Cleaning and disinfection
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VCM 44
Acid cleaning solutions: are predominantly used for the removal of mineral deposits (calc or
scale, milk scale, beer scale etc.) Acids such as hydrochloric acid, tartaric acid, citric acid
transform non-water soluble salts into a soluble and rinsible state.
Commercial cleaning solutions apart from their cleaning effects usually also contain foam in-
hibitors, complexing agents and tensides.
10.2 Disinfection
The most important requirement of a disinfectant for use in a food production process is that it
be toxicologically harmless at the required level of dilution.
In addition, the following conditions must be met:
• Fatty contamination is only removed by water temperatures over the melting point of fat
(50°C).
• The disinfectant at the level of dilution employed must effect a rapid and irreversible de-
struction of the microorganisms which have the most damaging effects on the foodstuff
produced.
• The efficiency should not be fundamentally affected by the technological process (degree
of contamination, type of contamination, pH level, temperature).
• Tolerance of materials and cost efficiency
• Currently, predominantly halogens (active chloride, iodine agents), hydrogen peroxide,
peracetic acid, quaternary ammonium compounds and aldehydes are used as disinfec-
tants.
10.2.1 Factors affecting the effectiveness of the disinfection process
A variety of factors play a role in the disinfection process and not only affect the duration and
effectiveness of the whole process but also strengthen or weaken each other as the case may
be.
Efficient time
The functioning of a disinfectant involves an exponential, rather than sudden, inactivation or
extinction of microorganisms. The longer the disinfectant has to work, the better will be the dis-
infection result. Disinfection of the hands generally requires 0.5 to 3 minutes, while the disin-
fection of surfaces requires 1 to 6 hours.
Initial germ level
The necessary efficient time to achieve a particular disinfection result is lengthened by the ex-
tent of the initial germ level.
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