Dirk Nikoleiski is Regional Manager, EMEA at Commercial Food Sanitation with 30 years of experience in both the manufacturing and corporate environments. He held numerous plant and corporate roles at Kraft Foods, including quality manager, project manager (brownfield food plant), business development manager, and multiple corporate sanitation roles. Beside his leading roles at Kraft and Mondelez, Dirk was very engaged with NGOs, such as the European Hygienic Design Group (EHEDG), FoodDrinkEurope (FDE), and the Association of Chocolate, Biscuit, and Confectionery Industries of Europe (Caobisco). In 2016, EHEDG honored Dirk for his outstanding and long-term commitment as well as for his distinguished services to the organization. As member of the allergen ad-hoc group at FDE, he contributed to a guideline on food allergen management for food manufacturers. Over the years, Dirk has also been an active speaker and author on sanitation and hygienic design. He holds a diploma in Food Technology from the Ostwestfalen-Lippe University of Applied Sciences in Lemgo, Germany, and he is also an authorized trainer for EHEDG.
This article discusses factors to consider before making decisions on material selection and design of equipment and infrastructure, including product, cleaning chemicals and practices, activities in the area, and other considerations. It also explores the importance of cross-functional team knowledge and decision-making for design choices.
