Food Safety
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Food Safety
  • NEWS
    • Latest News
    • White Papers
  • PRODUCTS
  • TOPICS
    • Contamination Control
    • Food Types
    • Management
    • Process Control
    • Regulatory
    • Sanitation
    • Supply Chain
    • Testing and Analysis
  • PODCAST
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Food Safety Five Newsreel
    • eBooks
    • FSM Distinguished Service Award
    • Interactive Product Spotlights
    • Videos
  • BUYER'S GUIDE
  • MORE
    • ENEWSLETTER >
      • Archive Issues
      • Subscribe to eNews
    • Store
    • Sponsor Insights
  • WEBINARS
  • FOOD SAFETY SUMMIT
  • EMAG
    • eMagazine
    • Archive Issues
    • Editorial Advisory Board
    • Contact
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!
SanitationEnvironmental MonitoringSSOPs

Five Sanitation Tips for Getting Sanitation Right in 2016

February 16, 2016

For consumers and manufacturers, product production speed can often take precedent over one of the most important factors in running an operation: sanitation.

Product recalls resulting from manufacturing errors in sanitation often garner national headlines and cause widespread mistrust and panic among consumers.

For example, the Texas-based ice cream manufacturer Blue Bell Creameries is still facing public scrutiny for their Listeria-related recalls this past summer. On January 11, the company had to release a statement claiming their ice cream is safe to eat, despite recent health concerns.

Making changes to increase efficiency and sanitation have yielded dramatic improvements for manufacturers. A large U.S. food manufacturer installed the system recommended in five of their plants and quickly cut costs while boosting productivity.

One of the plants was able to repatriate production, outsourced to a co-manufacturer at a savings of approximately $500,000.

Another replaced its entire 50+-person sanitation crew with a subcontract cleaning crew, reducing its labor cost from $22 to $11.47 an hour, while at the same time increasing the work effectiveness of the crew and performing 15 percent more sanitation work within the same time frame.

It is without a doubt that maintaining your operation’s sanitation will work towards your benefit in numerous ways. To start off 2016 strong, here are five essential tips to keep in mind:

1. Know your problem areas before you make changes

Tackling your sanitation needs is not always an easy feat. The best way to approach improving sanitation in your plant is to conduct a detailed study of the current processes to define the areas that need work. This may include equipment effectiveness, supervisory staff and materials used.

Many times, the root cause of sanitation problems can get overlooked or not properly addressed, because the time and detailed study of the current process are not closely examined. Keep in mind that you may have to hire outside help to get a rigorous study properly completed. It is not unusual to discover at least 30 percent of non-valued time within the existing process, mainly due to poor planning, poor coordination or the use of overly cumbersome methods.

Once you pinpoint the problem areas, the real fun can begin. An effective study will help you determine your goals and plans to streamline your operation and create a standardized method for running everything smoothly.

2. Make sanitation a priority, not an option

When sanitation gets put on the back burner, it often ends up in flames. It is so easy to ignore sanitation issues until it is too late to do anything but clean up a huge, avoidable mess. A crucial component of successful sanitation practices is having a management mind set. Sanitation is a critical part of the business and must be managed, controlled and executed with the same level of attention to that of the production and maintenance operations.

Instead of making sanitation a troublesome necessity, turn it into a competitive advantage by focusing on overall equipment effectiveness (OEE). Your operation will see an increase in capacity without investment or additional resources, and it does not need to be overly difficult or expensive.

However, OEE management does require detailed process analysis, process rethinking, reconstructing of resource assignments and installation of management control and reporting systems. When equipment is scheduled to run, it is running at the correct rate, using the right number of resources and at the right level of quality. This will not only boost the efficiency of your operation but the safety and quality of it as well.

3. Do what’s best for long-term success

While not investing in sanitation may save you a little money in the short run, neglecting it can cause exponentially larger costs down the road, including elevated food scrap, equipment reliability failures, excessive non-value adding to production time, expensive recalls, remediation costs, potential legal liability, stricter federal regulation and destroyed consumer trust.

Save yourself from unexpected disaster and plan ahead. This draws back to having a strong OEE management plan in place as well as creating a culture within the company that stresses the importance of sanitation. It only takes one person to put your whole operation at risk.

Again, this goes hand in hand with making sanitation a priority. Sanitation operations have sometimes been viewed as being secondary in importance, something that is done when orders are completed and finished, and is customarily executed on off-shifts or weekends. This typically means that there is limited management presence or oversight, and the work is executed in an ad hoc, poorly controlled way. This is a mistake.

Clear expectations, clear roles and responsibilities and measured performance are the hallmarks of well-executed operations and an effective way to make sanitation a priority.

4. Adopt LEAN techniques

LEAN is an older, but proven way to reduce waste and up your efficiency. Using LEAN will allow you focus in on three essential areas: elimination of waste, reduction in variability and reduction of inflexibility. When these factors come together, work can be completed in a standardized, efficient and sanitary manner.

Fully adopting LEAN approaches in your operations will involve:

• Determining the current situation

• Reviewing protocols and testing

• Assessing labor agreements

• Standardizing crew, tools, equipment and materials

• Planning and creating a visual board

5. Make it right

We live in an era where corporate responsibility and branding has become increasingly important, not just to distinguish one’s brand, but to garner positive awareness. Manufacturing isn’t only about quantity; it involves ensuring a level of quality that builds consumer loyalty and efficiency.

When your product potentially poses risk for the consumer, it also poses a danger to your business and its success. It should also appeal to a higher code of ethics to ensure the products you are making and selling will not pose a risk on your employees or your consumers.

Remember, you don’t have to risk using unsanitary methods for the sake of saving money or increasing efficiency. In fact, sanitation and efficiency are easily attainable when they are brought together in a strategic plan. Putting in the time and dedication to create an effective sanitation plan will help you avoid negative consequences and bring you to the top of your game.

Tim Tancred is a partner with Myrtle Consulting Group, a value-based operations consulting firm that drives improved supply chain performance, particularly in manufacturing and distribution.
 


Author(s): Tim Tancred

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • people holding baby chicks

    Serovar Differences Matter: Utility of Deep Serotyping in Broiler Production and Processing

    This article discusses the significance of Salmonella in...
    Meat/Poultry
    By: Nikki Shariat Ph.D.
  • woman washing hands

    Building a Culture of Hygiene in the Food Processing Plant

    Everyone entering a food processing facility needs to...
    Food Prep/Handling
    By: Richard F. Stier, M.S.
  • graphical representation of earth over dirt

    Climate Change and Emerging Risks to Food Safety: Building Climate Resilience

    This article examines the multifaceted threats to food...
    Best Practices
    By: Maria Cristina Tirado Ph.D., D.V.M. and Shamini Albert Raj M.A.
Manage My Account
  • eMagazine Subscription
  • Subscribe to eNewsletter
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Website Registration
  • Subscription Customer Service

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Food Safety Magazine audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Food Safety Magazine or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • mold
    Sponsored byIFC

    Tackling Mold Remediation in Food Processing Plants

  • a worker in a food processing plant
    Sponsored byLPS® DETEX®

    How a Beverage Facility Improved Food Safety and Compliance with Detectable Packaging Solutions

  • Two men standing in a produce storage facility having a discussion.
    Sponsored byOrkin Commercial

    Staying Compliant With FSMA

Popular Stories

sunflower oil

Louisiana Passes ‘MAHA’ Bill Targeting More Than 40 Ingredients, Including Seed Oils, Dyes, Sweeteners

smoked salmon in oil

Study Shows Food Type Significantly Affects Listeria’s Ability to Survive Digestion, Cause Sickness

Justin Ransom and Denise Eblen

USDA-FSIS Announces Dr. Justin Ransom as New Administrator

Events

July 15, 2025

Hygienic Design Risk Management: Industry Challenges and Global Insights

Live: July 15, 2025 at 11:00 am EDT: From this webinar, attendees will learn the importance of hygienic design to ensure food safety and sanitation effectiveness.

July 22, 2025

Beyond the Binder: Digital Management of Food Safety

Live: July 22, 2025 at 3:00 pm EDT: During this webinar, attendees will learn best practices for the use of digital food safety management systems across industry and regulatory agencies.

August 7, 2025

Achieve Active Managerial Control of Major Risk Factors Using a Food Safety Management System

Live: August 7, 2025 at 2:00 pm EDT: From this webinar, attendees will learn about changes to the FDA Food Code, which now includes a requirement for FSMS. 

View All

Products

Global Food Safety Microbial Interventions and Molecular Advancements

Global Food Safety Microbial Interventions and Molecular Advancements

See More Products
Environmental Monitoring Excellence eBook

Related Articles

  • FDA and USDA Share Tips for Food and Agriculture Businesses in Need of PPE, Disinfectants, and Sanitation Supplies

    See More
  • Top 3 Tips for Effective Sanitation Chemical Use

    See More
  • goat cheese

    Food Safety Five Ep. 12: New Sanitation and Growth Prediction Methods for Listeria

    See More

Related Products

See More Products
  • 9781498721776.jpg

    Handbook of Food Processing: Food Safety, Quality, and Manufacturing Processes

  • 9781138070912.jpg

    Trends in Food Safety and Protection

  • 1119160553.jpg

    Food Safety: Innovative Analytical Tools for Safety Assessment

See More Products

Related Directories

  • Best Sanitizers Inc.

    Since 1995, Best Sanitizers, Inc. has provided the Food Processing and Healthcare industries with the highest quality products and support. Our stringent practices and policies ensure that our products do what they say they will do, so you can use them with confidence.
  • Packers Sanitation Services Inc. (PSSI)

    PSSI is North America’s leading provider of food safety solutions offering a unified, total protection approach comprised of contract sanitation services, chemical innovations, pest prevention and intervention solutions for food processing facilities, supporting more than 430 partner plants every day.
×

Never miss the latest news and trends driving the food safety industry

eNewsletter | Website | eMagazine

JOIN TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Directories
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing