meat/eggproduct industry. At the timeof writing,the system `P3-Paradigm' is
usedin morethan10 largefoodcompaniesin Germanyand by a further 15
companies in Polandand in the Netherlands.
TheP3-Paradigmsystem includes two separated process steps.In the first
step the intrinsic cleaningis performed,followedby a disinfectionstep withthe
preparationP3-paraDES, necessary to kill microorganismsnot removedduring
the cleaningstep, but alsoto safelydeactivateremainingenzyme residues.
Before, between and afterthe individualsteps,the plant is rinsed withpotable
water(Potthoffet al., 1997).
For cleaning,a 0.1%aqueous solutionfromtwo concentratecomponentsis
manufactured,wherebyone componentcontains buffersalts,complex-forming
agents,and surface-active substances, the otherthe enzyme.The latter is found
witha maximum10%in the concentrateand up to 0.04%in the appliedsolution.
Theenzyme is a mixture of Savinase and Alcalase, classified under the
proteases, produced byGenencorInternational’, Rochester,NY 14618,USA,
andNovo Nordisk A/S, 2880Bagsvaerd, Denmark.
The enzymemixture operates like a biocatalyst at the decompositionof the
wheyproteinsin water-solublepeptides, and doesnot consume itselfduringthe
process.Afterthe fulfilmentof its primary task it is oncemoreavailable for the
protein degradation.Therefore,theP3-Paradigmsystemcan be appliedeitheras
a single-usecleaner, or as a reusecleaneroverseveralweeks.In the present
case,the phaseseparation lossesamount to approximately 10±20%. Their
volumehas to be supplementedaccordingly.The applicationconditions typical
forP3-Paradigm(pH 9.0±9.5, temperature 50±55ÎC) are derivedfromthe
optimal operatingconditionsof the enzymes, cf. Section32.3.2.Parallel to the
enzymatic degradationof the proteins,the surfactants(biologicallydegradable,
non-ionic fat alcohol ethoxylates/propoxylates are used) act upon the fat
contained in the soiling,coverthe fat globules witha bipolar doublelayer, and
transmute themintoa form thatcan be easily transported in the aqueous
solution. The complex-formingagents also containedin the solutionshould
finallyeliminate, or impede, the deposit of mineral precipitationson the surfaces
in touch withthe product.Polyacrylates and phosphonates, supplemented by low
quantities of NTA(nitrilotriacetic acid),serve as substrates. To avoid inhibition
of the enzymes the complex-formingagentsare bufferedwitha borateadditive.
TheP3-paraDES solutions for final disinfection of the cleaned plantsare
generally usedonlyonce.Aftertheiruse theyare discarded.
The dosing of the concentrated components of P3-Paradigm and P3-
paraDESto the solutionsusedand the undertakingof the mixing phaseoccur
exclusivelyon a volumetric basisvia adequatedosing devices.Contraryto the
conductivity-monitored dosing of the chemicals in conventional cleaning
processes, the electricalconductivitycausedby the low substrate concentrations
in enzymatic-basedcleaning cannotbe referredto as a control factor. At pre- and
post-rinsing withcold water the temperature can alternatively be usedfor
recognizing the phases,or the mixingphases.The realized watervolumesare
recordedvia inductiveflow measurement± as far as the waterhas a determined
Enzymatic cleaning in foodprocessing 519