It is commonly thought that everything to do with the pharmaceutical and food sector is something we can undoubtedly be absolutely sure about and that foodstuffs, not to mention pharmaceuticals, are produced and treated according to levels of “Superior Quality“, so as to guarantee to consumers that the places and equipment involved in the production chain have been engineered in an optimal manner for their intended use and that all necessary measures have been taken in order to guarantee the safety and wholesomeness of the food products. We would also like to believe that the work of each individual worker, whatever his or her position, is carried out in the awareness of those human and professional ethics that should be applied by all those who are responsible for the safeguarding of our wellbeing and health.
This is what we would like to believe and what we expect both for ourselves and for future generations.
It is clear to all of us that the fundamental aim is the prevention of microbial contamination of food products. Such contamination may originate from raw materials, but a product could also be contaminated by micro-organisms during processing and packaging. If the design characteristics of the machinery are inadequate, this makes for difficulty in cleaning in-between slots and cracks where residues may be trapped, thus enabling micro-organisms to survive and proliferate leading to potential cross-contaminations of subsequent product batches.
Cleaning is thus a question of great importance. Machinery that is difficult to clean will require more rigorous procedures, the use of more aggressive chemicals, and extended cleaning and decontamination cycles. This all entails higher costs, lower production and a shorter life for the machinery.
One of the materials most commonly utilised in the manufacture of machinery for the food industry is stainless steel, which offers excellent protection against corrosion, total lack of toxicity, resistance to both low and high temperatures, good workability and lifetime.
The series 300 austenite steels, such as TYPE 304L – DIN 1.4301, TYPE 304L – DIN1.4307 and TYPE 316L – DIN1.4404, provide an excellent guarantee in most applications.
Surface finishings are just as important. The smoother the surface, the lower the risks of clinging dirt and hence the easier it is to clean.
Also of fundamental importance is the use of Polymeric and/or Elastomer materials having specific properties of resistance to chemicals, operating temperatures, steam, mechanical stress, and hydrophobicity, cleanability and resistance to abrasion, to name but a few of the stringent characteristics required for use in food and pharmaceutical environments.
For its products Ilinox utilises silicone rubber, which is suitable for applications up to 180°C.
To this end, machines are designed, manufactured and installed in accordance with criteria of absolute hygiene so as to avoid negative effects on the quality of foodstuffs or pharmaceuticals, following guidelines giving fundamental indications as to how to tackle the above mentioned problems.
First and foremost among these are the EHEDG Guidelines (European Hygienic Engineering & Design Group), a Body composed of a panel of experts who work together to define the criteria for the sanitary planning of the machines, followed by the well known FDA (Food and Drugs Administration) Guidelines, and those of ASME BPE (Bio Processing Equipment), to name but a few of the most important and authoritative.
Improvisation and approximation have never led to satisfactory results; only those companies that are diligent and well prepared are suitable partners in your requirements of “Superior Quality“.
Ilinox has always been mindful of all these considerations, above all when the interests of everyone are at stake and when your expectations of quality do not allow you to accept any compromise whatsoever.
• REMOVABLE GASKET
The gasket, made of blue silicone to point out filth, can be removed and sanitized.
• NO GAPS
Door protection roof, with flush gasket, rounded corners, no gaps.
• SLOPING ROOF
Built-in roof, 30° slope, to prevent build-up of filth and facilitate drainage of liquids.
• EASY CLEANING
The distance between the sloping roof and the door does not create gaps while facilitating cleaning.