equipmentremoved, newadditionsadded,and newinteriorwalls addedor old
onesremoved. Top considerationto sanitation and sanitary designshouldbe
given when plans for a `change'are being developed.Figure 7.2 showsthe
effect of earlyplanningand the effecton costs if changes are made as the
engineering and construction move past the preliminary planning stage.
Sanitationand sanitary designshould be given inputby any engineering effort,
no matterhowsmall, veryearlyin the engineering process. Thesecret to
sanitary designis a processcalledmindset. Sanitary designand sanitation should
be one of the mainconsiderationswhen any physicalchanges are made in a food
processingplantregardlessof the typeof foodprocessing.
The mainpurposesof creatingtop-levelsanitary design are to:
∑ make sanitation programsfaster;
∑ make sanitation programsmoreefficient;
∑ make sanitation programsmoreeconomical;
∑ helpprevent product adulteration;
∑ helpsatisfy regulatory requirements;
∑ helpsatisfy consumer/customer audits,demandsand requirements.
Thereare basically three levels of sanitary designfor a food and/ora
pharmaceuticalfacility. The three levelsare not rocket science. They are simply
good',better,' or `best.' Each levelcan be definedas follows:
∑ Good± this levelof sanitary designcomplieswithall regulatory requirements
only,and is the minimumlevelthat a foodprocessing plant can be designedto
meet. Anythingless thanthis is illegal under the regulatorycodesin forceat
the timein the countrywherethe plantis beingconstructed or renovated.
∑ Better± this level is one step up fromthe `good'level and incorporatesall
the regulatory requirements as welland sanitary designrecommendationsof
Fig. 7.1 Non-sanitaryfloorexpansionjoint(1 inch= 25.4mm).124 Handbookof hygiene controlin the foodindustry