>>Food processing facility sanitation is an integral part of good manufacturing practices.
Effective sanitation aids in ensuring the wholesomeness, safety, and quality of shell
eggs. The negative impacts on food safety and egg quality are a result of microbial growth.
Research has shown that ineffective cleaning and sanitation practices
or programs can lead to reduced quality duration or potential product contamination.
Residual microorganisms can lead to egg spoilage or food-borne illness.
Most of this training series will focus on the United States Department of Agriculture
Agricultural Marketing Service pre-operational sanitation inspection expectations. However,
remember that the Food and Drug Administration has oversight of consumer shell eggs in
the United States as stated in 21 CFR 117. Additionally, customers accrediting organizations
such as Safe Quality Food, British Retail Consortium Global Standard, and others--as
well as state and local regulatory agencies--may have additional facility sanitation expectations
that can impact your facility. AMS sanitation requirements are meant to protect the integrity
of the USDA grade mark by requiring additional sanitation expectations at facilities that utilize
AMS voluntary grading services. To meet these goals, AMS inspectors will assess
for voluntary grading program requirements during the pre-operational sanitation inspection
and throughout processing operations by utilizing organoleptic inspection assessments.
While AMS may review microbial test results as part of certain export programs, AMS does
not conduct nor require swapping or biological testing during routine sanitation assessments.
So what is organoleptic inspection? Organoleptic inspection assessments include sight, smell,
and touch. However, microbial growth will not always be seen, smelled, or felt. Critical areas
are defined as equipment with potential surface contact with eggs or come in contact with wash
water or air blown to dry the eggs. Non-critical areas are defined as areas that are not likely to
imminently affect product quality. Non-critical does not mean it is not important. Non-critical
unsatisfactory conditions should be addressed after the processing line has been started
unless unable to safely do so during processing. >>In this module, the critical and non-critical
areas of various removal systems present on the processing line will be identified and discussed.
These systems will include shoots for removal of bloods, dirts, leakers, and severely cracked eggs
and recirculating conveyor systems for re-washing dirty or stained eggs.
Additionally, examples will be used to illustrate the satisfactory
and unsatisfactory condition of various components associated with egg removal systems.
Egg processing facilities shall be thoroughly cleaned at the end of each operating day. The
term reasonably clean is applied during the egg processing shift to indicate that equipment and
processing areas are maintained with minimum egg meat accumulation. More explanation of these terms
is presented in the introduction module. During this module, automated and manual egg removal
systems will be presented. Specific manufacturers will be mentioned not to promote or besmirch,
merely to highlight egg removal systems unique to processing lines and how these systems are
addressed during pre-operational sanitation inspections. All portions of egg removal systems
must be available and accessible for assessment during pre-operational sanitation inspection.
The removal systems must be cleaned each day prior to processing.
In order for equipment cleanliness to be properly assessed, USDA Agriculture
Marketing Service graders should be aware of the method and location where downgrade eggs or those
with defects are removed. The various models of egg graders will remove downgrade eggs or
those with defects at different locations on the machine. Even machines of the same model
can be configured to remove eggs at alternate locations based on the design of the facility.
Legacy processing equipment may utilize human detection for cracks, leakers, bloods, and dirts,
also known as dirty eggs. This occurs in the candling booth. More information on the sanitation
requirements of inline candling booths can be found in the egg quality detection systems module.
Downgrade eggs or those with defects may be manually removed by the candling booth operator.
These eggs may be placed directly on flats or in inedible containers. The platforms,
shoots, and containers utilized for this process
are non-critical items but must be cleaned at the end of each processing day.
Modern processing machines have the ability to detect and remove eggs from the processing line
which have cracked shells and ruptured shell membranes, also known as leakers.
Often, identified leakers are removed by the processing equipment before transfer. During
pre-operational sanitation inspection, the leaker removal site must be assessed to ensure thorough
cleaning. Units that remove internal egg defects such as bloods and rots may perform this removal
either immediately after the transfer, before the first packing lane, or at the end of the machine,
after the last packer lane. Unless removed manually from the processing line,
dirty and stained eggs will either go to a packer lane or a dirty egg return line. This line
allows for eggs identified by the dirt detection system to re-enter the egg washing process.
The location of dirty egg return lines depends on equipment manufacturer and plant design.
The common locations are: the end of the carriage system after the last packer lane
between the transfer and first packer lane, before the transfer along the main processing line, and
under the multi-drum on MOBA graders. The dirty egg return belting and bumpers
are critical since they come in contact with eggs destined for packaging similar to the accumulator.
More information on the accumulator can be found in the accumulator module.
Shelves located in the candling booth are used for egg removal by storing under grade eggs on flats.
These shelves and the flats should be maintained in sanitary condition.
Shelves seen in this booth are satisfactory finding in a non-critical area. Booths may also
contain conveyor systems that feed into the dirty egg return line. The egg contact portions of these
conveyor systems would be critical as they are reintroducing eggs back into the grading process.
Shoots and containers used for removal of under grade eggs from the candling booth
are non-critical but must be cleaned daily. The pipes we see in these shots have been
satisfactorily clean. The inedible container is clean and has a clean liner in place.
These shots illustrate satisfactory findings of non-critical areas.
Automated leak removal will include a combination of a shoot and collection bin before the transfer
area of the machine. Here we see an example of how the chute deposits eggs into a collection bin.
The leaking egg removal system must be cleaned thoroughly after each processing day. Here we see
the collection bin after a thorough cleaning. The chute and bin appear to be satisfactorily clean
of a non-critical area. However, upon a more thorough inspection of the chute, we see residual
egg meat and debris on the internal portions of the chute. This would be an unsatisfactory finding
of a non-critical area. The system that removes eggs with interior defects will often be located
between the transfer and the first packer lane. This is where bloods, meats, and rots will be
removed. On the left, we see that the exterior portion of this chute and the collection container
appear to be satisfactorily clean. On the right with closer inspection, we see the interior of
the chute was not satisfactorily clean. Therefore, this is an unsatisfactory non-critical finding.
A full removal of the chute allows for a complete inspection where large amounts of egg and egg meat
remain in the system. This is an unsatisfactory finding of a non-critical component.
Removal of this chute reveals a thoroughly cleaned non-critical area with a satisfactory finding.
Some units require exterior panels to be removed to allow for thorough inspection
of egg removal shoots. Here we have a full view of the satisfactorily clean,
non-critical interior defect removal shoot. Dirty egg return systems are comprised of various styles
and components. To not interfere with production, they are often elevated above the processing room
floor. Daily inspection of these conveyors is necessary and should be performed in a thorough
and safe manner. Depending on their height and location, rod style conveyors may be
effectively assessed from below as you can see through the rods. Similarly, plastic cradle
style systems may allow for assessment from beneath depending on the style of the system.
Trough type systems with cloth belts do not provide for visual assessment from below
and may require a platform or other equipment for assessment when raised.
Temporary elevated platforms used in sanitation assessments should be designed
to safely support personnel by reducing the risk of falling and preventing unstable conditions.
Common ladders and stools not specifically designed for safety in the food processing
environment should not be used for assessment. Facilities with overhead belting should work with
AMS local supervisors to come up with a safe assessment method for their particular system,
which could include utilizing cameras, video, and other assessment methods.
On the rod style dirty egg return conveyor, the rods and bumpers are critical as they come in
contact with the eggs. The interior bracing as well as any framing or motors would be
non-critical. Here we see all the critical and non-critical components to be thoroughly
cleaned and to be a satisfactory finding. This shot has multiple unsatisfactory findings.
FDA regulations require that processed eggs immediately be placed in a 45 degree
Fahrenheit ambient temperature. Therefore, eggs cannot remain on the processing line between
shifts. The non-critical bracing and skids seen in this picture have a buildup of dried egg meat.
In addition, the critical rods in contact with the eggs have egg meat present. This is a critical
unsatisfactory finding and must be corrected before processing begins.
Here we see that the critical bumpers and rods are satisfactorily clean,
but there is residual egg meat on the non-critical structures of cross members and side railings.
This would be an unsatisfactory finding in a non-critical area.
As opposed to inclining conveyor lines, some dirt return systems use vertical elevators.
These can be of various materials and designs. Egg contact areas of these conveyor
are critical sanitation items. The plastic cradle system shown here is continuous from pickup,
transport, and return and can be assessed from underneath at pickup points and at return points.
Other designs utilize a separate elevating system that transfers
to the conveyor. This system appears to be clean and is satisfactory on a critical component.
Residual egg meat and debris would be cause for an unsatisfactory finding in a critical area
and would need to be corrected before processing begins.
Trough type systems generally utilize cloth belts to transport eggs. These systems when elevated
cannot be assessed from below. AMS employees and plant supervision should speak with the AMS
supervisor to determine safe and adequate assessment methods. The cloth belts are
critical and must be cleaned and assessed daily. These systems are easily assessed when at or below
eye level as seen here. In addition to the upper portion of the cloth belt, the underside of the
belt and the trough bed should be assessed for cleanliness. Cloth belts tend to have staining.
Staining in and of itself is not cause for an unsatisfactory finding. Slight fraying of the belt
is also not cause for an unsatisfactory finding unless it leads to excessive buildup of egg meat.
The belt seen here has no observable loose debris or buildup of egg meat. Although there are a few
areas of bare metal, the surrounding framing is non-critical and is free of buildup and debris.
Therefore this is a satisfactory finding on the critical belt and non-critical framing.
Here we see copious amounts of egg buildup on the cloth belt as well as on the trough
and belt junction. Furthermore, the grease on the belt drive appears to have egg meat embedded.
This would be an unsatisfactory critical finding that must be corrected before startup.
A small amount of excessive grease on the end of the pulley system is not cause for
an unsatisfactory finding as long as it does not contain egg meat or buildup of foreign material.
The pulley wheel behind the blue bearing has buildup of egg meat and is a critical
unsatisfactory finding. This portion
of the mechanism is critical since it comes in contact with the porous cloth belting.
The debris seen on the motor casing, electrical conduit, bracing, and leg
are unsatisfactory findings on non-critical areas and should be addressed after processing begins.
There are many styles and configurations for egg removal systems. The same model
of equipment within different plants may have very different egg removal points and designs.
It is important to familiarize yourself with each egg processing system you encounter
to ensure all egg removal systems are evaluated before processing begins each day.
Keep in mind in any system egg contact areas and associated components are critical.