If you run a food production facility, you’ll know that most foods today impact the equipment on which they are processed.
A typical food production facility uses equipment of varying ages, constructed of a variety of materials, including carbon steel, aluminium, stainless steel, and plastics.
Certain foods, even non-corrosive foods like milk and meat can contain syrups or other additives that change their corrosivity. This can lead to the formation of rust and corrosion on your equipment, which must be removed immediately.
But why should rust be removed immediately you may ask? We’ll tell you the reasons below and why you should consider industrial cleaning as your number one solution.
What causes rust and corrosion?
Before we go into the causes of rust and corrosion, let’s differentiate between the two.
Corrosion
Corrosion is a gradual deterioration of materials (metals and non-metals) caused by a chemical, electrochemical or other reaction with its environment. Corrosion typically happens when the exposed surface of the material comes in contact with air or moisture
Rust
Rust is a form of corrosion. It happens due to the oxidation of iron when exposed to both air and moisture. So, while corrosion can affect different materials, rust is limited to only iron and its alloys like steel.
When Alloys that contain iron interacts with oxygen they create what is known as rust, or iron oxide. Surfaces comprised of iron oxide are more difficult to clean because they contain nooks and small spaces for food and chemicals to get lodged in. As a result, the small spaces in, under and around rusted surfaces quickly become a breeding ground for bacteria.
If you are running a food production facility one of the leading causes of rust will be the many food products that come with a wide range of pH including:
pH 6-7: carbonated sweet drinks, beer, soups and canned meat.
pH 3-5: citric fruit juices jams, sauces etc.
These are processed using concentrated organic and inorganic chemicals (acids, salts). The enzymes in these foods can lead to corrosion which will result in rust.
Why removing rust is a must for your food production facility
Help pass food audits
The last thing you want to worry about is the bacteria-infested rust in your food production facility when you’re preparing for inspection.
The risk of contamination from poorly cleaned equipment cannot be ignored as your food quality will suffer and therefore impact your business on a larger scale. Every opportunity must be taken to ensure a sanitary food facility. The cost of a single recall could potentially close down a facility or stop you from passing a food audit.
The best way to make sure all rust and corrosion are removed before an audit is to get a food manufacturing audit clean.
Prevent bacteria growth
As mentioned above, warm, wet and moist environments such as food production facilities can encourage rust, bacterial growth and contamination within the food.
Even a small amount of corrosion can generate millions of potentially harmful pathogens, which can easily make their way into the food you are processing.
Corrosion in your food production facility not only creates an unsanitary environment but can be a disaster for foodborne illnesses such as diarrhea, Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Salmonella.
Protect your equipment and save money
Billions of dollars are spent every year on equipment cleaning and repairs because food manufacturers failed to maintain their processing equipment properly.
If your business can’t fork out thousands of dollars for machinery and equipment damage, your best protection is by removing rust and corrosion regularly.
Seeking professional advice on how to maintain your equipment through expert cleaning solutions can increase the lifespan of your equipment and machinery and also save you thousands of dollars down the line.
Remove rust with our expert services
As you can see there are many reasons why you should remove rust from your food production facility.
Removing rust helps promote a safer environment for everyone involved and is always the best professional practice to keep. After all, rust is not a good look for any business – especially a food production facility.
If you need help removing rust from within your business, we can help!
Our industrial cleaning services can give you a professional cleaning on a larger scale which is often complicated and involves so many nooks and crannies that can easily be missed, where dust, bacteria, mold and rust can find themselves.
We also treat all areas including the washing of walls, ceilings, roofs, floors, and all machinery and equipment, ensuring your premises are cleared of health hazards.
Prevent rust from arising in your food production facility and schedule an industrial clean today!
