8

Essential Elements
of Sanitation in the
Beverage Industry

Martha Hudak-Roos and Bruce Ferree

CONTENTS

Introduction
Why Are There Sanitation Needs?
What Are the Current and Future Regulatory Components
of a Sanitation Program?
GMPs
Bottled Water
Juice Regulations
Other Regulations
Summary
What Tools Are Used by the Beverage Industry Today in FulÞlling
Its Sanitation Program Needs?
Cleaning and Sanitizing
Procedures
Other Sanitation Elements
Master Sanitation Schedule
How Is the EfÞcacy of the Program VeriÞed?
Case Studies for Beverages
Conclusion

is derived from the Latin “sanitas,” which means
health. Sanitation in the food industry has been applied to the process of
creating and maintaining a wholesome environment in which to make safe
food. It is a broad-based program — encompassing in today’s food industry
a large portion of what are considered “prerequisite” or “universal” food
safety program elements. These are program elements that are plant wide,
as opposed to the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP)
system, which identiÞes speciÞc process steps as the essential or critical
control points. These universal programs are the second level of the food
safety pyramid (Figure 8.1), with management commitment as the base
and HACCP and continuous quality improvement as the next layer and the
pinnacle, respectively.

FIGURE 8.1

Food safety and quality pyramid.
MANAGEMENT COMMITMENT
PREREQUISITE PROGRAMS
HACCP
CONTINUOUS
QUALITY
IMPROVEMENT
TRAINING
EDUCATION

The basic sanitation regulation for the beverage industry begins with 21
Code of Federal Regulations Part 110, also known as “Current Good
Manufacturing Practices.” For those beverage manufacturers involved in
international trade, hygiene standards are found in the Codex Alimentarius
Commission’s “General Principles of Food Hygiene.” These two docu-
ments list comparable considerations in producing safe, wholesome bev-
erages in a sanitary environment.
The Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) deÞne the regulatory expec-
tations for sanitation. For a beverage processor, the beginning step in sani-
tation is the process of identifying how these expectations are met. We
suggest a table format such as Table 8.1.
In this table, the left column is the Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) provision and the middle column is the GMP text as spelled out
in 21 CFR 110. The last column is where the plant/facility can list the
procedures or programs that are used to cover the regulatory need. Such
a matrix can identify any GMP area that is not fully addressed. It can
also help to consolidate procedures, if you Þnd within the matrix many

TX110_book Page 177 Tuesday, May 6, 2003 9:21 AM
© 2003 by CRC Press LLCTABLE 8.1
U.S. FDA GMP Matrix Example

GMP Item Regulatory Guidance
Food Safety
Program

110.10 Personnel

food-packaging materials.
(2) Maintaining adequate personal cleanliness.
(3) Washing hands thoroughly (and sanitizing
if necessary to protect against contamination
with undesirable microorganisms) in an
adequate handwashing facility before starting
work, after each absence from the work station,
and at any other time when the hands may have
become soiled or contaminated.

TX110_book Page 178 Tuesday, May 6, 2003 9:21 AM
© 2003 by CRC Press LLCprocedures that are addressing the same need. For international compa-
nies, the Codex General Principles of Food Hygiene are analogous to the
FDA GMPs and are an excellent resource as the base reference for any
company’s sanitation program.

GMP

S

The General Provisions within the GMPs start with one of the most important
aspects of hygiene, personnel hygiene. Plant management must have a pro-
gram in place to ensure that personnel are healthy and not likely to be the
source of abnormal microbial contamination. Also, personnel working with
food or packaging must maintain a degree of cleanliness that includes clean
outer garments, good personal hygiene, and adequate handwashing. Jewelry
is not permitted. Gloves, if used, must be intact, clean, and in sanitary

Program

TX110_book Page 179 Tuesday, May 6, 2003 9:21 AM
© 2003 by CRC Press LLCited to, perspiration, hair, cosmetics, tobacco, chemicals, and medicines
applied to the skin.”
The General Provisions also cover education and training. The guidance
suggests that personnel responsible for identifying sanitation failures or food
contamination should have a background of education or experience to
provide a level of competency necessary for the production of safe food.
Food handlers should receive (in the authors’ opinion,

must

receive) appro-
priate training in proper food handling techniques and food protection prin-
ciples and should be informed of the dangers of poor personal hygiene and
unsanitary practices. Supervisors, according to the GMPs, are responsible
for ensuring compliance.
The grounds of the manufacturing site should allow for proper storage of
equipment and removal of waste. Weeds and grass should be kept cut, and the
yard, roads, etc., maintained. Reducing pest harborage and attractants is part
of this requirement: drainage and waste disposal must be adequate. All unused
process piping must be stored up off the ground. The building also must be
under control. SufÞcient space for equipment and storage must be available.
The design of the facility must be effective to permit proper precautions for
reducing the potential for contamination: i.e., location, time, partition, airßow,
and enclosed systems. Included in this section of the GMPs is the requirement


Equipment and Utensils are part of the GMPs. According to the regula-
tion, “The design, construction, and use of equipment and utensils shall
preclude the adulteration of food with lubricants, fuel, metal fragments,
contaminated water, or any other contaminants. All equipment should be
installed and maintained as to facilitate the cleaning of equipment and all
adjacent areas.” This section covers aspects important to the beverage indus-
try such as smooth welds and the cleanliness of holding, conveying, and
manufacturing systems (closed and automated). It covers equipment instru-
mentation (thermometers, pH, acidity, etc.) and the need to accurately and
adequately maintain these devices. This is an important section for review.
Production and Process Controls covers operations. This section has some
key elements, including “Appropriate quality-control operations shall be
employed to ensure that food is suitable for human consumption and that
food packaging materials are safe and suitable” and “Overall sanitation of
the plant shall be under the supervision of one or more competent individuals
assigned responsibility for this function.” There are three areas speciÞc to
this section: Raw Materials, Manufacturing Operations, and Warehousing.
The Raw Materials section requires that raw materials be inspected, segre-
gated, or otherwise handled to ensure that they are clean and suitable for
processing. This section also requires that water used for washing or rinsing
be safe and of sanitary quality. Where water is reused for washing, it cannot
increase the level of contamination of the food. In today’s manufacturing
environments, water reuse (recycling) is a key element in food sanitation.
The Codex Committee on Food Hygiene has developed a text on the safe
reuse of water that can be found on the Codex Web site. Those in the beverage
industry must be cognizant of water safety issues, including

Cryptosporidium