Lesson 2 - Cleaning Systems and Control
This lesson explores the concepts of hygienic design and the Cleaning-in-Place (CIP) systems in the brewery. We examine the nature of soils, the chemicals used to remove them and how we can validate cleaning effectiveness. We also consider the optimisation of modern cleaning systems within the brewery.
Nature of Soils
Soils occurring in the brewing process are either inorganic, organic or often a combination of the two. Biological soil, otherwise known as biofilms, forms a further threat to a clean and microbe-free plant and product.
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Organic soil is derived from organic material such as carbohydrates, proteins, polyphenols, hop resins, and lipids.
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Inorganic soil is composed of metal cations such as calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium, and anions of sulphates, phosphates, silicates, carbonates, and oxalates.
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Biofilms are a syntrophic (feeding off each other’s products) collection of microorganisms in which cells stick to each other and also to a surface. These adherent cells become embedded within a slimy extracellular matrix that is composed of polymeric substances. They are usually associated with organic or inorganic soils and are difficult to remove due to the multiple layers of films developed over-time on a surface, frequently in the pipework.