Dry Ice Blasting – Food Processing
Dry Ice Blasting is the favoured choice for deep industrial cleaning in the food processing industry
Another busy month has just passed with another now starting!
December is traditionally a busy time in the dry ice blasting world with the main customer base being the food and drink processing companies. This is their main shut down and maintenance period and it is where dry ice blasting contractors are utilised throughout the UK.
Dry ice blasting has a massive role within the food industry due to the deep cleaning nature of the cryogenic process. In fact, the process is so cold on surfaces it actually acts as a disinfectant and is recognised by the US health department as process with which to eliminate bacteria in food factories.
Will Dry Ice Cleaning Sterilise?
It’s not only the sterilising impact where dry ice blasting comes into its own though. The reduction in machinery cleaning down time is second to none. Below is a table showing like for like comparisons on recent jobs we have undertaken.
| Time Taken-Conventional | Time Taken –Dry Ice Blasting | Time Saving | *Estimated Production Saving per clean |
Oiling Line | 2 days/4 operatives=64 man hrs over 8 hour shift | 6 hours/ 2 operatives = 12 man hours | 1 ½ days and 52 man hours | £12’000.00 |
Fat Line Mixer | 2 days/2 operatives = 36 man hours over 9 hr shift | 4 hours/ 2 operatives = 8 man hours | 1 ¾ days and 28 man hours | £10’440.00 |
Fish Extruder | 4 days/2 operatives = 64 man hours over 8 hour shift | 9 hours/ 2 operatives = 18 man hours | 3 days and 46 man hours | £23’800.00 |
Industrial Ovens | 6 days/ 4 operatives = 192 man hours over 8 hour shift | 2 days / 2 operatives = 36 man hours over 8 hour shift | 4 days and 156 man hours | £36’300.00 |
(* Estimates supplied by client and based around production loss, cost of manpower and chemicals/materials)
This table doesn’t highlight the fact that conventional cleaning methods can’t remove as much contaminant as dry ice blasting and that the risk of cross contamination is lessened due to dry ice blasting being a ‘non-contact’ procedure.
So, when you factor in the savings dry ice blasting has provided the food processing industry with, we are effectively reducing your weekly shopping bill!
All in all it’s easy to see why dry ice blasting and the food processing industry are the perfect match.