Food Processors Get Creative with Dry Ice Blast Cleaning

Food Safety Standards for Food Processors

Food Processors face challenges daily, none more important than food safety and hygiene standards.  To give them a leg up in the cleanliness department, processors are turning to a creative method to maintain the highest level of sanitation possible – dry ice blasting.

Dry ice blast cleaning is the use of small dry ice pellets through a high-velocity blasting nozzle and compressed air to sanitize a surface.  The frigid temperature causes the surface contamination to loosen and break apart.  The dry ice pellets evaporate on contact with the contaminated surface, which produces a forceful scrubbing effect. It leaves behind a clean, dry exterior.

Benefits of dry ice blast cleaning:

• Waterless process — dry ice evaporates during the blast cleaning process, leaving no residue. This waterless cleaning procedure is ideal for industries that rely on dry cleaning methods like bakeries and electrical equipment.
• Non-corrosive — the non-abrasiveness of dry ice prevents damage to production equipment, helping to extend life of machines.
• Deep cleaning — pressurized dry ice effectively cleans areas that are difficult to reach using brushes or other traditional cleaning methods.
• Microorganism removal — cleaning with dry ice blasting reduces bacteria counts, including Salmonella, E. coli and Listeria because there is no water introduced into the production area.
• Costs savings — reduced labor and other sanitation associated costs like chemicals and water.
• Clean hot — equipment surfaces are able to be cleaned while still warm, decreasing shutdown times.
• On-site cleaning — mobile blast cleaning machinery eliminates the need for target equipment to be moved to designated cleaning areas.
• Non-hazardous — the dry ice blast cleaning procedure requires no toxic cleaning chemicals.

Dry ice blasting can be used on food production equipment such as conveyors, ovens, extruders, dryers, bakery molds, and mixers and packaging equipment. It can also be used for cleaning on processor walls, ceilings and floors.  A versatile cleansing method, dry ice blasting is providing food processors with an efficient and thorough sanitation option.

Plascon offers a variety of flexible food packaging options.  From Cook Chill and Sous Vide bags, to box liners, our films are FDA, USDA , and BRC Certified.  Contact us for more information on our products!