential to facilitate easy cleaning, and the equipment should be easy to dis-assemble.
Pomace Disposal
It is essential to dispose of the pomace as rapidly as possible after pressing. This mate-rial must not stand in or close to the fermen-tation room because it rapidly acetifies, and the fruit flies carry acetic acid bacteria from the pomace pile to clean fermenting vats.
Pomace should be further processed or scat-tered as a thin layer on fields, where it dries quickly and does not become a serious breeding ground for fruit flies.
Storing Empty Containers
Concrete tanks should be left open and kept dry when not in use. Before reuse, they should be inspected and cleaned. An example of fermentation tanks is shown in Figure 20–1. Open wooden fermenters are some-times painted with a lime paste when not in use, but this surface is difficult to remove.
Barrels
Spent empty barrels are difficult to maintain. Approximately 12 liters of wine soaks into the wood surfaces of a new barrel the first time is filled. When barrels are stored empty, the wine soaked into the wood acidifies, turns to vinegar, and becomes contami-nated with acidophilic bacteria. Although soda ash can be used for cleaning contami-nated barrels, sterilization is practically impossible. Thus, contaminated barrels with a vinegar smell should be discarded.
Pest Control
Fruit flies are especially attracted to fermenting musts. A large proportion of the fly population is brought to the winery from the vineyard.
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