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CLEANING vs. SANITIZING
It is important to distinguish between cleaning and
sanitizing. Although these terms may sound
synonymous, they are not.
B
OTH are required for
adequate food safety and proper machine
maintenance.
CLEANING
·
Is the removal of soil materials from a surface.
·
Is a prerequisite for effective sanitizing.
NOTICE
An UNCLEAN surface will harbor bacteria that can defy
sanitizing efforts.
Ba
cteria can develop and resist sanitizing efforts
within a layer of soil material (milkstone).
Thorough
cleaning procedures that involve milkstone
removal are critical for operators of frozen
dessert machines.
SANITIZING
·
K
Ki
lls bacteria.
·
Can be effective on clean surfaces only.
·
DOES NOT
clean or remove milkstone.
NOTICE
Using a
SANTITIZER
on an unclean surface
will not
guarantee a clean and safe frozen dessert machine.
Proper Daily Maintenance:
The Only Way to Assure Food Safety and
Product Quality
Proper daily maintenance can involve a wide variety
of products and procedures. Overall, the products
and procedures fall into three separate categories.
(Please note that this is a brief overview intended for
informational purposes only.)
1.
CLEANING
–
This involves draining mix from the
freezer barrel and rinsing the machine with
water. Next, a cleaner is run through the
machine. Then, the machine is disassembled
and removable parts are taken to the sink for
cleaning.
2.
MILKSTONE REMOVAL
–
Since almost all
cleaners do not have the ability to remove
milkstone, the use of a delimer becomes
necessary. Although this procedure may not be
needed on a daily basis, it will usually follow the
cleaning procedure. It requires letting a delimer
solution soak in the machine for an extended
period of time. Individual parts are also soaked
in a deliming solution for an extended period of
time (more about delimers in
Additional
Information
).
It is recommended that a maintenance schedule be fol-
lowed to keep the freezer clean and operating properly.
A. Cleaning and Sanitizing Information
Soft serve freezers require special consideration
when it comes to food safety and proper cleaning
and sanitizing.
The following information has been compiled by
Purdy Products Company, makers of Stera-Sheen
Green Label Cleaner/Sanitizer and specifically
covers issues for cleaning and sanitizing frozen
dessert machines. This information is meant to
supplement
a comprehensive food safety program.
Soil Materials Associated with Frozen Dessert
Machines
MI
LKFAT/BU
TTERFAT –
As components of ice-
cream/frozen custard mix, these soils will
accumulate on the interior surfaces of the machine
and its parts. Fats are difficult to remove and help
attribute to milkstone buildup.
MIL
K
STONE –
Is a white/gray film that forms on
equipment and utensils that come in contact with
dairy products. These films will accumulate slowly
on surfaces because of ineffective cleaning, use of
hard water, or both.
Milkstone is usually a porous
deposit, which will harbor microbial
contaminants and eventually defy sanitizing
efforts.
Once milkstone has formed, it is very difficult to
remove. Without using the correct product and
procedure, it is nearly impossible to remove a thick
layer of milkstone.
(NOTE: general-purpose cleaners DO NOT remove
milkstone.)
This can lead to high bacteria counts
and a food safety dilemma.
IT IS BEST TO CONTROL MILKSTONE ON A
DAILY BASIS BEFORE IT CAN BECOME A
SIGNIFICANT FOOD SAFETY PROBLEM.
In addition to food safety, milkstone can cause
premature wear to machine parts which can add to
costs for replacement parts or possibly more
expensive repairs if worn machine parts are not
replaced once they have become excessively worn.
Important Differences Between Cleaning and
Sanitizing
