Exploring the Secrets of CIP

The transformation is astonishing, and it is not yet complete. As monitoring technologies continue to advance, look for CIP to become smarter, perhaps even intelligent.

Today, CIP is prescriptive. It takes direction on when and how to wash—and then it does the job. In the coming years, CIP will take direction on when and how to wash based on production. Further in the future as digital technologies provide an even more comprehensive view of production and cleaning performance, expect CIP to become “predictive,” cleaning only when, and as much as, needed. These leaps forward will make CIP an even better partner in product quality and food safety.

Before you think about tomorrow, though, it’s important to appreciate where CIP is today. Automated CIP monitoring is taking much of the guesswork, and worry, out of quality and food safety by providing constant assurance that every wash is confirmed and validated. The advantages are unmistakable:

• Anomalies are found immediately, and action can be taken to mitigate food safety impact;
• Risks are more apparent and better understood;
• Processes and applications can be optimized;
• Operational choices, and how they affect one another, can be evaluated; and
• Outcomes can be improved.

More than ever, food and beverage producers can be proactive in preventing risks. And more than ever, they can be assured that CIP is supporting, not undermining, their quality, safety, profitability, efficiency, and sustainability objectives.

Curran, technical support manager in the Food and Beverage division of Ecolab, has spent 23 years in the food and beverage industry as a membrane process engineer, automation engineer, and is considered a CIP expert. Reach him at [email protected].